Clinton must raise $200K to buy train rail

CLINTON, Okla. (AP) _ Residents will have to come up with $200,000 for a train track if they want to take advantage of an anonymous donor's gift to buy a train. <br><br>The donor recently gave $250,000

Monday, September 16th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

CLINTON, Okla. (AP) _ Residents will have to come up with $200,000 for a train track if they want to take advantage of an anonymous donor's gift to buy a train.

The donor recently gave $250,000 to the Clinton Centennial Committee for an amusement park train. The catch is that the town has to raise the money to build a one-mile track.

The deadline is Nov. 30.

``If we fail to meet the deadline? Well, then the whole project turns into a pumpkin,'' said David Berrong, commission president.

City leaders want a miniature replica of an 1863 C.P. Huntington locomotive with four open-air passenger cars to be operating by next year at Clinton's Centennial Celebration in Acme Park.

Council members already have passed a resolution setting up a fund-raising effort.

The $250,000 gift is thought to be the single-largest individual donation to the city government in Clinton's 99-year history.

``I think a lot of us were very surprised by the donation,'' said Lisa Anders, Clinton's interim city manager. ``But I think it's great.''

Officials say it's a great way to help the city celebrate its 100th birthday next September.

Clinton is known as the ``Hub City'' because of its history with the railroad industry. Years ago, 14 passenger trains departed each day from Clinton.

Railroad companies such as Frisco, Gulf, Choctaw-Oklahoma, Orient, Rock Island-Pacific, Burlington Northern, Santa Fe, and Clinton & Oklahoma Western all crisscrossed Clinton at one time or another.

Clinton is now home to Farmrail, a regional outfit that ships local produce to market.

Berrong, who knows the donor, would only describe the person as a generous Clinton resident.

``Maybe at some point the donor will come forward,'' he said. ``The gift just speaks volumes about the donor's deep love for Clinton and its residents.''