Veterans Park to get cannon

Daily Mining Gazette ^ | Jan 14, 2005 | Jane Nordberg

[proud_yank]

HOUGHTON - The city of Hancock may want to put additional dollars aside as a defense budget against rival neighbor Houghton. The Houghton City Council approved a resolution Wednesday to pursue funding for the purchase of two M101 Howitzer cannon to be placed at Veterans' Park.

"We'll point them at Hancock," quipped Mayor Tom Merz.

City Manager Scott MacInnes said a subcommittee comprised of city representatives and members of the Copper Country Veterans' Association, the group working on improvements to the park, desired to showcase the pieces as display items in the park located just north of the Portage Lake Lift Bridge.

"We have the opportunity to purchase these items from Army surplus and put one on each side of the wall," MacInnes said. "They're asking for our approval to obtain them and display them."

While council member Craig Kurtz expressed concern that the cannon might "generate some creative vandalism" in the form of pranksters rolling them down the hill, MacInnes assured Kurtz that the cannon would be set in concrete.

MacInnes also assured the council that neither cannon would be non-operational.

"We won't tell Hancock that," said Merz.

Hancock City Manager Glenn Anderson was unavailable for comment.

[proud_yank]

LOOK OUT HANCOCK!!!

[darkwing104]

Don't shoot till you see Code Pink!

[Archangel86]

MacInnes also assured the council that neither cannon would be non-operational

Erm...

[Fido969]

I want one of these.

[proud_yank]

MTU/Keweenaw PING

[Servant of the 9]

MacInnes also assured the council that neither cannon would be non-operational.

Say what?

Assuming he meant that neither cannon would be operable, my prankster half know sthat an M-101 with an inoperable breech is a muzzleloader.

So9

[Archangel86]

Now that I think about it, that makes the "We won't tell Hancock that" line even funnier.

[Fido969]

MacInnes also assured the council that neither cannon would be non-operational

Erm...

heh heh heh.

[Lokibob]

It would be so kind of posters when they post local news, they at least mention the State. Key words would help.

[Fido969]

an M-101 with an inoperable breech is a muzzleloader.

Unfortunately, they usually fill the barrel with concrete.

*sigh*

[proud_yank]

I added MI as a 'topic' keyword. Do you mean in the title as well?

[tet68]

Man, the kids will love it.

[azhenfud]

"MacInnes also assured the council that neither cannon would be non-operational."

Doesn't that mean they WOULD be operational????

[Simo Hayha]

There was a "correction" in tonight's paper having to do with whether or not the cannon would be "operational":

"Setting it Straight" quote:Hancock residents will be relieved to know that neither cannon the City of Houghton proposes to place in Veterans' Park will be operational, no non-operational as reported in Saturday's Daily Mining Gazette.endquote

[sergeantdave]

Well, there's a B-29 prop on display in front of the city hall, plus an old amphibious WW II landing craft at the county garage. Weld that, the prop and the cannons all together and you have a flying, armored duck that can shoot back.

[Cannoneer No. 4]

ping

[Fiddlstix]

BTTT

[Simo Hayha]

Personally, being on the north end, I'm in favor of an arms war, plus we have a height advantage.

[Simo Hayha]

And with the horitzer from the local museum we could have a Mount 51 fore, one amidships, and one on the quarterdeck.

[SandRat]

This give you any ideas for our Veteran's Park?