Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-12-08

Town CIoCK.-In 1919 the Congreg a.
tional church was erec,ed on the present
-it. ~ the residence OF Hon, George A.
Merrill. Soou thereafter liberal resi-
deaf OF Rutland proposed that II the oitl'
zeus would subscribe for and purchase q
clock he would present to the church q
bell. The proposition being accepted q
bell was procured and town clock placed
III position. For several years, with
intervals Of quiet, the hours were regular
~ struck. The only distinguishing pc.
cu,iarity of the clock being tibet there was
no way to mark the minutes, and so that
whether going or not, at least twice day
il marked the correct time.
Some years after there was competition
III the making, repairing and regulating
az clocks. watches, etc, and funds were
raised to piace another town clock in con-
uection with the hell in the County Court
Huu--
There was for some time quite rivalry
between the different establishments hav-
ing charge Of the two clocks. They did
Aid not seem to care in reference to
whether DC not they had correct time, but
only to keep the clocks apart. 1t was
about this time that the first work was
commenced on the Rutland and Burling-
ton Railroad, and as there was twenty
minute. difference in the time between
the clocks, the workmen on the r ilroad
a'struck" because their employers would
not allow them to commence work by one
town clock and ''leave Off by the other.
Both of these town clocks are now
things of the past, and since that time our
citizens have been dependent upon the
whistle attached TO the engine in the
,hops connected with the Rutland Rail.
=, 9d, to regulate their watches and clocks.
\fter the burning of the old County
cor, t House, and AS the new Court House
,u.s q pproaching com pletion, it was sug-
aas,ea that if funds sufficient to purchase
a clock eo0id be raised by subscription,
that Mes We. Clark Brothers & Marshall
would at heir own expenses and without
any charge, place il in position and keep
il in runnin g order tor year. Acting
upon this sup gestion. funds were raised,
but not suffice ut in amount, and with
these funds Messrs. Clark Brothers &
Marshsll have purchased the clock, ad-
ysncing the balance needed, and have it
now in position.
Few persons, without Investigation, can
have the least idea of the amount Of time,
trouble and cost requisite for the proper
,laeins of such clock in position. Mr..
~, wman Clark. Of that firm, has been en-
- some three weeks in the work, and
s., a. Nssst one week Of that period his
an,;re Il. ss wss occupied.
w. ara vt sufficiently acquainted with
the meoban'sm of clocks to give full
and particular description of the works
and can only say the work has been care
fully and perfectly done in all its parts'
some of which have required the most ex-
act nicely in order to produce perfect
time and also to preveat damage by the
falling Of heavy weights. For example,
the weight attached to the striking part
weighs some eight hundred pounds, and
It is so arranged that it goes down at the
aide of the building, and if the rope to
which it is attached should break, 1t
70 MID fall into the basement. The weight
tta ,hed to Whist mag be called the "time
,art- of the clock, weighs GONE four hum
lred pounds, and is made OF a box Hlied
With dry sand, and is SO protected that In
case Of accident the stoppsge OF the CLOCK
will give the only notice of it. There Is
distinguishing popularity about the
clock that deser,es particular mention,
aud that Is the entire separation Of the
mechanicism that desiguates the hours
and minutes from the Striking" part,
the only connection being simple wire,
so that the heavy jar necessarily attend.
ant upon striking does not communicate
itself to .Ae other parts of the clock SO as
TO disarrange Its ~cs-kiug.
As we said before tho 4o;ss has been
perfectly and completely done, and our
citizens are largely indebted to the Clerk
Brothers & Marshal, and 1t seems TO us |
that the least they can possibly do will