Shipmate Ron Hovis was searching for cruise books and happen to send an email to the Des Moines, Iowa, public library.  They were not able to help him with his search for cruise books, but they happen to mention that they had a Des Moines ship's bell on their third floor.  It has become a tradition for staff members to ring the bell once for each year they worked when they retire.  Their library has a three story open atrium and (their words) "you can imagine the sound that bell makes in our library."

Ron has forwarded a couple of pictures that were sent to him of the bell.  The library sent me a copy of information on how the bell was acquired.  Thought you might find this interesting. (The information email to me was not very legible.  Any spelling errors of names are due to the fact that I could not read them.)

The bell, which citizens of Des Moines presented to the cruiser "Des Moines" at a cost of $835, was placed on exhibition in the Commercial Club Hall in February and remained there until the cruiser returned from its trip to foreign shores.  The design on the face of the bell is that of a woman holding in one hand the "key to the city," and with the other hand pointing to a map of Iowa.  Underneath the figure is the work "Alert," presumably the normal attitude of Des Moines by the Citizens of Des Moines, Iowa, A.D. 1904.

                                                                    Grigham's History od Des Moines & Polk County
                                                                    Vol. 1 c. 39C

The first Des Moines was built by the Fore River Engine Company of Quincy, Massachusetts.  Her keel was laid on August 22, 1900, and the ship was launched on September 20, 1902.  The Des Moines was commissioned as Cruiser Number 15 on March 4, 1904.  She was sponsored by Miss Elsie L. Macomber, daughter of a prominent Des Moines lawyer J. K. Macomber.  Commander Alexander McCrackin served as her first captain.  The Des Moines was stricken from the Navy List on December 13, 1929, after a long and useful career.  She was sold during March, 1930.

                                                                    Patimpsest November, 1953
                                                                    p. 497 - 499

The armored cruiser "Des Moines" was launched September 10, 1902 in the shipyards of Quincy, Mass.  A party from Des Moines, including Governor Cummins and several other State Officers, Mayor Brenton and a number of other citizens of Des Moines, witnessed the launching.  Miss Elsie Macomber, a native of Des Moines, christened the cruiser.

                                                                Brigham's History of Des Moines & Polk County
                                                                Vol. 1 p. 381

Bell from the old cruiser Des Moines (Headline picture D.M.T. 11-11-48)

The bell, presented by the Citizens of Des Moines to that Navy ship in 1904 is on display at the library in connection with the commissioning next Tuesday of the new cruiser Des Moines at Quincy, Mass.  The bell was brought to Des Moines in 1930 when the old cruiser Des Moines was scrapped.

                                                                D.M. Tribune 11-11-48
 

Board Minutes            February 24, 1948

On motion by Mrs. Standwood, seconded by Mr. DePury and voted the Board agreed to accept the custody of the bell from the former U.S.S. Cruiser, Des Moines, now stored in the Coliseum.

Here is the inscription on the bell, it is all in capital letters.
Presented to the U.S.S. Des Moines by the citizens of Des Moines Iowa  A D 1904
There are stylized waves carved (etched?) along the bottom of the bell.
There is also a circle with a figure inside it, on the outside of the circle
it says "Des Moines Iowa".

All U.S. fighting ships have ships bells.  They are used in a  wide variety of ways in the day to day operation of the ship.
All ships bells are engraved with certain information relative to the ship such as the ships name, which ship building company built her, when and where the keel was laid and when she was launched.
When ships are lost at sea, the first item salvage divers look for is the ships bell. Primarily this is done for positive identification.  The bell is usually the first item removed from the ship unless otherwise directed for memorial reasons. If the bell is removed, it is usually relocated to a place of honor in tribute to the lost ship and to those lost souls who sailed in her.
When a ship is decommissioned , the bell is most times relocated in the city, state or location that is her namesake.  However, the bell can be placed anywhere that has some type of connection with the ship so long as it is in a place of honor and pays tribute to the ship and crew.
On board ship the bell is used to keep the crew aware of the time and when the watch should change. The day consists of six watches that have a duration of four hours each.  Beginning at thirty minutes past midnight the bell is  struck one time. Each half hour afterwards it is struck again adding one more strike each half hour.  When the bell is struck eight times four hours has elapsed and the next watch crew will take over. This cycle repeats every four hours.
Other functions of the bell are:
1...  In foul weather with low visibility , the bell is rung constantly to warn other vessels of our location and to direct small craft back to the ship. This is done by ringing the hull number of the ship, the Des Moines would ring , 1--3--4  pause, 1--3--4 on and on until the weather cleared.
2... The bell was rung to call the crew to worship services.
3... The bell was tolled for a burial at sea.
4... The bell was tolled whenever the ship would pass Mount Vernon, the home of George Washington
5... When another vessel  was sinking in sight of the ship, along with the ships whistle blowing until it was under, the ships bell would also ring in a final tribute to the sinking ship, friend or foe.  It is a unwritten code that when in peril at sea, there are no enemies.
The ships bell on the Daisy Mae was located on the after section of the navigation open bridge just outside of the captains sea cabin. This was on the 03 level which means it was on the third deck above the main deck.
The care, maintenance, and ringing of the bell was the responsibility of the quartermasters who were also the ships navigators.  The bell was polished daily before the captain awoke. We would place a hat or glove over the clapper to keep it from ringing. My chief always said that " a shiny bell means a happy ship". we must have been aboard the happiest ship afloat. I personally polished and rang your bell many times, I was a quartermaster third class.

RON HOVIS
email:  HOVRON@AOL.COM