The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1872-02-02

days it remained at most urcom
Portable angle Of inclination until q
last q cool headed man was found q
scale the perilous steep ard set thing
right again.
! The "chime' at Trinity consists O
nine hells, each of which weighs
several hundred pounds, and tht
i-rgest even running up into the
n issnds. The musical range is an
&C we and a quarter, and OF course
no rir whose notes canrot, by the
musicians ingenuity, be brought
within the range of those nine notes
can be properly performed The
usual semi-tones of the regular octave
are of course preserved, but as the
compass of the bells is so marrow,
only the simpler melodies, and those
which have but little variation be-
tween the highest and lowest notes,
can be played. No two bells are
ever struck together, and such
thing as a "chord'' is unknown in
Ginning The notes follow one after
another, somewhat like child trying
to play tune en- the piano with one
finger.
Certain OF the bells are connected
with the church clock. the largest one
being that whose deep, sonorous
striking the "hours'' we all know so
we'll; this is the highest of all the
nine, and besides its regular duty OF
striking behours, it forms one of the
musical chime, and is amenable 10
the players hand by means Of the
same machinery which works its
smaller companions. The rest of the
bells are much smaller, and strike
the quarters" of the hour. These
all are, when required for playing
regular music, disconnected from the
clock work,as their duties othe play.
er and the clock would be very likely
to seriously conflict. 1t would seem
hardly correct to have "Hail Colur,-
bia" broken In upon by Nos. 1 and 4
up "quarter-past nine,' or to
iave "Mean" or "Old Hundred" in
errupted by "Big Benz booming for
he interesting but irrelevant inform
ltion that it was twelve O'Clock, and
ime to close the bar.
The huge bells, though set on
wIngilg frames, are lashed so as to
'e firm and fast, and nothing but the
ron tongues are movable, these being
wung from the centre to the side by
1eans of cord attached to each, the
ongues always strike in precisely the
ame spok on the lip OF the bell, thus
ecuring uniformity of vibration and
OF tone. Each tongue or
ammer is provided with q damper, l
n the plan of the damper to the
rings OF piano, and for the same : :
prevent the undesirable
rolongstion of the sound, and the
running of the notes into
ach other.
The chord passes from the hammer
the bell down one story to tie
nger's room; it is there attached to :
long, wooden bar, the leverage OF :
hich is SC adjusted as to make the !,
.riking of the tongue as easy as L
Ossible. But even then the playing s
tune on Trinity bells is no child's =
ay- Imagine nine large levers,
lch one, at the end where the hand q
'Gcbes it, as big as drayman's
,ndspike. The player takes eff his :
,at. stands up to his work and be- :
rs. Every note struck requires a I"
!" '0n pull, or downward thrust OF {
yer, with q power which, if put =
r, a blow, would be sufficient to
',,k down the strongest man
Fo. more than twenty-five years !.
ave tie pleasant chimes of dear old
riGiy every hour brought better
louZnts and higher hopes to the
,iliDg thousands who have ever
stened to them gladly; let us hope !;
icy may ring out their welcome
lusic for 50 many years to come, that :
hose they have already passed shall !
G but single dsy in their long and !;
seful life.