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Editorials/Opinions |
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Opinion/our Opinion from www.bgdailynews.com
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Delta Queen is worthy of preserving
The Delta Queen is a beautiful, historic riverboat and she deserves to continue rolling down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers.
The 82-year-old sternwheeler is scheduled to shut down because Congress has refused to grant another exemption from federal law that bans more than 50 overnight passengers on boats that are largely made of wood. The exemption expired Oct. 31.
Owners say the boat, which can carry 176 overnight passengers, can’t survive financially if it can only carry 50 passengers.
This is why we are in support of the nomination of the Delta Queen to become one of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places.
The Natural Trust for Historic Preservation must now determine if the Delta Queen meets three criteria - historical significance, urgently threatened and possible solutions - in order to qualify for the list.
We believe the Delta Queen meets the criteria to be added to this list and this should be done as soon as possible. Built in 1926, the boat is the last operational overnight steam-powered sternwheeler in the United States.
Not only will adding the boat to the list help avoid its potential demise, but granting another exemption to allow more than 50 passengers will ensure that the boat continues to travel the Ohio and Mississippi rivers.
We urge Congress to grant another exemption so this historic boat won’t sit in some dock somewhere and slowly deteriorate, like so many other boats of important, historical stature.
The boat is currently in New Orleans, where it will spend the winter. The steamer is tied up next to her younger sister ship, Mississippi Queen, which is being dismantled.
This ship brings a lot of joy to those who travel and spend the night on her. We are hopeful that the National Trust for Historic Preservation will recognize this and accept the request and we hope Congress will see the value of the Delta Queen to our region and grant another exemption so she doesn’t end up like her sister ship.
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