Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1895-03-23
NOW Oe,LS ARe CAST.


WIZ VOUVO0Vs
BY invitation OF Mr.. Lane small
party met at the Blake foundry a
few days ago TO see poured tho last
bell Of the ten whick will compose
tho chimes for the Unitarian church
In Cambridge. The sight must have
called up many lines from Schiller's
Song OF the Bell, to those who had
read IL.
First Of all the crucible was
swung to the ground in front of the
furnace, the men using huge crane
for this purpose. Then the master
workman tapped the mouth Of the
furnace and poured the bell metal
into the crucible below in what
seemed river OF liquid fire without
smoke or flame. When the 200
pounds OF metal reached the charcoal
fire which was burning IT, the bottom
OF the cruciblc there sprung up Q
bright green flnme>on one side OF It,
and the whole effect was gorgeous In
the extreme.
Next the men threw in pieces Of
broken metal to cool the liquid to
the right temperature. and slowly
and carefully the cruciblc was swung
to the bell form, into which 1t was to
to be poured. The master then
stirred the charcoal In the crucible
until u all rose 10 the surface, from
which IL was carefully SKINNED and
thrown on tho ground. Then IL was
ready for the form, which In this case
stood on top Of the ground instead OF
being firmly walled up In the earth,
like Schillcr's.
This form Is made Of brick and
clay and has two PARTISAN outer
one which fits over the inner mold,
leaving n space between the two just
the size OF tho bell desired. and into
the space the fiery metal Is poured
and cooled.
Tho writer was allowed to stand on
top Of n brick furnace. The dark
foundry, dimlv lighted in places, the
silent, waiting men, with faces red
dcncd by the glow from the crucible,
the small group Of visitors quietly
watching. madc weird, theatrical
effect that every one noticed.
When the master spoke three men
jumped to u platform on one side Of
the bell form, while opposite stood
the master and two more mon; then
the crucible was lifted up and the
metal, still like liquid fire, wal
slowly and very carefully poured into
the mold. One man held u gas jet
over the mouth Of the mold and
lighted all the gas that was gener
atcd, which otherwise would have
spoiled the bell.
After the mold was filled the sur
plus metal was poured into q trench
in the ground, and when cooled would
be brok on up.
The visitors saw the men throw
shells into the furnace to help clear
out the Stag left there when the bel
metal ran out; after that they lis
tened while the rcst Of the chimes
were rung. and then they went to thu
yard to hear a peal OF bells from
Croydon, England, and another pea
made ut this same foundry. To til,
writer tho American bells seemed fa
superior In quality OF tone.
| Mr.. Lanc also showed tho visitors
a mold on which they made u Gun
non day for u year and n half during
the civil war.
Then they wore shown how brass
was carried from one process t.
another until 1t finally appeared n
finely polished chandelier, gong O
fancy article.
In tho office were two relics-on
bell, cast In 1890 for tho Bostol
meeting house, the other banne
having on 1t the face and name o
Paul Revere, who was tho founder o
} tho present Blake foundry. and re
ports that he was M uncle OF til
J man OF the midnight ride fame.