Delta Queen celebrated during Riverfront Park ceremony

As a band played a series of tunes aboard the Delta Queen, Cape Girardeau resident Mildred Younghouse recalled the time she and her husband, E.C., spent two tours aboard the wooden steamboat.

"The great thing about the cruise was that we could be as busy or as leisurely as we wanted on the Delta Queen," said Younghouse during Tuesday's farewell ceremony at Riverfront Park in Cape Girardeau. "By the end of the cruise we got to know all the passengers because it was such a small boat. It was an experience that I'll never forget."

But if a congressional exemption to the Safety at Sea Act is not renewed, Tuesday could have been the last time Younghouse and others watched the ship pass through communities alongside the Mississippi River.

Enacted in 1966, the law bans overnight excursion boats made of wood. While the legislation was intended for oceangoing cruise ships, the Delta Queen was included. Congress has granted company officials an exemption several times since, usually attached as an amendment to other bills.

The current exemption to carry overnight passengers expires Friday, and company officials and supporters of the steamboat hope Congress will grant another renewal to keep the boat afloat. If a renewal is not passed, company officials will continue their fight while the boat is docked.

People watch the Delta Queen on its last visit to Cape Girardeau on Tuesday. The exemption that allows the vessel to carry passengers expires Friday.

"We're hopeful that when Congress reconvenes after the election that we'll get this bill passed," said Delta Queen historian and spokesman Bill Wiemuth. "This is a piece of American history that we hope continues its voyage. To see that last chapter of American history end is tragic, but it doesn't have to."

U.S. Rep Jo Ann Emerson, a Cape Girardeau Republican, is among those lawmakers from districts along the Mississippi River to support the extension. She joined 195 members of Congress who voted April 24 in favor of a motion to provide an exemption; 208 voted against the amendment. Twenty-eight representatives did not vote on the measure.

"The Delta Queen is a historic vessel that ought to be allowed to operate on the river as it always has," Emerson said. "There is no question the Delta Queen complies with any reasonable expectation for safety."

"More importantly, however, folks in Southern Missouri and up and down the Mississippi River look forward to the Delta Queen's stops -- it's a rich part of our history and an important channel for local commerce. I am extremely frustrated that Congress has been unable to resolve the legislative impasse," Emerson said.

While he could not provide an exact monetary value on the Delta Queen's economic impact on the city, Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau executive director Chuck Martin said whenever the boat docked alongside the banks of the Mississippi River its passengers often ate in area restaurants, bought items in downtown storefronts and visited various towns in Southeast Missouri. A cruise on any of the boats that regularly dock in Cape Girardeau normally costs between $2,000 and $6,000 per passenger.

"It's a wonderful piece of Americana," Martin said, adding, "When it has made its stops, it not only impacted our economy but also was a chance to market our community."

Singing its praises

Cape Girardeau Mayor Jay Knudtson said he and leaders from other communities have continually sought ways to have their message heard in Congress. But he admitted that the effort is a monumental task.

"It's all in Congress' hands," Knudtson said. "All we can do is continue singing the praises of this piece of American history."

The Delta Queen first set sail June 2, 1927, operating overnight tours in California. Throughout the years the vessel has served not only as a cruise ship but also a floating barracks, training facility and troop transport for the U.S. Navy during World War II.

And if it can survive a war, the Great Depression and decades of operation, supporters of the Delta Queen are hopeful the ship can overcome the latest hurdle in Congress.

"We're not willing to give up," Wiemuth said. "We'll keep fighting, and we believe there's hope we can get this bill through and continue our journey along the riverfront communities."

Tricia Johnston, an Atlanta resident who traveled to Cape Girardeau for the ceremony, said she will continue writing letters of support to members of Congress.

"Like many others who have so many wonderful memories, I feel attached to this boat," said Johnston, who spent her honeymoon on its sister ship, the Mississippi Queen. "It's sad that a historic piece of Americana may not be able to continue floating down the river for others to enjoy and share in its glory."

bblackwell@semissourian.com

388-3628

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