Going to Greater Heights! Yesterday I was lucky to get into the steeple of St. Johns Lutheran Church in Stevensville to see their massive 48 Inch cast iron, 2,300 Pound, 1800s bell! I was up there with Larry Eberly from what he said was Hardscrabble, Ontario (A place in Stevensville) He maintains the bell and greases it several times a year with a unique grease gun he designed to grease the nipple-less bearings. The huge bell was made by the Blymyer Mfg. Co of Cincinnati. Larry told me that way back a huge storm blew the top of the steeple off and it had been shortened (I am guessing the 1930-40s). The bell like many of its era has a second clapper or hammer that is the funeral bell. When pulled it has a wood end on it and makes more of a thud then a ring. Larry, after greasing it up rang it for me and it is quite loud. Bob Everts a long time friend arranged for me to get up there and is shown pulling on the rope. He rings the church bell each week and says its a minimum of 13 times. Ed Feiertag had told me that way back he was called to repair it as it stopped ringing and that it was hanging on by one thread. He had to block the bell up to correct it and Larry said he did the babits or bearings as well. So another piece of our local history I am happy to share with you!
Posted on: Thu, 14 Aug 2014 01:05:44 +0000
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