The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1914-06-25

EUW thither from distant places as to a
~" sacred shrine, and yet great many
are unfamiliar with the history Of
the most famous edifice in America, They may
not know that It was begun in 1929 and finished
in 1884, and that in those days the plan of 1t
was considered so palatiay ambitious that its
building was bitterly opposed by those who, like
John Gilpins wife, were of frugal mind The
cost was $16250, and the wings that were added
five years afterward brought the total amount to
$28,000. Doubtless there were many who dubious
1y shook their heads at the extravaganza what
would they have thought Of city hall occupying
several acres and costing $24000,0OO?
Although In the Immediately pre-Revolut1onary
days the purpose to which independence nan
was put serious enough, the long gallery
upstairs had often been the scene of "revelry
by night" before those times that tried mems
souls. In 1886 the mayor, William Allen, invited
most Of Philadelphia to feast; in 1855 the as
sembly gave Governor Denny most pretentious
banquet and again. in 1857, Lord Loudon CON-
manderin-chief of his majestys forces In Amer
lea, was lavshly entertained and the uninv1ted
grumbled at the outlay
When the first congress met in Philadelphia
in 1774 there was a 'sumptuous collation. IN
the State house attended by 500 persons, and
as they drank their toasts cannon were fired, as
happened in the of Hamlets unamlaDle
father The same hall that was the scene OF
these elaborate banquets became the prison OF
the American officers captured in the battle OF
Germantown and after the bloody Held OF BRANDY
wine 1t was hospital.
II was in this building that Washington de-
livered his memorable farewell address; Lafay-
ette 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 it will be seen that the social and historic
associations of the edifce are innumerabe, leav-
ing out of the reckoning what happened there on
the Fourth of July, 1776.
The signers of the Declaration came near not
having bell to announce their epoch-maklng
resolution to the world. AS as the building
was completed in 1874. 1t was planned to buy
bell 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
great cost of the State house had imposed
heavy tax upon the citizens and further expendi-
ture was useless" After several years Of more
or less acrimonious debate 1t was decided to have
O bell; and it was then discovered that there was
not foundry in the colonies capable Of fashion
ing It, the repressve policy of parliament hav-
ing wellnigh destroyed manufacturing enterprise
in the new world. So the colonists- had to send
to London for bell, giving specific directions
as to the dimensions-the weight was 2OSO
pounds.
When at last it arrived, in 1852, it was more
than nine days wonder; the Pennsylvania farm
ers focked to the wharf from far inland to ac
claim its arrival It proved all that any reason
able mortal could want in the way of tintinnab
ulum It's tonesf were farcarrying and sweet
ly musical, and all true-born Philadelphians dn-
cluding those who had opposed the expense)
we're proud of it. Alas! as 1t was being trans
ported with festal ceremony from the waters
edge to the intended site In the belfry some ner-
vous weakling gave way beneath his corner Of
the ton of metal and the bell fell to the ground
and was mortally Injured. It 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-surpassing, too, the imported one. which was
too high and brittle"
The great occasion in the life Of the Liberty
Bell was not due to arrive until "a years after
ward 1t was on the 18th Of May. 1776 that the
general assembly gave instructions to it's dele