Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-09
CARLTON TO MARK
i. S. SOLDIER DEAD
Bells in Louvain Tower Will
Memorabilia American
Engineers in War.

American engineers who died during
the World War will be memorialized by
a new carlton installed In the Singing
Tower at Louvain (Belgium) University.
The carlton has 48 bells--one for each
of the United States.
Bells are so commonly used today
that their Importance in ancient and
medieval times Is often forgotten. says
a bulletin from the National Geographic
Society. The Chinese used bells IN
their worship 5000 years ago. The
robes of Jewish priests in Old TeSta-
ment times tinkled with tiny bells, The
Romans adorned their horses with them
and silver bells were coveted Roman
prizes ,s
I'm modern times the civilized world
is literally full of bells. If the tele-
phone companies plugged in on every
telephone in the United States, more
than $4,000, 900 bells would be ringing
at one time. Life on the sea is regu-
lated by bells and on land locomotive
bells are familiar sounds. When secular
bells rest church bells too the hours OF
religious services.
First Church Bells.
"christian churches did not use bells
until the fifth or sixth century Inc
pania, Italy, and used in churches IN
Rome After little more than CEN
turv their popularity influenced rope
TO ordain that every church should
have one.
"Marco Polo tells about large bell
SUSPENDED in the center of Picking from
a lofty building. but early European
bells were tiny compared with the mod
ern giants. Many of the hand bells In
general use we're made OF hammered
iron, rtveted together and shaped like
the so-called COW bell.
Bells grew in size with the centuries.
When a king presented a bell weighing
slightly more than a ton to the Church
of Orleans in the eleventh century, the
people looked upon it as marvel OF the
age. Seven centuries later Russia, the
Ian of Bells, cast the famous 180-ton
Tsar Kolokol, which has never been
riva!ed in weight or size. Resting on
mound in a Moscow square 1t is 10 feet
tall, so feet in diameter, and its sides
are two feet thick An ll-ton piece.
which has fallen from its side, lies near
the gaping hole that has been used as
a doorway to small chapel within.
Highest Bell Here.
Moscow also claims the largest bell
in actual use, bell which weighs l28
tons. Upper Burma has one weighing
so tons. The barrel-shaped bell at
Kyoto, Japan, weighs SO tons, while the
great bell at Peking weighs only 10
pounds less Bells In Rouen and Vienna
each weigh 90 tons.
THE United States has the highest
swung bell. 1t is attached to the clock
mechanism In the Metropolitan Tower,
New York City. TOO feet above the street
Gotham also has one of the worlds
two largest carillons with SO bells. But
no bell Is more famous than the cracked
old Liberty Bell in independence Hall,
Philadelphia.
The people Of England almost lived
by the ring of bells few centuries ago.
'Vestry bells summoned the church ves-
try. Mote bells announced village
meetings. Harvest bells called work.
ers to the field. Oven bells noted the
hour when the ovens of the lord Of the
manor were ready to bake bread. Mar
ket bells signaled the opening OF the
markets. There were special bell ring
ings when children Of notables were
born. Passing bells are still rung in
England after the death Of citizen.
Bells Chased Evil Spirits.
Bell ringers usually refer to bell
as she but the famous bells OF Eng
land bear masculine names Great
Paul 1917 ton bell, swings In a tower
atop ST. Paul's In London. 1t is Eng
lands largest swinging bell. Great
Peter at Yorkminster is l2i2-ton bell.
There is a Great Tom at Lincoln and