Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1886-10-16

The Freeman's Standard says: t'The
nature of the country has much to do
with the sound Of bells. In a hilly To-
cality a bell will not be heard half so far
as if the land were level, or nearly SO.
A bell will be heard a great deal further
lengthwise of a valley than over the hills
at the sides. Where bell rooms are
lower than the surrounding buildings
and trees, these distractions break the
sound and prevent its free passage to a
distance. Towers having small windows
or openings, with the lower boards close
together, often box up the sound. In
cities, the noise Of steam and horse cars,
manufacturing establishments, carriages
and carts rafting over the pavements,
etc, is so great that bells are not ex-
pected to be heard at any considerable
distance, and this is the reason why, in
all cities, several bells are used for fire.
alarm purposes, it being impossible
for one bell, no matter how large it may
be heard above the thousands and one
noises incident to every large place.
It is said that the largest bell ever made
in this country weighed %, 900 pounds,
and before it wa figured hung OF the
City Hall, in New York. On one or
two occasions this bell was heard up the
Hudson River thirteen miles, in the
night, when the city was comparatively
quiet. It is a great mistake to suppose
that bells can be heard in proportion to
their weight-that is, a bell of W thou
/ sand pounds will be heard twice as far
as one of 1, 900 pounds. This is not so,
for the reason that the larger bell does
not possess anything like twice the reso-
nant surface of the smaller one. What
is gained and admired in the larger bell
is its deep, majestic and dignified tone,
which it is impossible to secure in the
smaller one, the weight of a bell ~invalia-
bly, governing its tone. A bell of 100 or
200 pounds, in an open belfry, on an
engine-house, a schoolhouse or a factory
in the country, is frequently heard at a
long distance, out of proportion, appar-
emily, to one of 1000 pounds in
a church-tower near by; and H.
stances of this kind frequently cause
no little comment in the Way of
comparison. One reason for this Is that
the small bell has a sharp, shrill, pene-
trating sound, that must, of necessity, be
heard very much further in proportion to
its weight, han the low, mellow Church
going sound of the church bel. The
same principle applies to the whistle of
a locomotive, and it IS heard a long dis
lance simply because It's tone is shrill
and penetrating When hung stationary
and struck or tolled, bells will not be
heard as a rule, half as far as when
swung. The swinging motion throws
up the mouth of the bell,
and not only carries the sound off, but
imparts to it arichness that is always
absent when the bell is at rest and
struck. A great effect is to be gained by
ringing a bell properly, throwing the
mouth we'll up and not lazily jingling it.
It is not physical strength that is re-
quired in ringing a bell SO much as get
ting the knack' of catching the rope
just right particularly on the second
"down pull" The windows in the tow
er should be as open as possible, and the
tower ceiled just above the windows"