American Palestine Line

The American Palestine Line was a steamship company formed in 1924 for the purpose of providing direct passenger service from New York to Palestine and was reportedly the first steamship company owned and operated by Jews. The company negotiated to purchase three ocean liners from the United States Shipping Board but was only able to purchase one, (Bonsor, Vol. 1, p. 410), east of Gibraltar. At Gibraltar, the local Jewish community chartered a ship to escort "President Arthur" through the Mediterranean. [cite news | title = Sights huge water spout | work = The New York Times | date = 1925-03-27 | page = 13 ] The ship docked at Naples on March 27,cite news | title = Zion liner due at Haifa | work = The New York Times | date = 1925-03-29 | page = E2 ] four days later than her planned arrival there, and departed the same day.

The liner arrived at Haifa on March 31, nearly a week late. Herman Hirsch reported that a passenger from Chicago, an elderly man, had died aboard the ship on March 24. The man's dying wish was to be buried in the Holy Land, and the crew of "President Arthur" helped fulfill his wishes. After arrival in Haifa, his flag-draped coffin was placed on deck and services were conducted in English and Hebrew by Rabbi Ashinsky before the body was taken ashore for interment. A sizable crowd, comprising delegations from Jerusalem, Jaffa, and Tel Aviv, greeted the arriving ship. Most of the passengers on "President Arthur" were hurried to Jerusalem for the Hebrew University dedication ceremony the next day.cite news | title = Holy Land greets New York steamer | work = The New York Times | date = 1925-04-02 | page = 8 ]

"President Arthur" departed Haifa on April 4 for a ten-day excursion in the Mediterranean, calling at Jaffa, Beirut, Alexandria, and Naples, among others, before sailing for the United States from Haifa on April 17. [cite news | title = Kings greet Zionist ship | work = The New York Times | date = 1925-04-04 | page = 7 ] While docked at Naples on April 23, crewmen from "President Arthur" got into a confrontation with members of the Blackshirts, the Italian fascist paramilitary group. Five of the Blackshirts had broken noses and black eyes; five American seamen were arrested and a further 15 Americans swam out to their steamer to avoid arrest. [cite news | title = American seamen clash with fascisti | work = The Washington Post | date = 1925-04-24 | page = 1 ] After calling at Halifax,Bonsor, Vol. 2, p. 567.] the liner docked at Pier 86 in New York on March 8, carrying among its cargo 75,000 bags of onions from Alexandria, 16,000 cases of lemons from Palermo, and two cases of Jaffa oranges for Nathan Straus. Only 500 well-wishers greeted the ship, arriving as it did on the Jewish sabbath, but "President Arthur" was greeted by the largest police detail in many years because of rumors of a mutiny on board the ship. [cite news | title = Big police squad meets Jewish ship | work = The New York Times | date = 1925-05-09 | page = 6 ] Sources are unclear as to what actually happened aboard the ship, but it is known that virtually the entire crew, including the captain, was replaced before the next voyage.cite news | title = Kills master-at-arms on President Arthur | work = The New York Times | date = 1925-06-24 | page = 2 ]

On May 12 "President Arthur" sailed on her second voyage to Palestine, counting Hemda Ben-Yahuda, the widow of Hebrew linguist Eliezer Ben-Yehuda, among her passengers. [cite news | title = Zionist ship sails after delay in river | work = The New York Times | date = 1925-05-12 | page = 25 ] During the trip, an altercation between a Steward and the ship's master-at-arms resulted in the death of the latter while the ship was in Naples. Though the steward was arrested by Italian authorities, he was acquitted of murder by the Assize Court at Naples. [cite news | title = Acquits American sailor | work = The New York Times | date = 1926-02-14 | page = 25 ] After a return to New York, "President Arthur" sailed for Haifa on July 19 for what would be her last voyage for American Palestine.

The demise of American Palestine

By this time, the company, perpetually undercapitalized by its own admission,cite news | title = Palestine ship line in receiver's hands | work = The New York Times | date = 1925-09-12 | page = 7 ] faced mounting financial troubles. On July 10, the company had to post an indemnity bond to avoid the impoundment of "President Arthur" for a disputed bill owed to Morse Dry Dock for the ship's 1924 refit. The following month, "President Arthur" was used as collateral for $100,000 loan from a Bronx bank, but it was too little, too late. American Palestine Line was placed in receivership on September 11 by federal judge Thomas D. Thacher of the U.S. District Court after suit was brought by a creditor.cite news | title = Say Palestine Line got bond by fraud | work = The New York Times | date = 1925-12-04 | page = 11 ] Eight days later, "President Arthur", docked at the foot of West 34th Street, experienced a two-alarm fire in her forward cargo hold that brought out both land-based firefighters and the New York City Fire Department fireboat "James Duane". [cite news | title = Fire on President Arthur | work = The New York Times | date = 1925-09-20 | page = 28 The news article calls the fireboat the "James Duana", but listings at [http://www.fireboat.org/history/fleetlist.asp Fireboat.org] identify her as "James Duane".] In December, the line was accused of fraud in some of its prior financial dealings, charges the company denied. [cite news | title = Palestine Line upholds officers | work = The New York Times | date = 1925-12-15 | page = 18 ] By the time all the legal wrangling was finished, "President Arthur" was back in the hands of the USSB,cite news | title = Local yard to rebuild liner | work = Los Angeles Times | date = 1926-08-19 | page = 10 ] and the furniture and fixtures of the American Palestine offices were sold at public auction by the company's receiver in early March 1926. [cite news | title = Bankruptcy sales | work = The New York Times | date = 1926-02-24 | page = 38 ]

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External links

* [http://www.jewsinamerica.org/images/image.php?fullimageID=YIVO/YIVO24.jpgSheet music cover] of "President Arthur's Zion Ship"