St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-10-05
THE FIRST BELL.
1t Will Be on Exhibition at Wash
ington.


WASHINGTON, Oct. 4.-When Column
bus laid the foundations of Isabella,
San Domingo-the first settlement by
the Europeans Gf we except La Navidad,
merely temporary stockade with small
garrisons) In the new world-the first
structure to receive serious attention
was the church. 1t was erected and
christened within a few months after
the landing at Isabella in December,
1893. 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. In
1494 city was begun i'll the royal plain
of La Vega, and called La Vega, or the
city of the plains, whittier, doubtless,
was transported everything portable in
Isabella, which was soon abandoned to
the solitude of the forest which en-
vironed it. A church was likewise built
same bell that hung in the church Of
Isabella occupied similar position in
the belfry tower at La Vega. In the
year 1902 La Vega was destroyed by a
terrible earthquake, and the city aban-
doned by such of the inhabitants as
escaped. More than 800 years passed
away. One day man espied bell in
In the branches of "6g'' tree-a para
site tree that envelops everything in its
reach and which had wrapped its trunk
around portion of the belfry tower of
the ruined church. This bell has been
raised in the arms 'fg" tree, and was
thus preserved from falling to the
ground and being buried out of sight.
The bell was secured and for long
time was preserved as venerated
relic, almost worshiped by the supersti-
tiovS natives of Santo Domingo. 1t final
Iy came into the possession of the
Padre Ballini, patriotic priest of
SantO Domingo city, who hung it in
the chapel of the his convent school. Ali
this was recorded in the papers of that
time. When Senior Galvar, the pleni-
potentiary sent by SantO Domingo to
negotiate for the reciprocity treaty, was
in Washington, he gave to W. E. Curtis,
chief in charge of the Latin American
department of the exposition, letter to
them as great favor to allow the bell
to come to the United States. This was
presented to Senior Bellini, nephew of
the late priest and AN eX-president of
the republic. who courteonsly allowed
MIR. Obier, the Columbian commission
er, to bring it away, after receiv-
ing ample security tor its resto-
ration 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 it now lies awaiting the proper
time for transportation to Chicago.
This bell is of bronze, very small, but
Of QlpOaDt xUOrkm hin faipht inahQ0
by six and 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 of the
initial it is inferred that it was gift to
Columbus from Ferdinand of Spain.
husband of Queen Isaqella. When the
historian and anti .uarian shall have
passed their opinion upon this relic it
MAY be inferred that few objects per-
tanning to our early history Will surpass
it in interest.