There’s not much good news to report about the historic Green Parrot tavern’s almost-certain demise because of a collapsing underground mine, except that the town’s police chief rescued a pet bird from the building.
The Joplin (Mo.) Globe reports that Galena, Kan., Police Chief Larry Delmont took the risk of entering the 114-year-old, crumbling building that sits in front of old Route 66 so that he could remove a lovebird from the premises.
Delmont said the bird’s cage was along a wall in Morang’s upstairs apartment. He said he was in communication with other officers during the rescue, but that would have done him little good if the building had collapsed while he was inside.
He said he was motivated by a concern for the animal, and he didn’t want it to die.
Delmont’s mission was accomplished. In the meantime, large chunks of the building’s rear continued to fall into the pit below.
Ron Hart of Route66TVOnline shot photos at the scene. Judging by one image of a crack running up the side of a wall, the building probably is doomed. Hart wrote:
Even though the rear wall is the only part to give way, stress cracks are numerous, and it is expected that this piece of Route 66 history, like an aging family pet, will have to be put down.
The good news is that once the ground is ruled stable, the owners should be able to remove all the interior fixtures that gave the bar “character,” and perhaps a new Green Parrot will once again be open on the Mother Road.
My grandfather was a miner for Eagle-Picher. To residents of Galena, Picher (are there still residents?) and other communities where the sink-holes are creating problems, I am sure my grandfather and other miners no longer living would be upset that their work has created hardships for others.
Mine subsidence was a huge problem where I grew up. My familiarity with it steered us away from a potential disaster when we were house-hunting a couple of years ago. While the Realtor was trying to get the lock box open, we went to see the back yard. It felt spongy, but it wasn’t wet, and there was a huge crack up the back of the garage.
A Tulsan might not have recognized the problem, but a Southern Illinois girl knows a sinkhole when she’s standing over it. The Realtor wasn’t aware that there had ever been mines in the area, but we confirmed later that wildcat operations had existed right around there during Tulsa’s early years.
I’ve been saddened to learn of Picher’s troubles. Between the Tar Creek contamination and the sinkholes, I’m afraid we’re looking at another Times Beach.
Just part of the legacy of an industrialized society, I guess. We learn as we go. Unfortunately, we don’t always learn fast enough to keep ourselves out of trouble.