The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, 1902-06-10
Sacred Relic Received
With Impress We Cere-
mony by Committee,
ADDRESS BY Mr.. MACFARLA D.
Commissioner Welcomes
Memento of RevClu-
tionary Days.
CHILDREN STREW FLOWERS
CHILDREN STREW FLOWERS
Forty Thousand Pupils, Released From
Studies, Form Pretty Feature of the
Exercises-Delegation From Daugh-
tiers of American Revolution.

Immense throngs of Washingtonians-
10000 school children among them
passed before the historic Liberty Bell
yesterday TO pay it their tribute of
patriotic reverence as devotees might
fle before some sacred religious relic.
The train bearing the car on which
the bell rested arrived in the yards
OF the Pennsylvania Railroad shortly
te.ore O'Clock yesterday morning, was
received by the District Commissioners
and special committee of citizens with
fitting ceremonies. and then the public
were permitted to view it. All day long
and far into the night thousands of
PEOPLE went by in continuous stream,
many of them touching their fingers to
the brazen metal as they passed. Some
people lifted small children up that they
might kiss the bell.
Mr.. Wilson H. Brown, the chairman OF
the special committee of the Philadel-
phia city council, in charge of the bell
accompanied by several members of the
committee, called on President Roose-
welt yesterday morning and invited him
to attend and participate in the recep-
ton accorded the bell. President Roose-
welt thanked the committee for the in
vitation, which he stated that he would
like TO accept, but regretted that the
press of business was such that he
would not have the time.
A Pretty Feature.
One of the prettiest features of the
occasion came when the children began
to file past the bell at noon. Nearly all
of them brought flowers, which they
threw on the bell as they passed. The
to give all of the children an oppor-
tunity to see the bell and the younger
generation manifested more enthusiasm
and quite as much appreciation as did
their elders. The immense crowds were
orderly at all times, although, as was
almost inevitable from the fact of there
being so many small children present,
there were oGe or two minor accidents.
The police handled the crowd in admir-
able manner, and the crowd kept its
good nature throughout the day, de-
spite the fact that many people had to
stand in line in the sun for hours.
When the special car was switched
taken to the spot opposite the train
shed of the station, where it remained
throughout the day, hundreds of peo-
pie were already assembled The police
at once roped an Enclosure and the
populace were compelled to remain at
a little distance until after the formal
ceremonies of reception were concluded.
Ninety-one policemen, under the com
mand of Lieutenant. Moore. were sta
toned in the vicinity Of the bell to
maintain order and keep the crowd at a
proper distance. II was found neces-
sary TO increase this police detail to 200
men during the course Of the afternoon
The Enclosure which lad been roped off
included a space OF parking. directly
across Sixth Street. from the car on
which the bell rested. and on this place
the bands were stationed.
The car on which the bell rests is lit
tie different from an ordinary car, ex-
cept from being surrounded by an iron
railing, with a doorway at each end.
Four policemen from the Philadelphia
reserve force are on guard all of the
time to see that no accident happens
to the relic.
Special Reception Committee.
The special reception committee met
at the office of Commissioner Macfar-
land in the District Building at 9:45 o'clock
yesterday morning. and at 10 o'clock
proceeded to the railroad yards in COM
pany with the District Commissioners.
Upon their arrival at the car the ropes
were lowered and they assembled tho
steps to the car, which formed the plat
form from which the addresses wero
made. Col. Archibald Hopkins. chair
man OF the local committee, then pre-
scented the District officials and the
members OF the committee to the men,
bers of the Philadelphia city council.
who form the special committee in
charge of the bell.
The Reception Ceremonies.
The Marine Band. under the direc-
ton of Lieutenant Santelmann, struck
up The Star-Spangled Banner" and
all those on the car and a large num-
Der among the audience removed their
hats. Colonel Hopkins then introduced
Commissioner Mcfarland, who made
the address to the Philadelphians in
charge o, the bell. The Commissioner
said:
we welcome to the National Capital
today the Liberty Bell the most famous
bell in the world. Born in England, re-
born in America. II was the voice OF the
Revolution. and typical OF the men and
women who asserted in the new lani the
old rights of their forefathers True to
its prophetic superscrlption. it spoke FOR
liberty from 1855, when it rang as the
Pennsylvania Assembly declared they
would not make laws by direction,
through all the Revolutionary period
'mufIied and tolled' for the Stamp Act,
free and rejoicing for the Declaration OF
Independence, and for the Treaty OF
Peace.
Its voice did not fail until John
Marshall, greatest of chief justices. last
survivor of the great men of the Rcyo-