Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-10-28
VXTASHINGTON, D. c., Oct. pa bell h
WV tower three hundred feet high, which Il

" WASHINGTON, D. c., Oct. IA bell
w tower three hundred feet high, which
will ring sweet music from fifty
metal Threats in eternal commemoration of
the return Of peace, is the latest idea for a
peace memorial to be erected in Washington.
This bell tower project is being pushed by
the Arts Club of Washington One of it's
leading sponsors is William GOrham Rice,
who has made a life study of bell music in
general, and especially of carillons, as the
great tower chimes are called. 1t is intend
ed to raise five million dollars for building
the tower, for making the bells, and for pro-
viding bellmaster of the highest skill to play
and teach this new kind of music in America.
The promoters of the project, who are many
and of high repute, say that there will be no
trouble at all about the five million.
What is five million dollars in American"
said one of them I'VE can raise it with ease.
Of course, we could build and maintain a
tower and carlton for a great deal less; but
if America is going to have bell tower at
all. it must be the greatest bell tower in the
world This bell tower will be the highest in
the world, it will have more bells than any
O.her in the world, and it will be played by
the greatest bellmaster in the world.
1T is said that the music of the carlton is
the sweetest that can be played, and it is a
music which carries for miles and miles.
Hundreds OF thousands can hear 1t at once.
And it cannot be confined no one can be
charged price for hearing II. III IS Lne true
music of democracy"
This carlton project is full OF beautlful
sentiments like that. The carlton originated
and reached it's finest development in BEL
gium and in Holland, so that TINS bell tower
which it is proposed to erect IN washington
will be in some sort tribute to Belgium ana
to Belgian herOiSm Again, the Dell LOWELL
say those who know, is syboI OF democracy
The first ones were built in those dark ages
when common men first dared 10 strlke
against the expressions OF their overlorus,
They we're then merely the means Oh Gaining
neonle together Gradually they grew IN SIZE
and the' wonderful musical properties of bells
were discovered and developed. Flrst came
the chime, then the carlton
For a carlton, it should be understooG' -
a mammoth musical instrument upon which
anv sort of music may be played. IL conI@l -
from forty to fifty bells and each Oh tnea9 n hI2
nower The carlton is played like an organ
from a room below the belfry, ana mas d
keyboard like an organ or piano.
In Belgium and Holland nearly every town
and city has it's carlton, usually located IN
tower near the center of the city and often
in the market place. The bellmaStef Is d
municipal officer, usually a musician OF Algn
attainments and one OF the most valued ana
respected of civil servants.
The bell towers usually play few bars of
music at the hour, the half-hour and the
quarter-hour. This is done by machinery and
does not require an attendant But at regu-
lar intervals, usually about once a week, a
concert is held and the bellmaster renders a
regular musical program. 1t is said that
thirty thousand people often gather to hear
Josef Denyn, the famous Belgian master OF
the carlton at Mecklin, Belgium, He is the
man. whom the promoters of the scheme nope
to bring to America and place in charge of
their bells of peace.
Some of these European bell towers are
very old The one at Client, for example,
rang in 1914 to celebrate the making OF peace
between the United States and Great Britain
nfto,. the WAY of 1872 and it was MANNED to