Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-12-14
CHURCH BELL WIThA HISTORY
A Century Ago Its Tones Rang
over Lake Champlain.
Relic of the Steamer Phoenix, burned
on September Night in 1910. Now
High in a steepIe Mt Dan
willie, Ill.

on clear moonlight night in tho year
1919, the steamer Phoenix. Captain Rich
ard W. Sherman In command. left Bur-
lington for the north. She had on board,
besides a number of passengers, 5000
for n bank In Montreal. Colchester reef
had been passed and all on board ex-
cept the watch had retired. Suddenly, at
midnight, a tongue of flame shot brightly
through a pantry window and n bell rang
out In clear tones across the water,
sounding an alarm. The Phoenix was
burning in Lake Champlain. The flames
spread rapidly and while the terrified
passengers hurried hither and thither
about the burning vessel the lurid sky
told the tale Of disaster to those in
Burlington. The rest of the story is
familiar to those who know the history
of steamboatng on Lake Champlain
| What became of the bell that rang out
across the water on that night in Sep
temher, 1919? It does not rest at the bot
tom of Lake Champaign along with other
relics of the early days. This fact came
to light yesterday in curious fashion
and the whereabouts of the bell are be-
lieved not to have been generally known
before.
In the town of Danville H.. the home
forth from the steeple of tine First Pres
byterian Church every Sunday morning
tho tones of u bell. Probably few Of
the good citizens of Danville know that
its tones echo the story Of burning
steamer IN Lake Champaign nearly 100
years ago. The bell in the Danville
steeple is the bell that reused the pas
sengers on the Phoenix.
Yesterday Charles Il. Allen received a
letter from d. G. Moore of Danvile
There are probably few In Burlington
now who remember Mr.. Moore. He
graduated from the University of Yer
mont in 1883 and for the following seven
years was the principal of the Rutland
high school. He then went West and now
resides in Danvlle.
In his letter to Mr. Allen, Mr. Moore
says in part
~ wish to trouble you for n bit of
antiquarian Information of which Bur
hngton must have record. Some time
in the early years of the last century
; or possibly earlier. the steamboat
Phoenix, one of the first steamboats, on
Lake Champain, was burned to the
waters edge; as l was told when a boy.
TN the salvage was the bella casting
of the famous Meneeley bell foundry of
= Troy. y. Y. and through a chain of
events | need not mention the old bell
I is aow in the possession of the First
t Presbyterian Church of this city. and |
have been requested to write a brief
history of the old hell. | have all the
' data except the date of the burning of
t the Phoenix. Can you give me that"
t Mr.. Moore does not state in his letter
r what the chain Of events were that led
5 to the old bell being In Danvlle. A his
e tory of these events would be of more
e than passing interest to Vermonters and
! Mr.. Allen hopes at later date to obtain
= a copy Of Mr.. Moore's paper. that the
= story may be known. The information
asked by Mr.. Moore was furnished by
MIR. Allen.
o At the time of the burning of the
Y Phoenix, the boat was under the regular
e command Of Captain Jeha2el Sherman
n great-grandfather OF Vice Presiderlt
I James S. sherman. But for a few weeks
: previous to the disaster and at the time
e of the burning OF the boat she was ir
n temporary command of Captain RicharC
g W. Sherman grandfather of the Vice
president,
d The prov of the Inflated steamer /!
G now in the possession of Vice Presiden
y Sherman at his home in Utica n Y Mr.
e Allen stated yesterday that on one oc
y cason Mr., Sherman was asked why tn,
relic could not be sent to Burlington an,
, he replied, with apparent seriousness
" that If Burlington would provide a suit
, able place for the prov he would b
" glad to send It here