East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1915-07-05

on which the Liberty Bell was sound
ga even as the reading OF the procla-
nation of the Declaration of Indepen-
dence was the most important event
In the history of this country. and OF
Liberty. Here the old bell. now the
most famous relic In the country. ac-
hieved everlasting fame as the agency.
by which the people were drawn to-
gether and by which the news that
the proclamation had been adopted
was sent broadcast over the city.
But the work of the Liberty Bell.
was still far from ended, One year
later. on July 4, l777, It was rung to
commemorate the first anniversary of
the passage Of the Declaration while
the armies fighting for the very life
of the independent Nation were bat
Ting against the forces of the King.
on the -Sth OF September of that
year, however, the Liberty Bell was
hurriedly removed from the steeple
of the State House, and, with the
chimes of Christ Church and ST
Peters, was carried by the Colonial
soldiers to Allentown. to prevent
their capture by the British. on its
first trip, escorted by 200 North Car.
olina and Virginia soldiers the Bell
travelled from Philadelphia to Ger
mantown, to Bethlehem, to Allentown
While at Allentown it was kept inI
Zion's Church.
The Liberty Bell was away from
this city from September is, 1777. to
June %. 177S, During the period of
absence the headquarters of the Brit
ish army was at the State House. and
the Artillery Park was in the state
House yard
Announces Surrender Of CORVALLIS
Once more back in its place I'M
independence Hall, the Liberty Bell
announced to the city the surrender OF
Lord CORVALLIS at yorktown on Oct
ober "a, 1881. On November 81 Of
the same year 1t welcomed the Com
mander-in-chief of the armies of the
Free states, General George Washing
ton, to the city, On April Is, 1888,
it proclaimed the Treaty Of Peace be-
tween the United States and Great
Britain.
On many occasions during the
next fifteen years the Bells tolling
proclaimed some important event in
the history of the new country. Then
at the death of Washington, it was
again muffled as before the RevOlu-
tion, and rung during the funeral
solemnitles on December 26, 1899
Lafeyettes visit to this city on
September 20, 1924, was the signal
for the Bell to send forth greetings to
the man who had so ably aided those
fighting for their freedom On July
A, 1926, it ushered in the fiftieth an
niversary of the passage of the Dec
laration of Independence, the year
of jubilee" written in the pass
age which gave its motto to the Bell.
The death of John Adams and
Thomas jefferson was commemorate
ed by the ringing of the Bell on July
"a. 1926. On July 21, 1884, it COM
memorated the death of Lafayette.
Tolls for Last Time
The Liberty Bell tolled for the last
= time on July s. 1885. John Marshall
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
of the United States, died on July 6.
His remains were on the day of the
anniversary of the first proclamation
of the declaration to the people borne
to Virginia for burial, and during the
funeral solemnities the Liberty Bell,
while tolling slowly suddenly cracked
through its side.
Despite the pretty legend which
was built around the story of the blue
eyed boy waiting outside the door of
independence Hall, ready to signal
to the man in the bell-tower as soon
!, as the Declaration of independence
was adopted history shows that this
famous old Bell did not not crack
when sending forth the news of the
declaration for liberty, but served for
many important occasions until 1885.
i Whether the Liberty Bell is suffer-
ing from a disease Of the metal, due
to inequality in mixing, andthis all
ment was responsible for the parting
of the Bell in the side as some metal
lurgists contend, or whether the
strain of service on so many occasions
caused the break, there exists a diff
! ference of opinion. In 1916 a scheme
was eoncocted to drill out the crack,
, and this was done.
The large. rugged fissure was made
? with the hope Of restoring its sound,
but this effort failed The Bell was
thereupon abandoned and put aside in
: an attic room, its work done. its part
! In important scenes ended. 1t was not
even shown as a relic for many years
Then, in 1876, it was placed in It's