Museum Move Discussed.

Public Services Committee members heard from Carthage resident Dick Ferguson on the topic of moving the Civil War Museum to a renovated Memorial Hall at their meeting on Tuesday night.

"I offer my displeasure at the idea of moving the Civil War Museum," said Ferguson. "It’s part of the integrity of the culture and the historic part of Carthage. The location of the museum is best where it is."

Ferguson pointed out that the museum is housed in the old City Hall building, across the street from the original post office and just a block from the historic Jasper County Courthouse.

Former mayor Herbert Casteel also spoke, offering background information at the Committee’s request. According to Casteel, the museum was established with a $50,000 matching grant from the Steadley trust, funds from individuals and City money. The Steadley money was earmarked for use on the building only--an 1883 historic building. Casteel said no promises were made to Steadley about the museum remaining in the building because the idea of ever moving the museum was not considered.

Casteel said the museum exhibits were designed to provide a progressive story as visitors move through the building which might be hard to replicate in a new site. He offered some concern about the safety of irreplaceable items on exhibit, saying a savings on personnel cost which might be realized with a move to memorial hall would be attractive to him but not if it leaves exhibits unattended and allows vandalism to occur.

Casteel also said the museum helps draw tourist traffic downtown.

"Downtown is important because it gives an image to the community," said Casteel.

Committee member Jackie Boyer reported receiving several phone calls on the topic and mentioned that one argument for keeping Civil War Museum in its present location was it’s ability to draw tourists downtown and the benefit of that to the merchants on the Square. Boyer said tour buses stop on the square and allow people to visit the museum, walk back up to see the Courthouse and at the same time visit shops on the Square.

"Would tour buses stop and have tourists tour the courthouse or would they drive around the Square and let people look at the courthouse without getting out if they have previously made a stop at Memorial Hall is something we would have to evaluate," said Boyer.

Committee member Larry Ross expressed concern about the decrease in the number of public restrooms for visitors to the downtown area if the museum moves.

Committee Chairman J. D. Whitledge asked that the Steadley Trust’s position on the proposed move be sought. The Memorial Hall Long Range Planning Committee plans to meet next week to receive the renovation plans from the architect and present them to the Full Council.

Parks Department News.

The Public Services Committee voted to request a Council bill for the purchase of a new truck for the Parks Department. Parks Department Head Alan Bull received 6 bids for a V-6, half ton pick-up truck. The highest was $16,300, the lowest was the state bid of $13,241 and the next lowest was $14,300. The amount budgeted for the purchase was $14,000. Bull recommended accepting the state bid, and the Committee agreed to make that recommendation to the Council.

Bull also reported at Tuesday’s Committee meeting that he is planning to host a tree seminar in March. The tentative date for the day-long event is March 11. Proposed topics of discussion include tree pruning techniques, hazardous tree identification, chain saw cutting techniques, right tree in the right place, Tree City USA and more.

Bull plans to invite officials from other area parks departments and golf courses, CW&EP employees, Street Department employees, licensed tree trimmers and residents of Carthage to join his personnel.

Just Jake Talkin'
Mornin',

I like old stuff. I especially like old hand made stuff. I also appreciate the fact that it was in fact made to last. 'Course the things that weren't didn't last long enough to be considered old stuff.

I enjoy discoverin' the simplicity of some of the first automobiles. Mechanical brakes, gravity flow fuel systems, wooden body parts. The discoverin' part is great, but I don't want ta be stuck havin' to use one of the things on a daily basis. They're great as long as someone else uses 'em or they sit in a museum where they aren't a danger to the general populace.

That's pretty much how I see the recent minor uproar about replacin' some sections of sidewalk made of Carthage stone. They are great as long as someone else has to take care of 'em and assume the liability of the typical slippery, uneven surface. As a practical matter, they aren't much ta walk on.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin'.

by

Metcalf Auto Supply

Click and Clack Talk Cars

Dear Tom and Ray:

I recently purchased a 1995 Ford Contour with traction control. On the dash it has a pushbutton switch to turn off the traction control. Nowhere in the operating instructions does it state when it's appropriate to turn off the traction control. Since the traction control is automatic, it operates only when needed. So why would you want to turn it off? -Ken.

RAY: Excellent question, Ken. Traction control is a nice, new feature that uses the anti-lock brake sensors at the wheels to determine if a wheel is slipping. If it detects that one wheel is going faster that the other, it applies the brakes to that wheel until it regains traction. That helps the car from slipping around in the rain and snow. And it works pretty well.

TOM: And the only reason you might turn it off is when it's working too effectively. For example, let's say you're parked on top of a pile of snow. You step on the gas and the wheels start to turn, but they can't get much traction in the snow. The traction control does what it's supposed to do; it uses the brakes to stop the wheels from spinning. The problem is, now you can't get out of the parking space.

RAY: And in that case, you really do want the wheels to spin. So you'd turn the traction control off and start moving back and forth, back and forth...letting the friction from the spinning wheels melt the snow as you move a little farther forward and a little farther backward each time. And if you do that long enough...

TOM: You'll eventually burn out your clutch! And end up with your wheels a foot deep in snow. Sometimes you just have to know when to give up and get some help.

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