The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-06-06
NAPOLEON STOLE Ta1s BELL
A Relic of the Alps Now Used IN q
Paterson School.
From the Peterson az. y Cal


From the Paterson IN. J.) Call
When Napoleon l., in behalf of France.
carried war to Switzerland he found in one
of the cantons there an ancient convent.
During the course of the war this convent
was destroyed, and the bell that hung in its
tower was carried off as trophy by the
conquerer.
The bell was at that time reputed to be
several hundred years old. 1t was cast of
copper and silver. The silver, according
to the custom of the times, was contributed
by the peasants of the canton. who believed
that their prayers and prospects concerning
worldly and heavenly affairs would be inn
proved in accordance with their sacrifices.
Napoleon carried the bell with MIN TO
France and retained it as prizs curiosity
until his downfall and banisbment 70 St.
Helena, when he gave it to his brother,
Joseph Bonaparte, who, likewise being ban
ished, brought the old relic to America and
hung it in belfry at his home in Borden
town.
There it remained. serving as a dinner
bell on the farm. its history remaining un-
known until Joseph's recall from exile.
Thep it was lost sight of and for years for
gotten, until one day some curiosity-seekers,
rummaging about in one of the subterra-
mean passages that honeycombed the place,
came across it in some old rubbish.
People came from all sections to visit the
so-oalled catacombs and Ses the historic
bell. At that time the Camden aud Amboy
railroad had just been built and the old bell
was sold to the company, who placed it in
their depot at Bordentown to tell the ar
rival and departure OF trains.
1t hung there for years, but finally,
through some channel or other, it fell into
the hands of the Paterson and Hudson
River Railroad Company and was destined
to another period of obscurity. At that
time the company operated its road by
horses, aud the old bell was hung in the
Jersey City station at the foot of Bergen
Hill to answer the same purpose that it did
at Bordentown.
When the great railroad revolution took
place, and steam cars were substituted for
the old horse cars, the bell was brought to
this city. In those days the terminus of
the road was where st. Johns church now
stands. Two trains were run each way
daily.
A small branch, manipulated by horse
| power, however, ran from the main depot
on Market street at its conjunction with
Main street. Here the old bell was hung
on post, and its duty was to ring for
half an hour before the departure of each
train.
Passengers could board the horse cars
| without extra expense and ride to the main
Q6pOt, W06uCo DuoJ COulu thk0 Tue bfdlQ Tor
New York. AS time went on, however,
improvements developed in the railway
service. The Market street-it was then
Congress street-braDch was abandoned,
and the old post on which the bell hung
rotted and fell down.
But Paterson was also beginning to make
| great strides forward. Then the only educa-
nallfacilities were private institutions and
| subscription schools.
The public-spirited townsmen finally con-
cluded to erect public school aud selected
the site. Here building was constructed
and the old bell was placed in its tower. In
years gone by some of our older citizens
remember the peals of that bell. Then the
pupils grew in numbers and the old school
| grew too small.
Another and more improved building
| now known as school No. u was erected,
| and the ancient bell whose mellow peals
echoing from the walls of the dizzy Alps
seven centuries ago called the humble
peasants to worship now startles the
youths of Patterson from their morning
beds. Napoleon's voice may have made the
whole world tremble, but the voice of the
little Swi;s bell rings further now than his.
My wife cured of malaria by Simmons Live
Regulator. N. Thompson, Pastor NJ. e
church, Leigh, Neb.-Ad