The Dupuyer acantha. [volume] (Dupuyer, Mont.) 1894-1904, 1896-02-20

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 n in
Vienna, the largest in actual use in
Europe, weighs about twenty tons.
1t Is true that the monster of Moscow,
which lies broken and PROSTATE,
weighs more than 200 tons; but it
was simply a huge mistake, which,
having failed as a bell. is now used as
a chapel. 1t is stated, too that there
is a m~onstrosity somewhere in China
that weighs about sixty tons; but it's
shape is abominable, and its tone eX-
cruciating to any but a Celestial ear.
Blu these figures of weight convey
but a very vague idea of size. The
great Chinese cat-call is said to he
fourteen feet in height, but if is
shaped like a barrel. The Cincinnati
bell, which is cast in the true proper
tions for beauty and m~elody-beirg
modelled after a 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,
VII tIC vi thN IN btt 'Nsa
stand upright under it, and if 1t were
set on edge. and a schoolboy were to
cling with his hands to the 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. 1mag-
inc the effect when it comeS In colliS-
ion with fifteen tons of resonant bell
metal. Nowhere else in the world is
such a mass actually swung. 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 1t; but
unless the services of Sandow could be
secured as sexton, the task would be
altogether too arduous-hence the dou-
bic rope. Bells have been cast which
REQUIRE the combined efforts of more
than twenty men TO swing them; but
ell-hanging, as we'll as b~ell-fOunding,
has made no small progress, and such
cumbersome arrangements belong to
the days Of creaking OK carts and
wooden plows.
The o~rnamentation 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 ii 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
ic 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 staffs 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
mOrrtir@ tiara. is a medallion of Pope
Leo MIL, with his seal beneath it.
Just below the medallion of the Most
Rev. William Elder. archbishop of Gin
cinrati, through which are crossed the
staffs of the papal banners. Right
aid left Of this medallion are two 9th
crs--of Archbishop Purcell and of
Bishop Fenwick, the first bishop of
Cincinnati. Beneath the central me-
GALLON is one of Vicar General Al
brink.
Around the crown. or upper part, in
Gothic relief, are two verses of media
eval Latin heXameters relating to
bells, which read as follows:
Laudo Deum yerrm plebum voco, con
gregg clerum;
Tunera prango, fulgura frangv, Saba
Ia pango.
This may he approximately, though
rot completely, rendered by the quaint
old English lines:
To call yc folde attic meeting TYNE,
We chyme;
When ioye and myrtle are on We
Wynge,
We rynge:
When we lamente a passyng soule,
We tolle.
1t will be noticed that great SYM
metly has been attained by this ar
alngement. The eagle is opposite the
tiara. and the Americani flag to the
taial ensign; the seal of the United
States corresponds to that of Rome;
and the same artistic balance is maiiI-
taiucd in all the parts. The designer
is Il Cincinnati man. Mr.. A. 'Mudhpnk.
Tlp o~rnan'entation of bells is a pc
culiar aIl difficult task. The decora-
t;"'s mUst hc in relief 10 avoid inter
fer;n~ with the tone. The medalliors
f"r oIanple, after being designed by
the e:.iat ar -nassing through a