Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1891-10-06
THE FIRST BELL in AMERICA
VIII be Loaned to the Worlds Fair by the


Heirs of a San Domingo Priest.
WASHINGTON. Oct. 0.-The bureau OF
American republics furnishes the follow.
ing about the first bell rung in America,
which is now In Washington, and will
be on exhibition at the worlds fair:
When Columbus laid the foundations
of Isabella, Santo Domingo, the first set.
tlement by Europeans III we except La
Navitead, a merely temporary stockade
with small garrison) in the new world
the first structure to receive serious at.
tention was the church. 1t was erected
and christened within few months
after the landing at isabella in Decem-
Der, 1903. The reason for the location
here of this city, such as the proximity
of the gold mines of Cibao to the coast
at this point, no longer answered when
it was found that the interior country
was richer, and after Santo Domingo
City was founded, 1496.
In 1494 city was begun In the royal
place of La Vega, called La Vega Kort
City of the Plains, whittier, doubtless
was transported everything portable in
Isabella, which was soon abandoned
vironed it. A church was likewise built
same bell that hung in the church at
the belfry tower at LIE Vega. In the
terrible earthquake and the city aban-
doned by such of the inhabitants ae es
capped. More than 300 years passed
II hal1 d.
the branches of tfg tree, parasitic
reach, and which had wrapped its trunk
around portion of the belfry tower OF
the ruined church.
This bell had been raised in the arms
of the fig tree and was thus preserved
from falling to the ground and being
buried out of sight. The bell was So
as a yenerated relic, almost worshipped
by the superstitious natives of Santo
Domingo. It finally came into the pos
priest of Santo Domingo city, who hung
it in the chapel of his convent school.
Ali this was recorded in the papers of
that time. When Senior Gafvir, the
plenipotentiary sent by Santo Domingo
w uCkObidIb AOA bhO ACbiR1OSAbJ
was in Washington, he gave to Mr.. W.
E. Curtis, chief in charge Of the Latin
American department of the exposition,
a letter to their heirs of Bellini, request
ing them as great favor to allow the
bell to come to the United States.
This was presented to Senor Bellini,
nephew of the late priest and an ex-
president of the republic, who courteous
ly allowed Mr.. Ober, the Columbian
commissioner to bring it away with him
after receiving ample security for its
restoration at the close of the exposition.
Carefully secured in the specie tank of the
Clyde line steamer Saginaw, it made the
voyage to New York in safety, whence it
was sent to Washington, where 1t now
lies awaiting the proper time for trans
portation to Chicago.
This bell is of bronze, very small, but
of elegant workmanship eight inches
high by six and one-half across), and
bears on the surface the image Of San
Miguel, To whom it is dedicated, and the
letter F in old gothic. From this gothic
F it is inferred that it was gift to
Columbus from Ferdinand Of Spain,
husband Of Queen Isabella.
When the historian and antiquarian
shall have passed their opinion upon this
relic, it may be predicted that few Oh
jects pertaining to our early history
will surpass 1t in interest.