Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-07-06
went up, but even that came came
quickly down when Its owner noticed
tho ln1aoliraocc ~

went up, but even that came came
quickly down when It's owner noticed
the loneliness of such an ambition.
A gentleman in white tie joined the
congregation with that, family super.
cilious expression always shown by
professionals towards amateurs, but his
attitude was friendly and admiring
compared to that of a contemptuous
old countenance carved in the wooden
facade of the tower, to which layers
Of soft coal smut have given u conf.
cally satirical sheer.
Two o'clock Even DrexeI building
magnates have gone back to work.
Not petticoat is in sight. Half the
benches blister, empty, in a blazing
sun. On the others somnolent old de-
relicts lapse into gentle siesta, and as
Watson says of Independence square,
Good company had deserted 1t and
the tide Of fashion did not again set Ia
in It's favor
Original State House.
This building, associated with the
most important of all the important
events connected with the birth Of the
American republic, was originally the
old Pennsylvania state house, erected
IN the years between 1929 and 1884.
When the Continental congress In 1778
metSfor the purpose of considering the
state Of the colonies and their rela-
tons to Great Britain, 1T was natur-
ally chosen. as the meeting place Of
the delegates. Their deliberations
were held In the largest of the rooms,
which. has since become known as 'In-
dependence hail." Here the Declara-
ton of Independence was adopted and
promulgated on July 4, 1915, after con-
sideratfon and debate extending over
many days, and Immediately after
ward the metal throat of old inde-
pendence bell gave to the world It's
famous message of liberty.
The venerable structure is carefully
preserved and will undoubtedly stand
for many years to come. The "Hall Of
Independence is kept closed, except
when curious visitors seek entrance,
or some special occasion opens its
doors to the public. Nothing now re-
mains of the old furniture Of the hall
except two antique mahogany chairs,
covered with red leather one of which
was used by Hancock as president,
and the other by Charles Thomson a.
secretary, Of congress when the dec.
laration was adopted.
In his Field Book of the Revolu-
ton B. ]. Losing. the historian gives
this account Of visit to the build.
ing:
The Liberty Bell.
Il assembled the steeple, where hangs
In silent grandeur, the Liberty Bell.
1t is four feet in diameter at the LID,
and three inches thick at the heaviest
part. Its tone is destroyed by a crack.
which extends from the lip to the
crown passing directly through the
names OF the persons casting 1t. An
attempt was made to restore the tono
by saving the crack wider, but with
out success The history Of the
bell Is interesting. In 1862 a bell for
the state house was imported from
England. On the first trial ringing.
after Its arrival, 1t was cracked. Ii
| was recast by Pass and Snow. of Phil
adelphta. in 1853. under the direction
OF Isaac Norris. Esq, the then speaker
OF the colonial assembly. And that
Is the bell, the greatest in English
America, which now hangs in the old
state house steeple, and claims. our
reverence. Upon fillets around it's
crown, cast there twenty-three years
before the Continental congress met in
the state house. are the words Of Holy
Writ: Proclaim liberty throughout
all the land unto all the inhabitants
thereof How prophetic! Beneath
that very bell the representatives Of
the thirteen colonies proclaimed lib
erty. Ay, and when the debates were
ended and the result was announced.
on the 4th Of July, 1776, the iron tongue
of that very bell first proclaimed iib-
erty throughout all the land unto all
the inhabitants thereof, by ringing out
the joyful annunciation for more than
. two hours"