The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-01-28
PASSING OF THE BELL RINGER.
ST. Patrick's Chimes In New York
Now Operated by Machinery.


NEW YORK Jan. 27.-When the great
6e00-pound bell of St Patrick's Cathedral.
answering the chimes of Grace and Trinity,
doomed out the closing hours of the last
century and ushered in the new. it rung
down the curtain on the melodramatic and
picturesque occupation of the bellriuger
The shadows that yelled those sombre
inhabitants of the belfry. the phantoms and
elm creatures of the bells have all been
banished. and in their place now heart
less. mechanical genius with a switch
board, compressed air. and electrical pow
er hired from a street lighting company,
has with mathematical precision reduced
bell ringing to a business basis
The chimes of St. Patrick's. which con-
sists of nineteen bells weighing from .. 700
to 5000 pounds. with the names of the
various dOnors on them, came from the
P2ccard foundry, in Paris. over three
years ago and cost $4,000. They have a
musical range from lower CO.. to upper
ID" with the accompanying sharps ana
fats. but there has been great difficulty in
marking the bells satisfactorily.
Immediately upon their arrival the trus-
tees advertised for an original device to
ring them, and after a public competition
H. c. Champ. of Brooklyn. was awarded
the contract. His plan called for a small
keyboard eighteen inches long fashioned
like that of a typewriter, to be placed in
the sacristy and which could be operated
with ease by anyone with a knowledge OF
music.
Champ worked for three years at his
device. aided by the trustees, who not
only called in we'll known experts to ad-
wise him. but when the sum of his con-
tract exhausted ruada bar r,T,-
tract with him. They had the satisfaction
of knowing on the night of December %
that the installation was perfect and
three nights after the chimes played
"Adeste Fideles," 20 Father of Light. >"
THE Harmonious Blacksmith" and my
Country lis of Thee" at the dawn of the
new century.
mechanism which is TO render the An
gelus" and DE Profundis" four times
daily was successfully installed. William
f. Wynn. consulting engineer to the trus-
tees. in describing the plant, says:
1T is an adaptation OF the compressed
air cylinder adopted by the Union Switch
and Signal Company.
Champ. in following their idea, con-
structed nineteen bell engines corresponds
ing to the number of bells. These bell
engines are bolted to wooden seats. which
beams inserted in the walls of the north
tower These engines consist in their
working parts of fine grade of bronze
composition metal. so as not to rust or
corrOde.
The engines practically consist of three
main parts two cylinders and a piston.
which is fitted to a clip hung on the clap
per of the bell above 1t. On the engine
there is an adjustable cleyis. so that the
stroke can be arranged to a nicely. and.
once so adjusted, it cannot change its
position.
The engines are operated from the sac
risty by means of keyboard. key be-
ing depressed, a current of electricity is
sent along its wire to the belfry, where
by means of an air valve opera ted through
an electro magnet the compressed air is
admitted to the bell engine. and the air
pressure delivers the blow. which acts
upon the clapper. and rings the bell"