Evening star., 1939-07-02
By JESSIE FAINT EVANS.

after its usefulness as an announcer
OF significant national events was
forever ended, exceed those of any
other bell in the world. In all proba-
bility it has one of the most color
full existences in the entire history
of bells.
In 1751 the Assembly of the Colo
nial Province of Pennsylvania de-
cided that the State House at Phila-
delphia, now known as independence
Hall, should have bell and duly
authorized its purchase in reso-
luton which intrusted Isaac Nor
ris, Thomas Leech and Edward War
ner to procure it.
In their letter to Robert Charles,
Colonial agent in London, they
state: I'VE take the liberty to ap-
ply ourselves to thee to get us
good bell, of about 1000 pounds
weight, the cost of which we as
sumo may amount to about one hum
dred pounds sterling, or perhaps
with the charges, something more.
Obtain Best WOrkmen.
Let the bell be cast by the best
workmen. and examined carefully
before it is shipped, with the follow
ing words, we'll shapen in large let
ters round it, viz: BY order of the
Province of Pennsylvania for the
State House in the City of Phila-
delphia, 1882
And underneath: Proclaim Lib
erty throughout all the land unto
all the inhabitants thereof Levitt
Gus. xxvl0"
The instructions concluded with
this final admonition, Let the
package for transportation be ex-
amined with particular care and
the full value insured thereon"
Subsequently destined to be known
as the Liberty Bell, it was cast by
Thomas Lister of White Chapel,
London, and reached Philadelphia
by sailing ship August, 1852.
With the first stroke of its clap
per, after the new Province bell had
been hung in the State House tower,
it cracked 1t was the immediate
intent of Messrs. Norris, Leech and
w dllCl W lCtOl IL ltlC 1dulty UCll
to its London maker, but Capt
Budden of the frigate who had
brought it to America, declined to
do so, with the excuse that his
ships hold was already bespoken.
Added More Copper
With their offer to re-cast the
bell, Pass and Stow, two Colonial
Philadelphia foundrymen, immor-
talized themselves as the firm who
were eventually to make possible its
subsequent colorful history. BY
breaking the original bell up and
fusing it into molten mass to
which they added varying quanti-
ties of copper, to make it less brit
tie, they experimental until they
decided that the ratio of an ounce
and half of copper to every pound
of the London made bell would
result in desirable recasting, both
as to tone and durability.
When the bell was hung for the
second time its New World spon-
sors were dissatisfied with the
brassiness of its tone and of their
own volition again recast it, using
less copper in this final successful
fusion. which was completed early
in June, 1883. For their entire Ia
bors it is recorded that they were
paid 20 pounds, 13 shillings, S pence
Twelve feet in circumference, its
clapper is feet, inches long.
Early Bell Ringers.
The early official ringers of the
bell were Edward Kelly, from 1853
to 1855; David Edward, from 1888,
and Andrew McNair from 1859 to
l776.
1t was Bell-Ringer McNair who
had the distinction of ringing the
Province Bell, thereafter to be
known as the Liberty Bell, when
in fulfllment of its prophetic in
scription, Proclaim liberty through
out all the land to the inhabitants
thereof" it changed out the tidings
of the Declaration of independence
In July, 1776
Earlier this great bell had rung
out alarms announcing the battles
of Lexington and Concord and of
Bunker Hill, and the imminent
necessity of general call to arms
From behind the closed doors of
the Continental Congress meeting
in Philadelphia that famous July,
various rumors emanated. First
there was word that Richard Henry
Lees resolution authorizing the sep
aration of the Colonies from the
crown had passed. Next came the
report of the acceptance of Jeffer-
sons text Of the Declaration of In
dependence, on July 4, subsequent
to certain revisions of the Congress
On July 6, Philadelphia newspaper,
the Pennsylvania Packet, scored the
scoop of the era by publishing in full
the first verbatim text of that i'm
mortal document to appear in public
print.
Bell Summons People.
Two days later. on July 8, 1776.
the general public was summoned
to public reading of it in the State
House yard by the Liberty Bell
When its last reverberation had
ceased, John Nixon's stentorian
tones, without the benefit of any
of our modern devices for amplify-
ing the human voice, carried out
over the assemblage, from his post
atop tall stand previously built
for astronomical observations. AS he
finished his reading of that procla-
nation which marked the birth of
a new nation, the royal coat of arms
over the State House door was torn
down and burned.
To avoid its capture by the Brit
ish. when they we're about to occupy
Philadelphia, the Liberty Bell was
carefully loaded upon train of
supply wagons. guarded by North
Carolina and Virginia cavalry, and
conveyed to Allentown, Pa, where it
was hidden in the Zion Church until
June 81, 1778 Then it was re-
turned to the City of Brotherly Love
and again placed in the State House,
more familiarly known as Indepen-
dence Hall since the momentous