On January 31, representatives from the Verdin Company came and inspected the bells at St. Paul, focusing on the broken bell. During their visit, pictures were taken that show the extent of the damage.

Looking at the bell, there is a yoke and harness that secure it and enable it to ring. Sets of “teeth” on either side of the yoke and harness are joined together by very large iron bolts and nuts. The Verdin Company determined that both of the bells in the tower still have the original parts from when they were installed.

The problem with the broken bell is a broken bolt, which fastens the yoke of the bell to its harness. When the bolt broke, the “teeth” slipped, preventing the bell from swinging and ringing. The bolts and nuts are not something you can pick up from the local hardware store. A new iron bolt is being fashioned and will be installed on the bell harness and yoke in the future. Since all the bolts are in similar condition, we will go ahead and have all four bolts and nuts made and replaced at the same time.

In addition to fixing the broken bell, the replacement of the bolts on the other bell are being completed as preventive maintenance to the existing structure and will be covered by the rebates we receive from the Diocesan Parish Share Campaign which starts later this month.

In addition to this project, the proceeds from our DPSC rebate will also pay the remaining balance of the window restoration completed at the end of 2016 and into the beginning of this year.

More pictures of the broken bell can be accessed  here.