093_HR0432

                                     LRB093 12246 KEF 17429 r

 1                          HOUSE RESOLUTION

 2        WHEREAS,  The  members   of   the   Illinois   House   of
 3    Representatives wish to congratulate the City of Centralia on
 4    the celebration of its sesquicentennial anniversary; and

 5        WHEREAS, One hundred and fifty years is quite a testament
 6    to a community's strength and perseverance; founded and named
 7    by  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad,  Centralia  was  at the
 8    doorstep of the new  frontier,  where  the  North-South  rail
 9    corridors met the East-West corridors; this fact helped build
10    Centralia into an industrial crossroads for the nation; and

11        WHEREAS,   The  development  of  energy  sources  in  the
12    Centralia area was also a boost in the  growth  in  both  the
13    importance  and the size of the community; coal mining became
14    an integral source to the community both for  production  and
15    rail  export;  in  addition,  Centralia  once had the largest
16    producing oil field in the United States; and

17        WHEREAS, Centralia has a rich heritage and  has  produced
18    numerous  professional  athletes,  including  America's  most
19    winning  high  school  basketball  team;  Centralia  also has
20    outstanding recreation facilities that are located throughout
21    the community; and

22        WHEREAS, Centralia also boasts a diversified community of
23    residents along with its history of diversified industry;  it
24    is  a  place  that  families  can  call home, where residents
25    attend church on  Sundays,  and  where  charitable  work  and
26    helpfulness is the norm, rather than exception; therefore, be
27    it

28        RESOLVED,   BY   THE  HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES  OF  THE
29    NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS,  that
30    we   congratulate   the   City  of  Centralia  on  its  150th
31    anniversary and commend its residents  for  making  the  City
 
                            -2-      LRB093 12246 KEF 17429 r
 1    what it is today; and be it further

 2        RESOLVED,  That  a  suitable  copy  of this resolution be
 3    presented to the  Mayor  of  the  City  of  Centralia  as  an
 4    expression of our respect and esteem.