STEAMBOATING. 303 



entirely, and the fine new steamer u Island Home" 

 put in her place. 



That year or the succeeding one an opposition boat, 

 the u Eagle's Wing," was placed upon the old route 

 to New Bedford. She was not a success financially, 

 and was withdrawn the next season. She was after- 

 ward entirely destroyed by fire on the Providence 

 Kiver, off Pawtuxet. 



Early in 1872 the Old Colony and Cape Cod Kail- 

 roads were consolidated, and in 1874 the Old Colony 

 Company obtained a controlling interest in the Nan- 

 tucket and Cape Cod Steamboat Company. The 

 " Eiver Queen " was purchased that year, and with 

 the " Island Home " was placed upon the route be- 

 tween Nantucket, Oak Bluffs, Wood's Holl, and New 

 Bedford. 



It was on board the " Kiver Queen " that the cele- 

 brated conference between the lamented Lincoln and 

 the Vice-President of the Southern Confederacy, A. H. 

 Stephens, took place. A room on the upper deck is 

 still shown as the one in which the conference was 

 held. 



The putting of two boats upon this route gave to 

 the island two boats and two mails a day during the 

 summer season; and the honor of bringing about this 

 state of affairs belongs in a great degree to the cour- 

 teous and efficient agent of the steamboat company, 

 Mr. Joseph S. Barney. 



Since the building of the " Island Home," she has 

 been to Nantucket what the old frigate u Constitu- 

 tion " was to the United States. For more than a 

 quarter of a century, with Nathan Manter as her com- 



