Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-03-30
OUR NEW YORK LETTER
CHIMES OF ST. PATRlCK'S CATHEDRAL
THAT HAVEN'T BEEN SOUNDED.
For Nearly Two Years They Have
Been Trying In Vain to Get Up
suitable Ringing pRrntus-Othcr
Noteworthy Bells.

chino OF bells with which st. Patrick =
cathedral on Fifth avenue has been fitted
cannot be I1tng on Easter Sunday the au-
thorties Of the Roman Catholic diocese Of
New York have made public one of their
bittcrcst disappointmcnts.
There are 80 of the bells all told, and
they are undoubtedly the finest collection
of church bells in America. Each has n
name of its own, and each was presented
to the cathedral by an individual or an
organization. Thus st. Patrick was
donated by the congregation Of the catho-
dral, "St Augustine" by Augustin DAILY,
the theatrical manager; st. John the
Evangelist by John ID. Crimmins, con-
tractor and politician, and 50 ON. Though
presented by reason Of contributions from
many sources however, they were all
madc in one bell foundry, that of Mcs,rs
Picard of Savoy, France, who employed
their most skillful workmcn in the course
of construction and spared no pains 10
produce bells of perfect sound and bcauti-
full appearance each being cast of the best
bell metal that could be compounded and
OrnamCntcd in the most elaborate and ar
ti,tic fashion. Tho total cost ran well up
into the thousands, the duty alone being
s., 500 They were formally blessed before
hanging on Aug Is, 1897, and the work
of swinging them and installing the ring
ing apparatus was begun at once.
Attempts 10 Ring the Bells.
The statement that no way of ringing
the bells has yet been found Il true only
because the authorities of st. Patrick s
cathedral wish to adopt better plan than
any now in use. 1t is perfectly feasible 90
ring chime of 10 bells or more by the old
lever method. The celebrated chimes of
old Trinity, Protestant Episcopal, consist
ing of fewer bells than st. Patrick :, how
ever, are rung by that method and very
satisfactorily, too, but the ringing is u
matter of pure muscle, and the movement
is slow.
The chimes of Grace church. hardly less
celebrated than those of Trinity, are rung
by electric wires manipulated by u key
board that resembles the keyboard of "a
plano, but is smaller. This method is far
more satisfactory. 1t not only allows
much more rapid motion, but the work
con be done by the gentle pressure Of a
wDnan's finger whereas it takes IA power
full man, and sometimes two, to ring Il big
chime in the old way. twas the first in
teutiOn of the cathedral authorities to
combine the use of electricity and COM
pressed air in the apparatus for the ring
ing OF the st. Patrick Chimes the power
T., ho furnished bv the latter which VAS
to lie released by the opening and closing
cf electric switches operated by KEYS in
appear nee virtually like the keys that
ring the Grace church chimes.
1t was promised, too that the bells
shoull be hung in time for their first
ringing tc take place on Christmas day,
1857. r)r some reason this was not ac-
conplished. however, ana Their. was great
disappoirtmcnt whcl that day rolled
round. Tten the compressed air plan was
given up and it was decided to use cleo
tricitY alone, but while Grace church
chimes are so rlinR without the slightest
difficulty, il he's nos vet been possible to
ring those of St Patrick's though the
bells have long hung in their places wait
ing to sound their messages to the people.
1t is expected that some satisfactory meth
cd will be devised, however.
Famous Bells In New York.
Tine most Noteworthy cb,,rcb be,i in tho
Tinted Stoto. hangs in tba hclfrv Of ~
DorI,s cburcb II Ir,s c..r il, roo and IL
!. motion. Of mid, ,yi+b tbn eoxtn, thot
tbn tir.t ,,o.idn,,t ',soI ~ l,n ,lIod to,,,,,r.
sin ~, SUNDAY r,or,,i,t.s Inv its so,,ud
If * understand 10 Inc nnr az tho f,noI,:
L,II. fnrrdra in Er,,lorI boforo tln ~
oln+in,, ord cont e. Iri,,it,, ,ori.b 80
porI'. i ono If Trinit,'s chaprIl h, va.
rinu. III ,ynit,rics Of tbe British state and
ob,,,,,b