<html><head></head><body><div class="ydp8f0ee717yahoo-style-wrap" style="font-family:Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">Although the event is ancient, its result might be useful today for those dealing with complaints about noise from bells. Here's what happened:</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">English-born jeweler and watchmaker Ebenezer Pulcifer Percival settled in the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1880. In 1887 he ordered a lightweight chime of 8 bells (tenor 240 lbs) from the McShane Bell Foundry of Baltimore. It was delivered in September of that year, and within two months there was a lawsuit complaining that the bells were a nuisance. The trial was reported as follows:<br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"> <a href="https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115601946/complaining-of-the-chimes/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115601946/complaining-of-the-chimes/</a></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">The result was a victory for the bells:</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"> <a href="https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115616191/jeweler-percivals-bells/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115616191/jeweler-percivals-bells/</a></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">The judge's instructions to the jury are remarkably sensible!</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">Several months later, Mr. Percival ordered another bell from McShane; with a pattern weight of 275 lbs. It is unknown whether this was to be an extension of the chime or to serve a separate function, such as an hour bell. And it's unknown how long the chime was in use, or what eventually happened to it. However, the shop inventory taken after his death in late 1912 did include "one bell," which might have been a remnant of the chime.<br></div><div><br></div><div class="ydp8f0ee717signature"><div style="font-family:Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;font-size:16px;">Carl Scott Zimmerman, Campanologist <br>Saint Louis, Missouri, USA -<br> - 19th c. home of at least 37 bell founders or resellers <br>Tel. +1-314-821-8437 <br>Webmaster for www.TowerBells.org<br> * Avocation: tower bells<br> * Recreation: handbells<br><div> * Mission: church bells</div><div><span class="ydpb3b8dea8pasted-link"><span class="ydp73140da6pasted-link">Webmaster for www.TSCChapter134.org</span></span></div><div dir="ltr">Treasurer, World Carillon Federation<br></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>