Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1914-07-02

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M%ZHl7EM shrine of American liberty in Phila-
M125ZW delphia was known as the State
EAf house: but after that II was called
Independence hall. Thousands have
made their reverent pilgrimage
thither from distant places to q
N~ sacred shrine and yet a great many
are unfamiliar with the history Of
the nest famous edlfce In America. They may
not know that 1t was begun in 1929 and finished
ia 1884, and that in those days the plan OF Il
was considered so palatially ambitious that its
building was bitterly opposed by those who. like
John Cilpin's wife, were Of a frugal mind. The
cost was $16.250, and the wings that were added
FIVE years afterward brought the total amount to
$4,000. Doubtless there were many who dubious
Iy shook their heads at the extravaganza What
would they have thought Of a city hall occupying
several acres and costing $24.0O0.0O0?
Although In the Immediately pre-Revolutionary
days the purpose to which Independence hall
was put was serious enough, the long gallery
upstairs had often been the scene OF 'revelry
by night" before those times that tried mems
souls. In 1876 the mayor. William Allen, invited
most Of Philadelphia to feast: in 1855 the as
sembIy gave Governor Denny a most pretentious
banquet; and again. in 1757. Lord Loudon. COM
mander- n.chief Of his maJesty's forces In Amer
Ica, was lavlshly entertained. and the unlimited
grumbled at the outlay.
When the first congress met in Philadelphia.
In l774 there was "sumptuous collation. In
the State house. attended by 500 persons, and
as they drank their toasts cannon were fired. as
happened In the case Of Hamlet's unamiabe
father The same hall that was the scene Of
.hese elaborate banquets became the prison OF
the American officers captured in the battle OF
Germantown, and after the bloody field OF Brandy
vine 1t was hospital.
n was in this building that Washington de-
llvered his memorable farewell address; Lafay'
cite was the guest OF honor here at a reception
IN 1924; and here the bodies Of John Adams and
Abraham Lincoln lay In state.
Thus II will be seen that the social and historic
associations of the edIfce are innumerable. lsav-
Ine out Of the reckoning what happened there on
Che Fourth Of July. 177G.
The signers of the Declaration came near not
having a bell 10 announce their experimenting
resolution to the world AS soon as the building
was completed, in 1884. 1t was planned to buy
hell commensurate with the dignity Of the new
State house Then the advocates Of economy
or parsimony-arose in their might and fought
the project tooth and nail, representing that the
fgreat cost OF the State house had imposed n
heavy tax upon the citizens and further expendi'
ture was useless" After several years OF more
or less acrimonious debate It was decided to have
a hell; and It was then discovered that there was
not a foundry in the colonies capable OF fashion
ING It. the repressve policy OF parliament hav-
ing welnigh destroyed manufacturing enterprise
IN the new world. So the colonlsts had to send
TO London for a bell. giving specific directions
as to the dmensions-the weight was 1880
pounds.
When at last II arrived, in 1752. II was more
than nine days wonder; the Pennsylvania farm
ers locked to the wharf from far Inland to &C
claim its arrival. It proved all that any reason
able mortal could want In the way Of tintinnab-
ulum its tones were farcarrying and sweet
" musical, and all true-born Philadelphians Tin
Guiding those who had opposed the expense)
were proud OF II. Alas as It was being trans
sorted with festal ceremony from the waters
edge to the intended site In the belfry some ner-
vous weakIlng gave way beneath HIS corner OF
the ton OF metal and the bell fell to the ground
and was MORALLY injured. II had to be recast,
and Isaac Norris. who superintended the opera
tion. announced with pride that the result was
"a good bell. which pleases me much that we
should first venture upon and succeed IN the
greatest bell, for aught know. in English Amer
ica-surpassng. too. the imported one which was
too high and brittle
The great occasion In the life Of the Liberty
Bel was not due to arrive until ~ years after
ward. II was on the 18th Of May. 1776, that the
general assembly gave instructions 10 ~ dele