The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1908-10-01
HOUSEBOAT WILL TRY
TO SAIL AROUND HATTERAS
She Is Floating Palace, But Only
Draws Three Feet and Will
Be Tossed Like a Chip
(New York WorldJ

NachtSmen who nave Salied the
world over in quest of recreation and
health are deeply interested in the
proposed plan of Edward Becker.
treasurer Of the Equitable Engineer
ing Company. OF No. so Wall street,
to sail from New York TO Florida in
his hOusebOat Maine, the most splen-
didly equipped and cOstliest craft of
its kind in America, il not in the
world
Although the boat draws little more
than three feet of water. Mr.. Beckett
says there will be no danger when il
leaves the inland route in Virginia
and rides on the Atlantic around Cape
HatteraS and thence along the coast
10 Florida in tow Of an ocean going
tug. Il is planned 70 start early in
October. and the winter will be spent
on the Miami River
The trip viii be a continuation of
the honeymoon from which Mr.. and
Mrs. Beckett returned recently after an
extended European tour. Mrs. Beckett
was Miss Sonia Isabel Tripler, a
daughter of the late Charles r. Trip
Ter. one of the pioneers in the develop
ment of liquid air as a commercial
factor. She is popular in society in
New York and Paris.
chase of the Maine from the heirs of
George c. Taylor, the eccentric mil
lionaire Of Islip, L. l., considerable
mystery surrounded the boat. 1t was
built for Betsy Head, housekeeper for
the aged millionaire and whose home
one the Long Island estate Wed with
the owners mansion in magnificence.
YaChtsmen who have seen the
Maine at its present anchorage off
West One Hundred and Twelfth street
have expressed themselves as amazed
by its luXuriant fittings. Her graceful
lines. trim mastS and FURNISHED
brasses suggest at first glance that the
craft is a yacht. Closer inspection.
however. reveals her to be a house
beat without power. She is IS feet
on the water line and has a 30foOt
beam. The Cigarette. owned by an
glades, owned by Col. Thompson, of
this city, are the only house boats in
the world which exceed the Nejme in
length, but neither has more than half
her beam.
The Maine is far more spacious
than many a summer villa. The in
terror woodwork, even TO the galley.
is of mahogany Below the main deck
ars four large staterOOms with two
baths, a commOdious dining-rOom. a
salon and reading room. The latter
three apartments. combined with a
wide hall. can be turned into a ball
room by removing portieres which
otherwise separate them.
Forward on the boat are the kitchen
or galley. two staterOOms. one for the
chef and the other for the maids, and
quarters for the crew, which consists
of four men and a cabin boy. On the
upper deck-the second story Of this
palatial boathOuse-is the sun prone
made" along which are boxes filled
with Towering plants. They are in
view of the owners suite. which was
designed by E. COchrane tombstone.
Scotch shipbuilding expert, and to
whose ingenuity the yacht like appear
ance of the Maine is due.
The owners suite consists of a Sa-
Ion. a spacious bedroom and a tiled
bathroom equipped with hot and cold
salt water or fresh water. A spacious
fire place. which is fed with logs, is
installed in the salon.
Mr.. Beckett purchased the thirty
five-fOot mahogany launch. the syria.
with the Maine as a tender. The
launch will tow the houseboat down
the Raritan Canal. through the Della
ware River and into Chesapeake Bay.
where a tug will take up the journey
around Cape Hatteras to Miami Flor
ida. Among the modern appliances
With which the Maine is fitted is a
sulphuric- ether hydrogen searchlghti
the first of its kind operated by a
storage battery of 10000 candle
candle-power
George c. Taylor built the Maine
Eeveral years ago from plans drawn by
himself. The Names lines Were first
staked off with ropes on the lawn of
the millionaire's Long Island estate.
He employed expert craftsmen en-
gagged from abroad to carry out his
ideas. They were instructed to defer
from even driving nail unless it was
with the sanction of Mr. Taylor or
Betsy Head. Shipbuilders estimate
the cost Of the Maine at more than
100000.
When the boat was finished Mr.
! Taylor found he could not get it to
the bay to launch. He had a canal
dug from the lawn to the inlet, a dis
tance of half a mile. and in this man
ner fiOated the boat 1t was moOred
! TO dock at the end of the canal
after one trial trip and thereafter was
never used. Betsy Head. it was said
+ in the neighbOrhood, had tired Of the
costly whim in which she had been In
dulged by the eccentric millionaire.
The housebOat was kept ready for oc-
cuparcy. nevertheless. but only a few
personal friends Of Mr. Taylor were
permitted 10 go on board
Mr.. Beckett has rcftted the boat in
the most luxurious manner compatible
with good taste. He plans later to in
stall an engine which will drive the
boat at q Speed of from six to seven