Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-09-13
THE BELLS OF MEXICO

1t takes great army of men to keen
the church bells going in Mexico. It Is
estimated that in Mexico City alone
there are more than two thousand he'll
ringers regularly employed On DAYS
OF religious celebrations the number n
Augmented. as the ringing of the bells
must he kept UP almost constantine
through the day and night on such oc-
casions.
The most striking feature of Next
can life to the casual visitor to Mexico
Is the noise of the church bells. Ey-
cry little hamlet and many of the
ranches in the country have one or
more Catholic churches, and each edf-
flee is equipped with one or more bell
towers. The great cathedral which
stands near the national palace in this
city has sixteen of these towers.
In some towns the constant ringing
of the church bells is prohibited by the
local authorities. though their sound
Ing is permitted once or twice every
hour. Some churches toll the quarter
hours and others toll every five min
utes. Most of the churches in this city
toll the Quarter, half and full hours.
The profession of bell ringing ia
looked upon by the lower classes as
being honorable and distinguished. and
bell ringers are reverenced as being AMI
adjunct to the clergy. The bell ring
ers themselves are usually very proud
of their vocation. In many cases this
position in church is handed down.
from father to son through generation
after generation.
The towers of the large cathedrals|
are spacious and are frequently fitted
with rooms which are occupied by thel
bell ringers and their families Here
far above the noise of the traffic of theI
streets below, the faithful tollers of theI
bells live peaceful life, seemingly un.
mindful of the crashing noise which
resounds about their veryJ
heads. They are away from the other|
noises of the city, but are in the midst
of the bell clangings, which go on all
through the days and nights.
How can you sleep with all thisI
noise about you?" was recently asked
the wife of a bell ringer in one of theI
cathedral towers.
1T is not the noise of the bells thar
l mind," she replied. II hear Their
without knowing it; but II Is
the changing of the streetcar gongs in
the street below that disturbs m!
slumbers."
All of the church bell ringing in |
Mexico is done by hand and. as some
of the bells are of ponderous size and
great weight to operate them requires
the exercise of powerful muscles andI
much bodily strength. The matter of
installing clockwork or electrical ma.
chinery with which to operate theI
many bells in the great cathedral ethyl
has been considered from time to time,
but the preponderance of sentiment of
the church authorities has been
against the proposed innovation.
The bell ringers are divided into day.
and night shifts. They are required toI
toll the hours with precision. 1t is mott
necessary to carry a watch in MexicoI
unless one is travelling in the coun-
try, out of sound of the church bells .
At any hour, day or night. person.
can learn the time by listening to theI
tolllng of the bells.
Many of the bells which hang In they
church towers of Mexico were brought
from Spain in the early days of Span
ish rule. Some of them contain large
amounts of precious metals. which
give to them tone of richness ana
clear sounding. The bell ringers take
great pride in their bells. and much
care and attention is given 70 keeping
them Well FURNISHED and their parts
oiled and always in state of good re-
pair.-Philadelphia Record.