Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 157, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 July 1910 — “BIG BEN” LOSING TONE. [ARTICLE]

“BIG BEN” LOSING TONE.

Voice of London’s Famous Bell Suffers from a Fracture. “Big Ben" is in disgrace. Every one in London knows “Big Ben,” and no stranger who comes to London can be long in town before he knows “Big Ben,” top, the big bell which, with his four little brothers, strikes the hours, quarters and half hours away up in the tower at the houses of parliament. When “Big Ben” and his four little brothers are having their periodical clean-up their deep-toned chimes are very much missed and the watches of Londoners get all out of time. ft is Wooding Starmer who has sounded the alarm about “Big Ben,” says a -London letter. Lecturing at the royal institution the other evening, he said that the lone the bell gave ouc was not as good as it should be. “Nothing but serious injury,” he said could result from the cutting of holes in the sound bowls, although It is said that the holes were cut to ascertain the extent of a crack. However, it is certain that the holes and the crack seriously mar the tone.” This came as a great surprise to many, for no one had ever heard ihat either “Big Ben” or any one of his four little brothers had a crack or holes punched in him. Messrs. F. Dent & Co. of the Strand, who have charge of the Westminster clock, confess that all is not well. “We quite agree,” said the manager of the flm, “with what Mr. Starmer has said regarding the hour bell, and we certainly think a new one should be cast in its place, but it would be a great job to take the bell down. “The history of ’Big Ben’ is a curious one," he continued. “ ‘Big Ben’ and the four quarters were cast about 1856. The first ‘Big Ben’ weighed about sixteen tons and was not a success and it was recast. The new one was not so heavy, weighing only thirteen and one-half tons. Within a year a crack or flaw developed near the mouih of the bell. The result was that the striking hammer could only be about half the weight necessary to bring out its full tone, no doubt on account of the risk of the crack going further. —r~ “The question of ihe bells was considered by an Influential committee at the time, assisted by Mr. Turle, the eminent organist of Westminster Abbey, and they approved the quality of the tone, so nothing has been done since.” The chimes of “Big Ben” are set at the following lines: “All through this hour, Lord, be my guide, And by Thy power no foot shall slide.”