Bill Text: MS HB951 | 2010 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: MS "French Merci Train" Boxcar; authorize and direct Dept. of Archives and History to secure, restore, preserve and maintain.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 3)
Status: (Failed) 2010-02-02 - Died In Committee [HB951 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2010-HB951-Introduced.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2010 Regular Session
To: Appropriations
By: Representatives Snowden, Currie, Denny
House Bill 951
AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE AND DIRECT THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF ARCHIVES AND HISTORY, WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE BUREAU OF BUILDING, GROUNDS AND REAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION, TO SECURE, RESTORE, PRESERVE AND MAINTAIN MISSISSIPPI'S HISTORIC "FRENCH MERCI TRAIN" BOXCAR LOCATED AT THE MISSISSIPPI MUSEUM OF HISTORY IN JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI; TO AUTHORIZE THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF ARCHIVES AND HISTORY TO ENTER INTO COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS FOR THOSE PURPOSES; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
WHEREAS, the Merci Train was a train of 49 French railroad boxcars filled with tens of thousands of gifts of gratitude from at least that many individual French citizens who were showing their appreciation after World War II for the more than 700 American boxcars of relief goods sent to them by primarily individual Americans in 1948; and
WHEREAS, the Merci Train arrived in New York harbor on February 3, 1949, and each of the 48 American states at that time received one of the gift laden boxcars, the 49th boxcar being shared by Washington D.C. and the Territory of Hawaii; and
WHEREAS, parades and ceremonies of welcome were conducted in the state capitols and major cities of almost all the states; and
WHEREAS, a description of all of the gifts that were in the boxcars would fill many books, and the stories of the origins of those gifts would fill many more; and
WHEREAS, the boxcars themselves were antiques by 1949, having been built between the years of 1872 and 1885, which means that those still surviving today are more than 100 years old; and
WHEREAS, the Mississippi boxcar arrived in Meridian, Mississippi, at 9:00 p.m. on the evening of Friday, February 11, 1949, where it, along with the Louisiana boxcar, was turned over by the Southern Railroad Company to the Illinois Central Railroad Company; and
WHEREAS, after leaving Meridian at 1:00 p.m. on the afternoon of Saturday, February 12, the Illinois Central train arrived in Jackson at 4:30 p.m. that afternoon, where the Mississippi boxcar was unloaded, and remains displayed to this day on the grounds of the Mississippi Museum of History; and
WHEREAS, this iconic symbol, which depicts the nature of the historical friendship that has existed between the United States and France since before America gained its independence and which carries much sentimental value to many American veterans and their families, has fallen into dangerous disrepair and destruction due to continued exposure to weather elements and tampering and defacing by delinquents; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. The Mississippi Department of Archives and History, with the assistance of the Bureau of Building, Grounds and Real Property Management of the Department of Finance and Administration, is authorized and directed to secure, restore, preserve and maintain Mississippi's historic "French Merci Train" Boxcar located at the Mississippi Museum of History in Jackson, Mississippi, subject to the appropriation of adequate funds by the Legislature and the availability of any other funds on deposit in the Historic Properties Trust Fund created under Section 39-5-23. The department, with the funds appropriated for the purpose of this section, shall use such funds to:
(a) Construct a structure or covering to protect the "French Merci Train" Boxcar from exposure to weather elements and access by persons desiring to deface the integrity of the boxcar; or
(b) Renovate an existing state facility that may no longer be in use by the state, but still under the state's ownership, as of the effective date of this act, to securely house and display the "French Merci Train" Boxcar in a manner suitable for public enjoyment.
SECTION 2. The Board of Trustees of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History is authorized to enter into cooperative agreements with the National Park Service, state and local governmental entities, nonprofit organizations, and any other groups, organizations or individuals that may be interested in the securing, restoration and preservation of Mississippi's historic "French Merci Train" Boxcar.
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2010.
