Floating Palaces Wanted

augusta · Post by **augusta** » Sun Jul 04, 2004 10:56 am

I'm looking for a copy of the book "Floating Palaces" about the Fall River Line.

I'd also be interested in hearing of any other books on the FR Line that are for sale.

diana · Post by **diana** » Sun Jul 04, 2004 4:27 pm

Augusta -- there are some used copies of that book for sale on http://www.abebooks.com/ -- starting at $30. Click Advanced Search on that site and type 'floating palaces fall river' into the keywords space to find them.

Also using Advanced Search on that site -- key in 'fall river steamboats' and you will find some more on the line. e.g. Priscilla of Fall River (McAdam), The Night Boat (Hilton), Old (The) Fall River Line (McAdam), A Short History of the Fall River Line: The Story of an Era in American Inland Water Transportation (Covell). You may already have all of these -- but I just love looking at used book sites -- so couldn't resist indulging in a little research, here.

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Sun Jul 04, 2004 8:30 pm

Thanks Diana.

Here are 2 pics of the Fall River line.
One is the dock with several ships.
The other is the first boat of the Line.

please clickonpic

augusta · Post by **augusta** » Mon Jul 05, 2004 12:10 am

Thanks very much, Diana. I could only find one used copy on eBay that was going for $80.

Thanks for the wonderful pictures, Kat. Goodness, that was quite a fleet they had. It's sad that they are no more.

augusta · Post by **augusta** » Tue Jul 06, 2004 8:49 am

I went to the book site you recommended, Diana, and found a copy for $30 and ordered it. Much nicer than the price on Amazon. They had like 7 copies of "Floating Palaces", going for $30 - $40. So if anyone wants a copy, this might be a good chance to pick one up. Thank you, Diana!

diana · Post by **diana** » Tue Jul 06, 2004 3:54 pm

Oh good! I'm glad that worked out, Augusta.

mbhenty · Post by **mbhenty** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 10:32 am

Hey Kat> Check out the ebay offering below. It has a Fall River and Jay Gould connection. pricey though?

http://cgi.ebay.com/SCARCE-Fall-River-L ... dZViewItem

Shelley · Post by **Shelley** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 12:25 pm

ALibris, Amazon.com, Bookfinder, or ABEbooks are all good sources although I was very lucky about 2 weeks ago to get one on ebay for 18 dollars- you simply have to look often.

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 1:06 am

That's cool, Michael!

I looked around to see if Jay Gould owned the Bristol, as that sales says, and it seems he was co-owner of the Bristol Line, but I can't find him owning a ship or steamer called that.

Do you know?

SteveS. · Post by **SteveS.** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 1:55 am

Maybe a little off topic but not too much. If you go over to Somerset, Ma. And stand on the shore of the Taunton River just south of the Braga Bridge you can still see the remains of one of the last “Floating Palaces”. It was run aground in somerset and then set afire after it was retired from the Fall River Line. That is what they used to do with the ships when they were no longer needed. I have stood on the actual timbers of the ship at low tide and to me it was awesome being able to say I actually stood on one of those ships. I don’t remember the name of the ship that was run aground there. I am a lazy person by nature so I don’t really want to research it again or dig up and scan the picture I have of it. LOL

mbhenty · Post by **mbhenty** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 3:07 am

Yes Kat: Jay Gould was in partners with James Fisk, railroad and stock market Baron. Fisk held and controlled most of the stock in the Narragansett Steamship Authority which owned the steamship Bristol.

So that is Jay Gould's connection to the Bristol.

Now this is interesting. If you remember James Fisk was the millionaire in the famous novel THE GIRL IN THE RED VELVET SWING. If you read the book you would remember Fisk was killed for keeping company with this young lady, a dancer. He was old enough to be her father. A rival, Edward Stokes, who was also in love with the same girl killed Fisk, shot him dead.

The original book THE GIRL IN THE RED VELVET SWING was written by Charles and Louise Samuels. If you know your Lizzie literature, Samuels wrote THE GIRL IN THE HOUSE OF HATE. Funny how all the pieces fit together.

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 6:01 am

Thanks! I found it!

http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/map_item. ... /gmd@field(NUMBER+@band(g3804n+pm005950))&title=The%20city%20of%20New%20York.

or

http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/gmd:@field(NUMBER+@band(g3804n+pm005950))

That Samuels thing is another example of the *Degrees of Separation* of Lizzie and.... [That's cool!

]

Anyway, here's The Bristol, from a panoramic map called "The City of New York, 1870."

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Fri Mar 02, 2007 6:04 am

Here is the link to some Panoramic Maps of New York you guys:

http://www.sunysb.edu/libmap/nypath3.htm

You can find others at the Library of Congress online.

stuartwsa · Post by **stuartwsa** » Thu Mar 08, 2007 10:19 am

The antique and used book store next door to me has a copy for $50. If anyone decides that they want it, I can buy it and send it, if you send me a check. Just PM me if you're interested.