Litchfield enquirer., 1857-02-05

Merriam rises regularly at every hour through the night, awakiny at Il e striking of clotk
 A faithful dog formerly did tn, service of tine clock, but he unfortunately fell down stairs one day, and expired soon after. The books are written up every morning before sunrise by cl.rks, Of whom there are :hree, except during the sessions of the State Legislature, when t! e number is increased to sx Two of them re- main constantly at Albary during that time, ard transmit intelligence of the lrocccdings to tiIis city each day.
 Tine New York Municipal Gazette, compris- ins men o'arda and compilations of al! matters concerning the pubic veal, is q fornidable work which requires Mir. M,riam's constant ::t- tention. One volume has been published, con- taining l LAO quarto pages, of which 500 cop s are on hand slso 1900 copies of the second part of the same volume, ard 25O adiitona! pages of second volume have been published. The expense of one was horne by the New York Anti Assessment Committee, and of tie second by a "pnbc fnnG," respecting which Mr. NJ. is probably best informed. These volumes contain copious memoranda respecting lightning, on land and water; earthquakes, salt, birds and minerals ali the acts in relation 10 this city which have been passed from time inlnemorial all the charters of the city, from 1857 to the present day. in chronological order; everything relating to taxes, assessments and
 improvements ditto with regard to life saving efforts Hurl Gate ard the barbor, and quar- antine the whole history of the discovery of gold ill California ,flon ;he first aLnoul cement of the fact, iH September, l84S, until now a long list of vessels destroyed by fire. &c. The obect in view is raIresanted to lc public Etllity--or to spread before public men, in a compact form, all necessary information on n portaEt topics. In addition to the labor;ous service thus voluntarily assumed, and which 10 other man could be induced to perform for any ordinary compensaton, minute records are kept of the wind vane and water gulge, attached to the office.
 Mr Mcriams dwelling house is curiosity Net less than ten thermometers are exposed, and flee different lightning rods are in reqnsi- tion, to- protect tic Ives of its inmates The casual observer would suppose that Providence must have some spfcill designs for evil, to be avertcd, if possible, by every precaution. Tie thermometers are for different exposures, and affixed tc them are the famous wires" inter secting the atmosphere irregularly ill all direc tons. Were the garden a cornfcld crows would never disturb it. These wires, being connected with the thermometers, are supposed to communicate to th"sc instruments the pre- else temperature prevailing The cxtrcmitcs are immersed in saline batteries" or pits of water imprcgnated with salt, ito give galvan:c rc;ion to the wires" The peculiar state of the temperature at certain periods is regarded as indsputah'e evidence of "tcrrcnc agita- tions," either near or remote by what process of reasoning, we do net pr: c:sely undo rstard Mr. NJ. isnow 62 years of age was never more vigorons, and regards his mannr of life as conducive to keith The nocturnal air baths are considered peculiarly favorable Ills season for labor varies from fifteen to eighteen hours and in very cold weather twcnty-two hours per day, most of which is spent in the office, among dincy manuscripts. The loft of this building is wholly occupied by boxes of the Journal of Commerce, labeled for ready reference. and clurc from dust, Their appear ance, thus disposed, is not unlike that of an undertaker's shop.
 Mir. Mcriam's biography remains to be writ ten. Posterity may do him better justice than cotemporary generations. Of lis belficence, no better illustration can be given than the in- cessant care bestowed upon the birds, hocks of which constantly resort 10 his window even in the most wntry season, for their supply of seed, which is purchased by the busleI, and f