Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-04-09
THE BELLS OF MEXICO.
Great Army Required to Keep Bra
zen Tongues Going.

From the Philadelphia Record.
II takes a great army of men to keen
the church bells going in Mexico. Ii Ia
estimated that i'm Mexico City alone there
are more than 1000 bell ringers regu-
larry employed. On days of religious
celebrations the number is augmented
as the ringing Of the bells must be kept
up almost constantly through the day
and night on such occasions.
The most striking feature OF Mexican
life TO the casual visitor to Mexico 10
the noise Of the church bells. Every
little hamlet and many OF the ranches in
the country have one or more Catholic
churches and each edifice 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.
the church bells is prohibited by the local
authorities. though their sounding is per
United once or twice every hour. Some
churches toll the quarter hours and other
toll every five minutes. Most OF the
churches in this city toll the quarter. half
and full hours.
The profession of bell ringing Is looked
upon by the lower classes as being hon
orable and distinguished. and bell ringers
are reverenced as being adjunct 10
the clergy. The bell ringers 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 the bell
ringers and their families. Here. lar
above the noise of the traffic of the
streets below. the faithful tollers OF the
bells live a peaceful life. seemingly UNI
mindful of the crashing noise which con-
stantly resounds about their very heads.
They are away from the other noises or
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 this noise
about you?" was recently asked the wife
OF bell ringer in one of the cathedral
towers.
1T is not the noise of the bells that
mind" she replied Il hear their ringing
without knowing it: but it is the changing
of the street car gongs in the street be-
low that disturbs my 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 eN-
ercise of powerful muscles and much
bodily strength The matter of installing
clockwork or electrical machinery with
which to operate the many bells in the
great cathedral city has been considered
from time TO time. but the preponderance
or sentiment OF tfle c1uTcil dulhoiilieS paS
been against the proposed innovation.
The bell ringers are divided into day
and night shifts. They ire required 10
toll the hours with precision. II IS not
necessary 10 carry a watch in Mexico I'M
less one is travelling in the country, out
of sound of the church bells At any
hour day or night. a person can learn
the time by listening TO the tolling of the
bells.
Many of the bells which hang In the
IF MpNirn DfOuGnt
from Spain in the early days of Spanish
rule Some of them contain large amounts
of precious metals. which give to them
tone of richness and clear sounding. The
bell ringers take great PRIDE in their nelis,
and much care and attention is given 10
keeping them we'll Furnished and thelr
parts oiled and always in state OF GOOD
repair.