During the 1920’s the borough of Brooklyn, New York, which roared with speak-easies and flapper dresses, promised an additional lure of luxurious living, as reported by the E.K. Titus in the article, 
"Carefree Life on Lighters in Harbor Attracts Many" published inThe Brooklyn Daily Eagle, February 19, 1928.

Termed the new “Holland in Brooklyn,” Lighters, a type of flat-bottomed transportation barge, attracted a flock of young working men to a leisurely lifestyle. Life aboard a lighter barge of Red Hook Flats promised free-rent, a family-friendly home, an easy job, and a steady income. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle reiterates the ease of the work, stressing life on the lighter is not far from a free paycheck. The barge is further glamorized through the potential of ‘lighter parties,’ or barn dances hosted upon the boat, which, the article suggested, could become an up and coming trend.

The captain of No.36, Mr. Watts, was featured in the report, describing life as comfortable and simple. In addition, he mentions the conditions upon a neighboring lighter. “Well, my father, who is a captain of another lighter on the Lehigh and has two brothers living with him there, gets out the boxing gloves and has a set-to with the boys. Here we play parchesi, the greatest game on earth.” He continues, “It’s as good as a trip around the world being down here. The wife likes it. We get to see things you would never dream of.”

Furthermore, the piece adds that investing in a lighter was also a prospect. A man could have spacious living on his own property front for as little as fifteen dollars a week, which would be put towards upkeep. If he did not wish to or could not own a private vessel, he could find gainful employment as a captain or crew member. Many took the jobs knowing there was really no work to be done, aside from occasionally loading and securing the cargo. Crews were hired for security and maintenance, and lighter captains were better compensated. Skippers could receive anywhere from thirty-five to fifty dollars per month. Captains could receive eighty to one-hundred dollars per month. However, lighter captains deemed the salary too low, and threat of a strike loomed across the harbor.