The interior of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Albany as seen from the choir loft.
Some of the 10 bells in the north tower of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Albany. A volunteer is restoring the manual ringing ability of the chime by installing new cables from the bell clappers to the chimestand's vertical rods. Most of the bells date back to 1862 and haven't been played manually in about 50 years.
The back of the chimestand, which was one of the first in the nation. Mr. Connors found it in disrepair and since replaced two broken pump handles.
The markings include dates and signatures believed to have been scrawled by bell-ringers and by choirboys exploring the tower from the choir loft.
W.A. Toomey's signature is flanked by dozens of others.
The keyboard used to toll the bells electronically. There's also an electrical console that programs automatic chimes.
Another sampling of old graffiti. Mr. Connors believes the hooks held ropes to keep the tower windows open so the chimers could hear their own music.
This object housed the ropes pulled to rewind the tower's clock mechanisms by hand. The original lower tower clock mechanism is still on an underhanging fifth level; it was replaced by an electric clock and hands on the eighth level. Tower visitors engraved their initials.
Hundreds of signatures dating back to the 19th century mark the walls of the north tower.
One of the pieces unearthed over the summer. The cathedral's archives contain many such compositions. See http://www.evangelist.org/main.asp?SectionID=3&SubSectionID=28&ArticleID=23121
