Following the end of the summer navigation of 1908 , '' Wacousta '' left Wabana for Philadelphia with a cargo of iron ore on December 12 arriving there on December 18 . From Philadelphia she continued on to New York City , eventually returning to Philadelphia on December 28 . Soon after , news about a devastating earthquake in Southern Italy started to appear , and the vessel was chartered to transport necessary supplies . '' Wacousta '' left Philadelphia on January 8 , 1909 arriving at Torre Annunziata three weeks later . She also went aground upon leaving Philadelphia , but after inspection found no damage , she continued uninterrupted to her destination . The ship spent two weeks in Italy before proceeding back to North Sydney via Rotterdam and Glasgow . Upon return , '' Wacousta '' resumed her Canadian route along the St. Lawrence river
devastating earthquake
1908 Messina earthquake
SS Wacousta