So Cool!!!!! It’s about time!!! Thank you so much Senators and Congressman. Thank you Law Makers. Thank you to Cornel, Leah Ann and the other Owners. Thank you to all of us who have worked so hard, in so many different ways over the last ten years to get America’s Legindary Delta Queen back on our beautiful rivers cruising where she belongs. Thank you to everyone who has supported the Delta Queen. Now please Mr. President. Please Sign this bill into law. I am sure Millions of people in the United States of America, and the rest of the world will support you for signing it. Thank you. Sincerely Jim and Beth Whetzel, and my huge Delta Queen supporter Parents Irvin and Naomi Whetzel. They started it all for my wife and I years ago, by taking us on our first trip of many on the Delta Queen. There is nothing like it.
YEAH!!!! Major celebrations from coast to coast tonight!
Congratulations to all!!!!!
Wesley
What a wonderful Christmas it will be with visions of her whistle soon echoing over the river valleys. Great work and dedication has yielded a major victory. Now, we all must continue to rally around her in her future days.
*DQ Exemption Passes*
Steamboating colleagues,
I couldn't agree more with Jim and David above. I learned long ago never to say never with this process proving it. I agree with loud applause for all who stood up, stepped up, spoke up and wrote it up. I admit to having serious doubts when writing/phoning congressional reps with kick-backs, no responses, 'pressing' questions about the boat itself and "Who these people are?" I went through this with Betty Blake and company on the very first initiative in as many ways as I could and am a heck of a lot older now. And, no doubt, we have a number eager to rush up, step up to "be a part of it all." And that is natural. But let us make no mistake after the confetti and balloons settle down. This isn't the end. It isn't even the beginning of the end. It's just the beginning of the beginning with even more hard work to be done on the boat fore and aft, hull bottom to smoke stack top with more than "just cosmetic work needed" outside and in. I applaud those intimately involved and in charge, but wonder if they know what they are in for? I just had an excited E=Mailer here asking, "Will the boat be up and running for the 2019 season?" Old Jim Burns, who built the DQ/DK for 'California Transportation Co.,' visited the DQ in 1947 when Fred Way, others were 'crating her up' for transit down the Pacific, through Panama to New Orleans and on to Cincinnati and DRAVO that, "The DELTA QUEEN will outlive Capt. Tom Greene and somebody after him." Who would have thought? I'll be eager to see her new operating schedule and cruise prices per person. CHEERS!
R. Dale Flick
Old Coal Haven Landing, Ohio River, Cincinnati
Congrats and a big thank you to all who worked constantly on this exemption!
Carmen
The official www.DeltaQueen.com reports that she will come out for the 2020 season. There is much to be done before that big red wheel rolls again.
I am so excited that I will once again see the boat come steaming up out of the Portland Canal, blowing it's landing whistle for a landing at the 4th St. wharf. When I see that I will be seeing something that is now unique in this world...an overnight, non govt. supported, for profit, overnight STEAMBOAT, I know of none other anywhere in the world. The DELTA QUEEN will truly be one of a kind. My best wishes go with them and their keeping alive a real piece of history.
So, can we get new bumper stickers to replace our "Save the Delta Queen" ones, like maybe "WE SAVED THE QUEEN!!" "Steamboatin' in 2020!"
Since 2020 will be an election year, we can replace all political bumper stickers with one of the old bumper stickers I have from 40 years ago. It reads, "I'd Rather be a Steamboat than President!"
It is NOW truly official. The president has signed the bill into law. Way to go Phillip, Cornell, Leighann, JoAnn, et.al.!
Great Idea Denny!! I have a few of the buttons too.