| 7/28/2008 3:00:00 PM | Email this article • Print this article | Don't give up on the Delta Queen
OUR VIEW
Let's not give up the fight quite yet. It might be remote, but there still is a chance that the Delta Queen could survive ill-advised attempts to retire it after this season.
Sunday's farewell ceremony on the riverfront brought out hundreds of residents who have enjoyed watching the riverboat on its stops in Madison over the years.
Most agreed that it would be a shame if the boat was not allowed to continue its trips up and down the nation's waterways.
We also saw several seniors telling youngsters about the days when the river was busy with traffic - transporting people and goods from one location to another.
There it was right in front of us Sunday afternoon - a living piece of history that is in danger of being shut down because of a law that shouldn't even apply to the Delta Queen.
The Delta Queen was built in 1926, and for decades has had a congressional exemption from a fire code barring wooden superstructures on ships carrying more than 50 passengers on overnight trips.
The exemption expires in the fall, however, and even though it has had strong congressional support nine times, it is unlikely to get the exemption this time.
The Delta Queen is in tip-top shape. The interior is beautiful - we dare say as magnificent as the day it carried its first passenger.
Mayor Tim Armstrong issued a proclamation to honor the Delta Queen at Sunday's event. In part, the proclamation read: "The citizens of Madison, Indiana, committed as they are to historic preservation, garner great enjoyment and a connection to America's history from their interaction with the Delta Queen."
Perhaps because of our commitment to historic preservation we have a greater understanding of the importance of preserving institutions such as the Delta Queen. That significance might be lost on congressmen from North Dakota, New York or Nevada.
It should not, however, be lost on our congressman Baron Hill. Hill now supports saving the Queen, a switch from his earlier position. Now is the time to let the congressman know that we believe the Delta Queen deserves a favorable vote.
Let Hill know by calling his Washington, D.C. office at (202) 225-5315 or his Jeffersonville office at (812) 288-3999.
Seeing the Delta Queen docked on Madison's riverfront Sunday made us believe more than ever that this magnificent boat must be allowed to continue its mission of reminding us of what life was like on the river during a simpler time.
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Reader Comments
Posted: Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Article comment by:
Jo Ann Schoen
Please call, write, fax and email Senators Lugar and Bayh now and urge them to sponsor legislation in the Senate to extend the exemption. Don't delay, Call today! SAVE THE DELTA QUEEN
Posted: Monday, July 28, 2008
Article comment by:
Daphne Hamm
I was not able to make the ceremony, as I now live near St Louis, MO. My mother and father were there. I lived in Milton for 7 years and remember seeing the beautiful boat when she came to dock in Madison. It breaks my heart that I may never see her again!
Posted: Monday, July 28, 2008
Article comment by:
Marian Nusekabel
Thank you,the people of Madison for your heartfelt committment to keep our gracious Historical Steamboat The Delta Queen floating on our American rivers!
If our quest fails, we lose a part of our past which future generations will not have the joy of experiencing up front and personal.
"Save The Delta Queen"
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