TRURO, Mass. (AP) – The shipwreck of the Steamship Portland, known as “New England’s Titanic,” was remembered 110 years later as Cape Cod ham radio operators transmitted the story of the tragedy far and wide.
Nearly 200 people were killed when the Portland went down about 25 miles north of Truro on Cape Cod in a vicious storm in November 1898.
Many of the victims were headed back to Portland from Boston after Thanksgiving. No one knows why the ship’s captain left port, despite forecasts of bad weather.
On Friday, amateur radio operator Henry Brown of Falmouth and other radio enthusiasts transmitted the story from the Cape Cod Highland Lighthouse.
Eastham resident Bud Hall sent the Portland’s story out via Morse code.
Brown told the Cape Cod Times he wanted to be sure people didn’t forget the Portland.
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