The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-04-02
AN HISTORIC BELL.
Stolen From Switzerland Now Swing
in the Tower of a School IN Paterson

Stolen From Switzerland Now Swings
in the Tower of a School IN Paterson.
From the Ne,e York Evenino Post
A famous old bell with history is that
which does duty in calling the school child
rem of school No. l at Paterson, N. ]. The
bell was said to have been several hundred
years old when It was stolen from convent
10 canton Of Switzerland, by Napoleon L,
during the progress of the war which he
had carried into that country. The con-
vent was destroyed by the conqueror, and
the bell, which was the pride of the people,
was retained By Napoleon as a trophy of
his triumphs. The custom of the tunes was
TO exact from the peasants contributions
which they could i'll afford for religious in
situations; and the bell was cast of silver,
alleged with copper, which the simple
minded poor people had thus contributed.
Napoleon, retaining the bell as a priced
curiosity and souvenir, carried it with him
TO France. When. on his downfall, he was
banishsd to st. Helena, he presented it to
his brother, Joseph Bonapsrte. who, like
wise baulshed, brought the old relic to
America. 1t was hung in the beltry of his
home at Bordentown n. j., and for years
served as a dinner bell TO call the workers
on the farm TO their meals. When Joseph
was recalled from exile, the bell was lost
oAshh ga uh0 10Y AOl kOibel oOiAAe O4Al
rubbish in one OF the subterrauean passages
that honeyoombed the place. until it was
brought to light by party Of curiosity
seekers. When 1t became known that the
historic bell had been unearthed, people
came from all sections of the surrounding
country to the so-called catacombs to see.
Subsequently the bell was sold 60 the Cam
den and Amboy Railroad Company, which
had just completed its line. The bell was
placed in the station at Bordsntown to an.
nounce the arrival aud departure Of trains.
This service II did for years, but. through
some channel or other, it fell into the hands
Of the Paterson and Hudson River Railway
Company, a road then operated by horses.
The old bell was hung in the Jersey City
station at the foot of Bergen Hill, Where it
answered the same purpose that it did at
Bordeutown.
After some time locomotives were substi-
tuted for horses, and the bell was removed
to Paterson. The terminus of the road was
then where st. Johns church now stands
and two trains were run each way daily.
small branch, however was worked by
horse power to the main station on Market
street, at the junction Of Main street.
On part of this spot the bell WAS
hung, and for half an hour before the de-
parture Of each train, 1t rang. Without
extra expense passengers might board the
horse cars and ride to the main station,
whence they could take the New York train.
AS improvements in railway service were
developed the Market street Gt was then
Congress street, branch was abandoned, and
the old post on which the bell hung rotted
and tumbled 20 the ground.
But public spirit was developing in Pater-
son, and great strides forward we're being
made. Private institutions and subsorip-
ton schools had been her only educational
facilities. The townsmen awoke to the ne
cessity OF public school, one was built.
and in its tower the old bell was hung. In
years gone by, some OF the present oldest
citizens remember the peals of that bell.
Then the pupils grew in numbers, the old
school became too small, and the improved
building now known as school No. was
built on its sight. The bell was rehung, and
now swings daily to and fro in its tower.