The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1896-04-04
The Critical Moment.

American continent, weighs rather less
than thirteen tons. 1t will take rank,
therefore, very creditably, among the
largest bells of the world-the largest
In England, the Westminster bell,
weighing about the same, while one in
Vienna, the largest in actual use in
Europe, weighs about twenty tons.
It is true that the monster of Moscow
which lies broken and PROSTATE,
weighs more than 200 tons; but it
was simply huge mistake which,
having failed as bell, is now used as
a chapel. 1t is stated, too that there
is monstrosity somewhere in China
that weighs about sixty tons; but it's
shape is abominable, and it's tone ex-
circulating to any but a Celestial ear.
But these figures of weight convey
but a very vague idea of size. The
great Chinese cat-call is said to be
fourteen feet in height, but it is
shaped like a BARREL. The Cincinnati
bell, which is cast in the true proper
tons for beauty and melody-beirg
modelled after bell in Erfurt, Prussia,
which is accounted the sweetest in
the worlds seven feet in height and
nine in diameter at the base. That is
to say, if it rested, mouth downward.
on the ground, the tallest man could
stand upright under it, and if it were
set on edge, and schoolboy were to
cling with his hands to tue upper rim,
his feet would dangle about where the
clapper will hang when the bell is
finally in position. This clapper will
weigh no less than $40 pounds. Imag
fne the effect when it comes in coils
ion with fifteen tons Of resonant bell
-. IN re
such mass actually swulxS. The di-
ameter Of the wheel is fifteen feet and
two ropes will be attached. 1t is stip-
ulated, indeed, that the bell shall be
so poised that one man can ring it; but
unless the services Of Sandow could be
secured as sexton, the task would ebe
altogether too arduous-hence the dou-
BILE rope Bells have been cast which
require the combined efforts of more
than twenty men to swing them; but
bell-hanging, as we'll as bell-founding
has made no small progress, and such
cumbersome arrangements belong to
the days Of creaking OK carts and
wooden plows. y
The ornamentation of the Cincinnati
bell is believed to BE- more elaborate
than that of any other in existence.
Civic and ecclesiastical decorations
will both have place making it at once
an emblem of patriotic feeling and a
consecrated instrument Of worship.
Encircling the body of the bell, Just
above the sounding bow, is the Latin
text Of the Lords Prayer in true Goth
fc characters, about seven inches high.
Above this, on the civic half, the
American eagle hovers over the great
seal of the United States-an impress
sion Of which was sent directly from
the White house. Beneath this is the
seal of the State Of Ohio, pierced by
the stats that support the stars and
stripes, which fall in graceful folds on
the other side; and beneath this is the
seal of the city of Cincinnati Medal
ions Of the deceased. donor and family
complete the design. On the ecclesi-
astical half Of the bell, under the sur
mounting tiara, is medallion Of Pope
Leo XIII, with his seal beneath it.
Just below the medallion Of the Most
Rev. William Elder, archbishop of Gin
cinnati, through which are crossed the
STATS Of the papal banners Right
and left Of this medallion are two 9th
ers-of Archbishop Purcell and of
Bishop Fenwick, the first bishop of
Cincinnati. Beneath the central me-
dalIOn Is one OF lear Gener1l Al
brink. !,
Around the crown, or upper part, in
Gothic relief, are two verses of media
eyal Latin hexameters relating to
bells, which read as follows:
r4audo Deum verlm plebum voco, con-
gregg cleru1n;
Funera prango, fulgura FRANCO, Sabba-.
TIA pango. s
This may be approximately, though
not completely, rendered by the quaint
old English lines: 0
To call ye folde ate meeting TYNE,
We chyme;
when jose and myrtle are ye
5 # wyngtn, 81
We rynge;; ..5s.