The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-12-09
MURRAY HILL EXERCISED.
EXCLATMTNG WIN OTHELLO, "SILENCE
THAT DREADFUL HE'LL"


The OFFENDING OF the Smallest OF the Iron.
Tongued Monitors In the Beirry OF the Ed
iace that wns Moved from Hickman street.
The bell i'm the belfry Of the Brick Church
at Thirty-seventh street and Fifth avenue Is
disturbing tho neighbors; but to an ordinary
hearcr the offending bell Is by no means
formidable. To tho reporter 1t seemed
harmless. rather low-tOnod. unprctending
boil. neither silvery nor mournful. but with
al modest bell for 50 big stoeple and
40 famous church. But complaints have
boon made against that little bell nevertho-
less-formal complaints TO tho trustecs-and
the trustees have solemny considered them
and acted upon them and tho bell and sup.
pressed 1t during the summer when the win.
dows OF the neghboring houses were OPEN
But the churchgoers had a fondncss for tho bell
because II was present from modest mem
Dor who desired to have the quarter hours
tolled. Originally the arrangement was similar
to that OF the Trinity clock. Tho new bell struck
one for the quarter hour. two for the half hour.
three for the third quarter. and four for the
minute before tho far bigger old church bell
struck the hour. That made considerable
striking. Tho lowest number Of strokes was
eleventh the hour ending at o'clock. The
number kept increasing until at ~ o'clock
there were % strokcs-tcn for tho quarters and
twelve Tor the hour. some Of the noighbors
thought that thorc were too many strokes aud
petitions concerning II were circulated.
Mr.; Robert Gordon Of Z East Thirty-oighth
tho hell sourcc ~ e,reo, 'a w. nnn IouIia H.
had known invalds 10 be harasscd by tho in
c9issiant cii,t striking at all hours " the day and
night He had felt called upon to try to abate
the nuisance. He had circulated petitions and
Or, Whcelock had done the same IIc found
almost universal complaint among the neigh
bors. although many did not like 10 give their
names. lie had. however, got as many as NJ
Sbaie he striking Of f aumTters rs He k'i knew ihUi W
Or. w. II. Draper and cher physicians had
signed the petition. Az In accordance with tho
petition the trustees had stopped tho striking Of
the quarters all summer. But recently il was
resumed, and ho had heard Of renewal Of the
Is i ihe loudncss OF the bell that you COM
No: but It Is 80 inharmonious. rislikoa
ierryboat bell or a factory hell II is particu-
larry inharmonious and discorlnnt ~ com
pared with the od-timc Brick Church bell that
strikes the hour In q different key"
Then you do not complain Of tho old hell ?"
No. we never minded that. II was this new
and discordnnt-toned bell and particularly the
frequency of II. that made Us complain
Then you do not complain Of the regular
ringing Of the church bell for service. morning
'"Oh. no; IT'S only this uninterrupted striking
OF tne quarter hours AZ all times OF the night"
How long have you been annoyed in this
",woll. / came home from Cuba Inst March.
hour striking knew Of nyads M"s ,' ,aat aGtaer Tero
annoyed, and. IN talking. with the nelghbors.
found others who felt us did. regard tho in
cessant striking Of that bell rs an unkind and
unneighbory act, Yet have no desire to act
in tho matter further; some Of the trustees
know are willing TO ahate tho holl ringing. You
had better 10 aud see DIR. W. II. Draper"
- Dr. W. ii. Draper found In his home I'm
Ihirty-seventh street. within sight OF the
church. He said that he had signed the petit
ton. not SO much upon his own account be-
cause the bell WAS no annoyance to him per
sonally. but because OF the wishes Of some OF
his nervous friends. He knew that opinions
on Murrny hlll were very much at variance on
the subject some hated tho bell others liked
avenue, opposite tho church. is very much
pleased with the sound Of tho hell. And
some OF the ncighbors in Fifth avenue al.
joining the church think the bell has dulcot
sound. DIR. Draper knows one Of the signers 10
the petition whose wife is very much pleased
with the bell. and would be- sorry 10 have il
taken away
John l. Parsons one Of the trustees. said that
tnHr" u not ut prnSant any complaint against
the bell p.nding before the Board of Trustees
lie thought that the opposition is not 50
strong now rs II was in the summer. and he |
had an Impression that before tho striking was
Resumed St. me nt the complaining petit iuners
had been consulted and found to have releutOl |
Another trustee said that the board had sus-
pended the striking 81 tho four bolls lust pre-
Nnus u The nour strokes. and supposed TINT II |
would bu satisfactory 20 the petitioners He
had never heard any complaint against the
hour hel-ihe old-time Brick Church hoil He
had no doubt that the now bell may be- stopped
again II any cons sidcruhc number OF the u"igh-
bors are ANNOYED He was certain that All The
they felt de1py grateful t. the kin ana modest
friend who. in presenting the bell e. strike the
quarters. supposed that the neighborS as well |
as tho church members, would be delighted.