Arizona weekly citizen., 1893-01-21
TIE BELL NAPOLEON STOLE


 When Napoleon l in behalf cf France carried war tO Switzerland he found il one of the cantons there an ancienf convent. During the course of the war this convent was destroyed. and the bcll that hung in it's tower was carried 3T as a trophy by the coIqueTor. The bel was at that time reuuted to be scv. cral hundred years olI. II was cast oi copper and silver. The silver, according 70 the custom of the times. was contrib ated by the peasants Of the canton, wLc 2elieved that their prayers and prospects concerning worldly and heavenly affairs would be improved in accordance with ;heir sacrifices.
 Napoleon carried the bell with him to France, and retained it as a prized cUri- osity until his downfall and banishmeut to St. Helena. when he gave 1t to his broth 1T, Joseph Bonaparte, who likewise be ing banished brought the old relic tc America and hung 1t in belfry at hD home in Bordentown.
 There it 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 rummaGing about in one of the subterranean passages that thoneycombeG the place came from all sections to visit the 20 called catacOmbs and see the historic bell. At 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 depot at BordentOwn to tell the arrival an6 departure of trains. It 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 ths company operated it's road by hcrSoa and the bell was hung in +he Jersey City station at the toos of E.fgen Hill to an swer the same papose that it did at Bor ientown-
 When the great railroad revolution sock place and steam CATS were rubsti- tuted for the ol1 horse cars the beIi wa, brought tO this city. In those days the terminus of the road was where St, yOhn's 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 it's conjunction with Main street Here the old bell was hung on a 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 depot, whence they could take the train for New York Aa time went on, however, improvement developed in the railway service. The Market street it was then Congress street. branch was abandoned and the old post on which the bell hung ro45eJ and feH down.
 But Paterson was also beginning 70 make great strides forward. Then the only educational facilities were private institutions and subscription schools The public spirited townzmen fnaD9 concluded to erect 9 public school and selected the site. Here a 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 mow known as school No. D was erected, and the ancient bell. whose mellow peals echoing from the walls of the dizzy Alps seven centuries ago called the humble peasant to worship, now startles the youths of Paterson from their morning beds. NapoleoR's voice may have made the whole world tremble, but the voice Of the little Swiss bell rings further than @--PateTsOn (N. J.) Call