Saturday, July 03, 1999

Bell gets ringing welcome

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River trip to Newport begins in New Orleans

BY TERRY FLYNN
The Cincinnati Enquirer

The World Peace Bell is making its way up the Mississippi River from New Orleans. (Craig Ruttle photo) ZOOM

        NEW ORLEANS — A deep, resonant sound echoed across the Mississippi River here Friday as the 33-ton World Peace Bell was rung for the first time in the United States.

        Northern Kentucky businessman Wayne Carlisle pulled a cover from the 11-foot-tall bell to let the bright afternoon sun glint off its surface. Mr. Carlisle, who is responsible for bringing the huge bronze bell to reality and building a home for it in Newport, stood on a barge in front of the Belle of Cincinnati riverboat with Kentucky Gov. Paul Patton and other dignitaries for the ceremonies.

        “The sound of bells has been the voice of history,” Mr. Carlisle told about 200 Northern Kentucky business and political leaders who journeyed to Woldenberg Park on the banks of the Mississippi near New Orleans' historic French Quarter.

The bell will be delivered by the newest B&B Riverboat, The Belle of Cincinnati. (Craig Ruttle photo) ZOOM

        “Wars are begun with a shot, but they always end with the ringing of bells,” he said. “We want the ringing of this World Peace Bell to be the beginning of peace around the world and the end to wars.”

        The bell was cast last year in France. Mr. Patton called the bell's coming to America

        and eventually making a permanent home in Kentucky “an event that will live not only the history of our state but in the history of our nation. This bell will hopefully become the world symbol of peace.”

        The bell, which is 11 feet across at the base, is thought to be the largest free-swinging bell in the world. It will be on display in a 54-foot-tall glass and steel structure under construction at Fifth and York streets in Newport.

        Mr. Carlisle said the structure should be ready by mid-October, and the bell will be put in place, ready to ring in the millennium on New Year's Eve.

        The bell got a good workout Friday as 20 or more people were given the opportunity to press a button that swung a special striker on the side of the bell to ring it.

        Jim Verdin, president of the Verdin Co. of Cincinnati, which commissioned the casting of the bell last year in Nantes, France, said the deep tones of the World Peace Bell “are like nothing else you'll ever hear. There is no other sound to compare it to. It's a wonderful sound.”

        The huge steel yoke and frame and the striker will remain in place as the bell is brought up the Mississippi and Ohio rivers in the next three weeks. It will stop at 11 cities along the way.

Kentucky Governor Paul Patton speaks with Jim Verdin under the World Peace Bell in New Orleans. (Craig Ruttle photo) ZOOM

        “We won't install the clapper and the motorized mechanism to swing the bell until it is in the building.” Mr. Verdin said. The huge polished clapper was on display near the bell Friday.

        Pushing the barge carrying the World Peace Bell is the Belle of Cincinnati, the newest member of the BB Riverboat fleet, which will run Ohio River excursions in the Cincinnati area. The Belle, was festooned with red, white and blue bunting for the occasion, and a banjo picker played for the crowd from the deck.

        Covington City Commissioner Butch Callery called the unveiling significant.

Newport Mayor Thomas Guidugli at the bell's unveiling in New Orleans. (Craig Ruttle photo) ZOOM

        “The bell benefits Covington as well and Newport, and we want to show support for our sister city on the river,” he said. “The bell will attract people to Newport, and they will surely visit Covington and Cincinnati while they are here.”

        The Northern Kentucky contingent in New Orleans also included Newport Mayor Tom Guidugli, Newport City Manager Phil Ciafardini and City Commissioner Ken Rechtin, as well as state Rep. Jim Callahan, D-Wilder.

        A smattering of local interest was evident. New Orleans residents Maria Angeles and Jerry Nicholson stood in the hot sun to hear the bell ring.

        “I read about it in the (local) newspaper,” Ms. Angeles said. When I saw that it was being unveiled today, I wanted to take a look so I came over after work.”

       

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