Article: In Milwaukee, City Hall bell tolls for almost no one With `Big Ben' hobbled and few in attendance, observance is a real dud

In Wisconsin's biggest city Friday, the state's 150th birthday party was pretty much left up to an ailing, 22,500-pound bell and little Teddy Breihan.

The 5-year-old boy, an expert at birthdays, quickly figured out that something wasn't right when he showed up at Milwaukee's City Hall with a 3-inch bell to add his pings to a statewide bell- ringing.

Just three or four adults were there, and no one else had a bell. What's worse, the huge City Hall bell, which he had looked forward to hearing boom, kind of fizzled out. The bell has a 500-pound tongue and hammer. It also has had grown-up names, including "Solomon Juneau" and "Big Ben." Big deal. It rang so softly that Teddy couldn't hear it. ...

Related newspaper, magazine, and journal articles:

 
 
Newsweek Harper's Magazine The Washington Post Chicago Tribune Crain's Chicago Business PRNewswire Pediatric News The Nation Advertising Age The Economist (US) A FREE trial gives you access to over 80 million articles! Access over 6,500 publications with a FREE trial!