Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1890-05-15
The STORY OF A BELL.
The Origin 'nd yiclssitudes of a Relic OF a
Bygone Period.

On top Of the little hotel at Elmore.
a small village north of Findlay, Ohio
is bell with peculiar and interesting
history. 1t is the property OF d. B..
Day, the proprietor OF the house, who
takes pride in reciting the origin and
subsequent tribuations of this relic of
a bygone period. In 1882. Jarvis Spaf-
ford built tavern in Perrysburg, once
the site of old Fort Meigs, of the war
Of 1912 fame. In those DAYS hotel
was not conplete without a bell swung
on the top to call the guests 10 their
meals. Bell foundries we're not plenti-
tul in those times, but after considera-
bic inquiry Mr.. Spafford heard of man
in Detroit who cast bells.
Detroit then in tho Territory of
Michigan, was quite remote point, rs
distance was then calculated, but Spaf-
ford had to have bell, and he finally
made his way thither to have it cast.
The bell man was found aud the lob
undertaken, but when the foundry en-
deayored to make the cast, it was dis
covered that there was not enough
metal for the purpose. Here was a
dilemma, but Spaiford was equal to the
emergency. He threw thirtv-six Span
ism dollars into the molten mass. and
the bell was cast.
with his treasure almost worth its
weight in gold, SpatTord returned to
Perry sburg, and hung the bell up in a
tree IN his yard. SO that it might be
Investigated by the curious. The In.
dians' who were then quite plentiful in
aud about Pcrrysburg were caught by
the novel attraction. They went crazy
over the bell, and climbed the tree to
keep 1t ringing all the time.
AT all hours of the day and nioht the
bell was ringing until it became an in
tolerable nuisance. and Stafford had
about concluded to take it down. when
the Indians relieved him by stealing it
and carrying it away.
The act made Spafford furious. and
he determined to recover the bell if il
cost him his life. Securing the services
OF Sam Brady an Old scout who had
Killed a score or more of Indians, and
Frank McCallister, the first white man
who had settled at Perrysburg. they
started toward Upper Sandusky. They
Travelled three days and night. and on
the morning of the fourth day, while
they were eating their breakfast. they
heard the bell in the distance. Hastily
finishing their meal, they hurried in the
direction whence the sound came. and
soon beheld sight that was laughable.
The Indians had tied the bell around
the neck OF pony, and the whole
tribe, bucks, squaws, and Youngsters.
armed with hickory switches. were
running the poor animal around an
open space al the very top of its speed
and yelling like demons. rs m accom-
paniment to the furious ringing of the
bell.
Spaitord and his companions made a
charge on the crowd. and succeeded in
driving the pony away from the village
where they could secure the bell with
out trouble which they did. and cot
safely home without being pursued or
moleSted. The bell was taken back to
Perrysburg, where it remained for
many years performing the mission for
which it was east When Mr.. Spaf-
ford died his daughter, now Mrs.
Day, claimed the treasure, and it is
still doing duty as hotel bell on her
husband house in Elmore. st. Lo4is
Globe Democrat