Arizona weekly citizen., 1891-08-29
TEE BELL NAPOLEON STOLE.
After Varied Career It Calls Patterson
 Children to Their Studies

After a Varied Career It Calls Paterson Children to Thelr Studies. When Napoleon in behalf of France in one of the cautons 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 conqueror. The bell was at that time reputed to be sev- eral hundred years old. 1t was cast of copper and silver. The silver. according to the custom of the times, was contrib ! uted by the peasants of tine canton, who believed tnat their prayers aud prospects concerning worldly and heavenly affairs would be improved ia accordance with their sacrifices.
 Napoleon carried the bell with him to France, and retained 1t as q rrized curi- csity until his downfall and l,aEishnent to St. Helena, when he gave it to lis broth er, Joseph Bonaparte, who likewise be- ing banished brought the old relic tC America and hung 1t ill belfry at his home in Bo-deatcwn.
 There 1t remained serving as dinner
 bell on the farm. its history remaining un
 known until Joseph's recall from exile Then 1t was lost sight of and for years forgotten until one day some curiosity seekers runmaging about in one of the sIbterranean passages that honeycombe1 the place came from all sections to visir ,he go called cctacolnbs and see the historic bell Al that time the Cam den and Amboy railroad had just been built, and the old bell was sold to the company, who placed it in their depo, at BorGentown to tell the arrival and departure Gf t:,aiils. l. hung there for years, but finally. through so:ue channel or other. u fell into the hands Of the Paterson and Hudson River Railroad company, and was destined D another period Of oiIscuIity. At that time tine company operated its road by horSe7. and the bell was hung in i:2e Jersey City station at the foot Of Efgen Hill to ali swer the same lupose that 1t did at BoT. dentown.
 When the great railroad revolution took place and steam cars were subSJi- tuted fer the oil horse cars the bell r&s brought to this city. In those days the terminus Of the road was where St. Johns church roW stands. Two trains were run each w&y daily. \ small branch manipulated by horse power. however. ran from tae main ticpCt On Market street &t is conjUncj:,i. ";itr Main street. Here the old beil was hung on a post, and it's duty was to ring foI half an hour before the departure O. each train. Passengers coull board the horse cars without extra expense and ride to the main depot, whence thc, couid take the train for New York. \ time went on, however. improvements developed in the railway service. Tie Market street it was then Congress street. branch was abandoned and the old post CD which the bell hung rotted and fell down.
 But Paterson was also beginning tC make great strides forward. Then the only educational facilities were privats institutions and subscription schools The pnbiic spirited tOwnsmeu fnall; conclude1 to erect q public school an; 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 nun. bers and the old school grew too small Another and more improved building now known as school No 1) was erected, and th= ancient bell, whose mellow pe;ils echoing from the walls of tfe dizzy Alps seven centuries ago called the humble peasant to worship, now startles the youths of Paterson from their morning beds. Napoleon's voice may have made the whole world tremble. but the voice of the little Swiss bell rings further than hls.-Paterson IN JDCaIl.