Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-07-24
Helen Larkin Writes Very
Interestingly of The
Liberty Bell

Lester & Cist of London cast the bell
and in August 1852 1t arrived at Phlla :
delphia. 1t was erected on trusses In the
state house, and while being tolled and
tested in September 1t was cracked by
the clapper. This was the first OF Its
misfortune which seems to have pur-
sued 1t ever since.
John Pass and Charles Stow, Jr.
were given authority to make the bell
over again. In the spring Of 1853 new
defects were discovered. The bell had
lost it's SAVIOR; it had no ringing tones
and sounded muffled and dumb.
Pass and stow asked permission to
recast it, and thus the third and pres
ent Liberty Bell originated. 1t was then
raised In the state house steeple June l.
1853 where 1t remained until 1881 when
the steeple was taken down. 1t was then
suspended in the state house tower un'
til 1S46, and then removed to another
part Of the hall, where In one place or
another it has remained ever since.
When the port of Boston was closed
May 1874 the bell was carefully munleo
and tolled in solmn and pathetic man.
ner. 1t rang wildly. on April 25, 1775s
inst after the reports of the battle OF
Lexington came to Philadelphia. They
rang it to assemble the people.
None had then dreamed that lts m
scrintion which was proclaim lperty
throughout all the land unto the lnlla ,e
itants thereof" would prove so slshiii-
cant in 1776. +,o
One year passed and again on the
first Fourth Of July celebration IN uoi
history it tolled amidst war. 10 ce'. =
brate one year of independence anu ~
proclaim renewed inspiration.
When the American army was iorceu
To evacuate Philadelphia, the Liberty
Re,I IN company with the chimes or the
christ Church and those OF st. Peters
were transported by order or the con-, :,
mittee of safety to Allentown, guar
hy two hundred North Carolina ana
Virginia, soldiers where In Zion chuIch'
# rested safe from capture ana poss To-
destruction between september 100
and June 177S.
Whom II returned to the old state
house steeple, one Of it's first uses Wa va
to ring upon the announcement VI .t,1
surrender of CORVALLIS IN Octooe. -, o.
and in the following month"; 10 to1i ia
Welcoming washington to the city.
little later it helped proclaim tns
treaty. Of peace with Great Britain anu
in December 1899 1t was muf1iea ioi NV. 4e
t1rst time since before the revolution, 10
innd ita almost hushed music to the
funeral solemnities Of washington:
In 1924 1T rang to welcome Hni' ~ .
to Philadelphia and July =. 1917, ~
fiftieth year of American lndePehuviiIi -,
It ushered the Year of Jubilee IN
gladstone sounds.
Within the last thirty-five years the
bell has gone travelling every SIX year, o.
Its first Journey was in 1884 when II
was taken to New Orleans. :.
Then it went to the worlds fa1r IN
Chicago then to Atlanta, then TO
Charleston Then to the worlds fair at
St. Louis, where royal welcome was
provided. It is now at San Francisco.
saw 1t as it passed our house.
The Liberty Bell Is suffering rom an
incrrahle organic disease. The crack
which was first in it's side has now run
along it's shoulder, so that half OF tns
bell hangs by only slim support ana
the crack has grown an inch ana a
quarter in the last eight years.
Helen Larkin, age IL,
Charlton, Ia, r. s.