Francesville Town Council approves street use for Lincoln funeral train
Francesville Town Council members are approving some of the final details of the fall festival.
During a regular meeting on Aug. 17, council members approved for the Lincoln funeral train replica to be set on the street instead of on the railroad tracks.
Festival representatives were hoping the train could sit on the tracks and travel into town as it did 150 years ago. The funeral train carried Abraham Lincoln’s body through Francesville on May 1, 1865. It stopped to replenish water.
Ron Schlatter said the goal was to use the tracks but “there is no way that CSX will let us display on their property because of the liability that they would incur. What we would like to propose now is to put the engine, the tender and the funeral car on the street in front of the bank.”
Schlatter said he has been assured by the company that does this that the roadway would not be damaged.
The train will be delivered by semi-trucks the Wednesday before the festival. Area students will then have a chance to tour the car on Thursday.
Schlatter said the Lions Club tent will be moved and the bank drive-through will still be accessible.
Council members approved the festival to place the train on the street.
The festival will be Sept. 18-20.
In other business:
• Minutes from the Aug. 3 meeting were approved.
• During the department reports, the council was advised of a blown tire at a recent brush fire. The tire has been repaired.
• Town marshal Doug Lee presented a proposed schedule to the council. “I have looked at it and I think it looks pretty good. It kind of gives us some broad coverage,” said council president Andy Durham. Lee also gave a brief report on the number of calls he responded to and traffic contacts he made. Lee said he is currently working on updating forms, properly equipping the police vehicle and reviewing prices for audio/video system.
• Street superintendent Brad Stevens advised the council that some additional work needed to be done on the town tractor. The hydraulic leaks were fixed but the brakes weren’t working. Brush will be picked up after the tractor is back in town.
• Quotes to purchase gutters for the storage building on Bill Street were tabled.
• Salaries of clerk-treasurer Linda Bennett, water and wastewater superintendent Greg Stone and Stevens for the 2016 budget were approved. A raise was approved for each person.
• Claims were approved.