ST GEORGES BRIDGE 1939

ST. GEORGES BRIDGE COLLISION IN 1939

FACTS

Captain John Lloyd Reynolds , master of the freighter Waukegan, and the Delaware Bay

and River Pilot, Captain Leroy F. Taylor, testified that every precaution had been taken

to avoid a mishap when the Waukegan struck the St. Georges Bridge over the Delaware

and Chesapeake Canal on 20 January, 1939.

At a hearing of their accusation of inattention of duty by the Bureau of Marine

Inspection & Navigation Captain Reynolds had made it known that there had been malicious

tampering with the steering apparatus discovered while the Waukegan was south bound in the Delaware River, and he had the steering room locked, ordered a series of test which indicated the ship was functioning perfectly. The Captain had anchored the vessel at the

entrance to the canal, took aboard additional water ballast and out the vessel through another

series of test. On a straight section and on two curves the ship responded to it;s helm, but

up the canal on a slight left curve the vessel went out of control heading straight for the

bridge. He dropped both my port and starboard anchors, reversed engines, everything I

could do to ease the impact.

Captain Taylor, of the Delaware Bay and River Pilots , testified both he and the master gave their whole attention to navigating the ship from the time it sailed from Philadelphia to the time it nosed into the bridge and toppled it into the canal.

Abstract 08/18/18 by HARRISON H, from Wilmington Morning News , Tuesday,

August 15, 1939 for www.iinni.blogspot.com and Facebook.