| Show LIBERTY BELL ONE ONE OF II SIX WITH SAME NAME PHILADELPHIA Oct 1 AP The The Liber Liberty y bell in Independence I IThe hall Is one of oC at least half a dozen other Liberty bells in eastern Pennsylvania communities which r also rang out the news that the tho of Independence had been signed Historically these other chimes lay claim to the title Liberty bell and Indeed are so called They have been gathered in one exhibit at the Sesquicentennial exposition makIng making making mak mak- ing complete the collection of the seven chimes which commingled their voices in celebration of the event ALL TOLLED LIBERTY Scores of additional bells rang out the news when the declaration was was confirmed but there are but I six besides the Philadelphia bell which are recognized by historians I as being authentic Liberty bells All the six bells are smaller than I I the Philadelphia ia bell Three of were imported as was the local lo local local lo- lo cal chime two were cast in Bethlehem Bethlehem Bethlehem Beth Beth- lehem Pa and the other at Bridgewater Bridgewater Bridge Bridge- water Mass The bells are the town meeting meetinghouse meetinghouse meetinghouse house bell at Chester Pa said to tobe tobe tobe be the oldest municipal bell beli In the United States It was cast in England England England En En- gland in 1724 and brought to Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Penn Penn- after sylvania only two forty-two years ears the landing of ot Penn For a number of years the bell was lost but five and was I j years ears ago it came to light in the Chester courthouse SECOND IN SIZE Second in point of of size is the Lancaster bell cast in England in 1745 for the Cloister near Ephrata Pa When it arrived it was declared sinful and worldly and was sold to the Holy Trinity Lutheran church Lancaster After serving at different times as state statehouSe statehouse statehouse house bell tire fire bell and church bell it was broken in 1886 but was pre pre- served The Berks county courthouse bell cast in Massachusetts in 1763 ranks s third in seniority It also served in j various capacities before coming finally into the guardianship of the Berks County Historical society The St. St Johns John's parish bell at York Tork Pa was acquired in 1774 by the Society Society Society So So- for the Propagation of or the Faith in London It was hung in inthe inthe inthe the courthouse owing to the church I building having no belfry It I cracked while tolling the death of President McKinley In 1901 The Philadelphia t belt bell ell was cracked while I r tolling the death of Chief Justice John Marshall in 1835 IN CONSTANT SERVICE Tho The Northampton county courthouse courthouse courthouse court court- house bell the bell the only one of the seven to have havo remained In continuous service ser ser- ser service ser ser-I vice up to the pres present was present was nt-was was cast by Mathias In the cellar i of the Moravian Brethren's house house in in Bethlehem in 1768 after which it it was tested and taken to Easton and hung in a steeple of the old courthouse In the tower of the tile Zion Reformed church at Allentown Pa while the treasured Philadelphia Liberty hell bell bell lay hidden beneath in the basement during British occupancy hung a small bell which defiantly rung rung- out i its summons After 1790 the Allentown Allentown Allentown Allen- Allen town Liberty bell passed to the municipal mu mfr- academy It was obscured for many years after the academy was S superseded b by colleges but recently was rediscovered and identified iden iden- Except for its missing clapper clapper clap clap- per the bell is as sound as ever |
