Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1885-01-22
NORTHERN TRIBUNE.
THURSDAY. JANUARY 90. 1885.
THE OLD LIBERTY BELL.

From the PHILADELPHIA Press.
"It is both absurd and dangerous to
send our priceless liberty bell to New
Orleans" said q member of the firm of
j. G. Brill & Co., the car builders, yester-
day. I'm the first place, there is no
standard guage all the way through, un-
less the bell be sent via Chicago, long
and round about route. In the next
place there are considerable possibilities
Of accident. On the 10th of this, month
we shipped two cars to the exposition.
Sixteen days later we were informed by
telegraph that one car had reached there
in sadly demOraliZed condition. and
the other had been lost en- route, or rath-
or that its present whereabouts 10 HD-
known. With this experience of ours,
and am told that it IL not an exception
or an isolated one, it seems to me that
we should not trust our greatest histor-
ical relic to any such chances"
The joint Committee of Councils who
will be exhibited with tho bell, consist
ing Of fourteen members, with Robert
L. Pyle, of the Seventh Ward, as chair
man, will meet probably tomorrow or
next day to complete the arrangements
for the transportation of the relic. 1t is
believed that the whole matter will be
placed under the management Of the
Pennsylvania railroad, who will furnish
the special train to be used and send it
through by the Southern and most di-
rect route. At LyRchburg, Va, where
change of railroad guage is encounter
ed the cars are lifted bodily from their
trucks yhuge derricka and swung ONTO
other trucks adapted to the narrower
measure. Thus the cars which left
Philadelphia will arrive in New Orleans
but on different wheels than those On
which they started.
SPECIAL CAR OFFERED.
The Pullman Palace Car Company
have offered the car which they have es-
pecially built for the transportation OF
blooded stOck-th costly race horses
travelling on the various circuits. Jack
son e. Sharp, of Wilmington, Del, have
placed at the disposal OF the committee
their palace car. which is to be on exhl-
bitiOn at the exposition, and the Georgia
Pacific railroad has offered TO furnish
the train and all transportation, being
responsible for the safety of the cargo,
couneilmen, bell and all. In all prOba
bility, however, the Pennsylvania Road
will take the bell in charge. Under the
resolution of COuncils, by which it is
sent, the Commissioner of Markets and
| City Property is to place it safely on tho
car. where it Ia then delivered into the
custody of the three officers appointed
| by the Mayor, who take absolute charge,
subject to the arrangements made by
the committee. To still further insure
the safety Of the relic, 1t is proposed to
preeede the train with pilot engine,
and from the moment the bell leaves
Philadelphia until returned the three
custOdians will never leave it night or
day. As another precaution, Mayor
Smith said yesterday that he would be
very glad to detail detachment Of
would be policeman for service on the
pilot engine. Stops will probably be
made at various points to allew citizens
| of other sections of the cOuntry to see
the bell. The start will probably be
made on the Gath of next month, and the
return in June at the close of the expo
sltiOn.
THE OLD BELLS ORIGIN.
The present trip of this venerable an d
cracked piece OF metal will be the second
one it has ever made since its reception
| in Philadelphia. 1851 the Pennsylvania
Assembly authorized Isaac Norris, Thorn
as Leech, and Edward Warner to pro-
cure bell for the State House. Accord
ingly, under date Of Nov. 1 of that year.
these gentlemen wrote to Robert Char
les, of London, stating their order aud
authority and applying to him to get
them "a coed bell of about 1000 pounds
weight" which they fancied might cost
e200 or more including charges. In the
letter is inserted: Let the bell be cast
by the best wOrkman and examined
carefully before it is shipped, with the
following words well shaped in large
letters around it, viz: "By order of the
Assembly of the Province of P0nDsylva-
mia for the State House, i'm the city Of
Philadelphia, 1852" And underDeath:
"Proclaim Liberty Through All the Land
Unto all the inhabitants thereof."-Lerit
XIV. 10"
In due course of time the bell reached
Philadelphia, and under date of March
10 1853, Mr.. Norris again writes; I'm
that letter gave information that our
bell was generally liked and approved
of, but in few days after my writing
had the modification to hear that it
was cracked by stroke Of the clappeI
without any other violence, as 1t was
hung up to try the sound; though this
was not very agreeable to us, we eoRclu-
dsd to send it back by Captain Budden
but be could not take it back on board
upon which two Ingenious workmsn TN.
dertoOk 20 cast it here. y When VIC
broke up the old metal our judges here
generally agreed it was too high and
brittle, and east several little bells out
Of ii to try the sound and strength. and
fixed upOA ar ounce and half Of cop
per to one pound of the old bell, and In
that proportion we now have it,"
THE TRIP TO BETHLEHEM,
The casting was done by native Of
the Isle Of Malta, named Pass "and sOI
of Charles Stow" 1t was discovered
that too much copper had been used
and 20 second casting was found to b'