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[tonyH]

Hi,

While dozing peacefully in front of Antiques Roadtrip this afternoon, this pic came on the box. The programme was talking about immigration to Hull from Russia in the early 1900's but the pic is apparently of arrivals on Ellis Island.

Has anyone seen anything like the vessel in the background?

Lovely lines but with, it seems, an overdevelopment problem? Could it have a central paddle wheel?

Any help would be much appreciated.

 

 

[ballastanksian]

Looking at pictures searched via Google 'ellis island vessels' I am finding three types of vessel time and time again apart from liners and these are 'Immigrant boats', Tugs and your bulgy vessels that have a lower hull and less superstructure than the gin palace style


The vessel looks like this: https://i.pinimg.com/736x/c7/22/35/c72235affcf9be7c49e7f72f3859ecc2.jpg with a bulge. I found one image with two of these vessels in here: https://i.pinimg.com/736x/c7/22/35/c72235affcf9be7c49e7f72f3859ecc2.jpg


These have different shaped bulges, one being rounded and the other at the left is hard edged. The latter image shows one moored alongside an Immigrant boat. Then I found the first image colourised and I saw compartments to the fore and aft of the round shape, and I think it is a paddle wheel box. Whether this makes them (assuming I am not mistaken) paddle tugs or another type of paddle driven immigrant boat I cannot tell. Here is that image that made things a bit clearer to me anyway! http://schlich.com/vic/album_family/ellis_island.jpg

[tonyH]

Cheers Ian,

Your first pic looks like a paddle tug outboard of a riverboat with either a fire boat or a police/immigration boat aft. If the paddles were so far inboard, they would surely be fun to drive! The 'dome' certainly indicates relatively narrow close-set wheels.

Could be fun for Wickie 2019 if any sort of drawings were around!

[ballastanksian]

That is what still makes me wonder. But, it makes sense if you want to protect them from side impacts. I would like to know either way.

[JimG]

Looking as closely as I could with this photo it looks like a side wheeler.  I f you look at the lighting and shadows on the "dome" it is flat sided and appears to be a rather large paddle box with sponsons fore and aft carrying deck houses. Difficult to say why the paddle box on the other side is not visible but may just be the angle as there is some superstructure in the way. You can just make out what appears to be the beam from the engine above he paddle box. It appears that this is a classic american walking beam side paddler.
There may be some work being done on the ship as the top of the boiler appears to be exposed.

Jim

[tonyH]

Hi Jim,

I can see what you mean and after further searching it's almost certain that it's a sidewheel ferry similar to the attached. The bit that got me interested is the huge lid over not only the wheels but extending over the crank crane as well.

Commodore Barney has similar layout and lines but was used in the Civil War

[TailUK]

The height of the paddle boxes suggests that she had liftable paddle wheels.  These were fitted to enable maintenance and to permit shallow water operations.

ballastankstan's picture is probably the ship in question.  Shame they're not slightly clearer as most of these boats had their names written across the paddle box  The paddler below was called the George Starr probably named after some City Dignitary

[TailUK]

Another Ellis Island boat, the William Fletcher

[tonyH]

Thanks to all of you for your input and I reckon it's probably a 'normal' ferry boat and I'm just misreading the level of forshortening on the paddlebox. It just seemed excessively high to me but there's enough evidence to discount a real oddity.

Of course, if I find that it IS odd, I'll be in touch!

Tony

[ballastanksian]

Having liftable wheels is a nifty idea! I shall look up the mechanism used to lift them. Looking at the one pictured, I like the sheer of the superstructure around the paddles. The planking looks attractive and worn, slightly gimcrack