Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-07-06
The Centennial Chimes.

cilllne Oh DellS III the northeastern
tower OF Machinery Hall. Their mu-
| sic IS heard at other times also, Just as
| the operator takes the notion. The
bells are thirteen in number, repre-
senting the thirteen original States.
| Their aggregate weight is 21.OOO
pounds, that Of the largest being J. 600
and that Of the smallest $50. They
| We're cast by McShane & Co., of Balti-
more, and it is claimed that the chime
is the finest i'll this country. 1t is ope-
rated by Prof. f. Widows, who car
ries a huge silver bell on his watch
chain. He formerly had charge Of the
chimes at the Metropolitan Church in
| Washington
The bells are immOvably suspended
! from an immense horizontal square
frame on the topmOst floor of the tow
e. Each bell has two hammers, one
heavy, the other light, the latter being
muf1led 50 as to cause q soft tone
whenever desirable. On the floor, be-
low the center of the frame. are TWEEN
ty-SlX triangular levers, pivOted at one
angle, SO that a pull OF depression on
the outer ann causes the hammer at
tached to the other arm to strike the
bell. These outer arms are connected
by means Of long, elastic strips of
wood running through the ceiling,
with the operating apparatus, which
Is directly beneath the bells on the next
hoOr below. On the operating floor
there is frame containing two sets Of
levers, which look and work like
pump-handles. The upper set contains
thirteen levers, which operate the
mu1fied hammers. The lower set con-
tllnS the same number, and they work
the heavy ones. TO prevent too much
stiffness the wooden strips, tWentv-six
III number, are connected with the tri-
angular lever above and with the
pump levers below by means Of Ieath-
Ell straps. The latter levers are operated
by hand, but, if desired, they may be
disconnected from the upright strips
and these fastened with long straps to
set OF thirteen pedals at the bottom
Of the frame.
The Professor has no less than one
thousand pieces in his repertoire but
he boasts far more of the merits of the
bells than of his own accomplishments.
He tells you that they are "maiden''
bells, which means that they are now
JtleV ,,o t-e.- came from the molds. hay
ing required no other tuning than the |
proper mixture of their metallic in
gradients and making them of the
right size Visitors sit in the nearest
shade to Machinery hall and listen to
the music of these bells. They think.
as the clear silvery sound strikes their
grateful ears, what a delightful Occu-
patton the Professor has-with moth |
ing to do but worship Orpheus all dav
long. lie has, for instance Just began
" Sweet vale of Avaca, how calm could |
L rest. Up you go to the third floor
OF the tower, and if you say that the |
Professor IS resting, OF that he is evil
IDENTIFY III the land Of poetic dreams,
there are people who would thank YOU
Tor defining the condition of a short,
stout gentleman, partially bald, with
BrltlSh-cut Whiskers and a round,
good-natured face, hopping from side
TO SHE OF the frame, pressing down the |
levers as rapidly as an expert pianist
the keys of his instru-
ment, and perSpiring in manner ex-
tremely damaging to starched linen.
The Professor has thrown aside his hat. |
coat and WaistcOat. He is playing
8 Still so gently O er me stealing" But. |
shade Of his own townsman, Poe. look
how quickly the great drops of perspi-
ration steal Ger his face, lie stands at |
his work. The upper set of levers is
breast high. Down goes the deepest
bass with lightning movement and
heavy thud. 1t springs back to its
place by the weight of the hammer on
the triangular lever above The 9TH
er pump" levers do the same. He
gently touches soprano, sharply jerks
a treble, shOves a tenor halfway down,
throws his whole weight on a bass
and all while one would say "Jack
Robinson" AS the extremity of each
set of levers are over five feet apart,
and it requires a pressure of twenty
pounds to depress some of them to
their furthest extent, a cool calculator
may form some conception of the
amount of physical labor which the
Professor must accomplish in eXecut-
ing such tiighty compositions as Yam
kee Doodle" and "Capt. Jinks." And
yet he never misses a note, never
makes a push where he means a jerk,
and never hits the wrong bell. If any
body is everybody'S man it is the Pro
fessor. He plays 1.-THE Wearing of
The Green" and there are a thousand
Hibernian listeners ready to swear
they knew him in eth ould dart, .
no Ofe NOV i,oi