Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1872-01-03
Bergman's Automatic Wonder and
Mechanical Curiosity.

~ Ia . OhNN anu
Mechanical Curiosity.
The mechanical curiosity placed on
! exhibition in the room lately occupied
by Andrews & Son, on Market Street, in
this place, commencing yesterday Tues
day. and to continue five days, attracts
large numbers of persons wherever
shown. Ii is a working model, on an
extensive scale, comprising a grist mill,
saw-mill, oil mill and smut mill, with
an elevator and blacksmith shop at
tached. The structure stands on an
ornamental and romantic base, repre-
senting a hillside or ledge of rocks,
with underground archways, supposed
to be cut out ofthe solid stone and COM
municating with the buildings above.
The house is built in the modern Ger
man style, with a Mansard roof, bay
windows and a series of balconies with
verandas, etc. The cornice is deeply
carved, and belfry occupies a position
on the roof between the two wings Of
the main structure. All the interior
machinery is run by two ordinary over
shot water-wheels, the lower one taking
the waste water from, and running at
right angles to the upper, The auto
NAUTICAL figures represented as perform
ing labor in the mills and about the villa,
receive independent motion from a
weight and spring concealed in the rear
of the model. The water for running
the machinery is elevated to a reservoir
in the upper part of the house by means
Of hand orce-pump, or it may be other
wise supplied from any hydrant. The
building is surrounded by trees and
shrubbery, drives and walks, a playing
fountain, a running stream, a living
spring, and q miniature lake.
The basement of the structure is occu-
pied by an old fashioned German linseed
oil stamp mill, in full operation with one
automatic attendant whose sole business
consists in removing tho oil from the
stamp to the tank. A barrel stands on
the top of the tank, also two in the in
terror of the underground vault, ready
for shipping. To the right is a tunneled
AOd0f oACA6 Will pass a. AAASA 1A1H
men on their way from the oil mill,
farmers on their wagons loaded for mar
ket, and a woman with a pitcher who
goes to the spring for water, and then
retires through a winding path to the
villa. A little further to the right is the
lake, partially concealed behind rocks,
and dense foliage. A ferryman in his
boat here carries passengers back and
forth. He has just landed a sailor on
the opposite bank, who removes his hat,
strikes an attitude, and takes a view Of
the surrounding scenery. On the ex-
treme right is a road leading to the
blacksmith's shop, situated in a vault
beneath the rear of the building. Here
the bellows are in motion, the fire is
burning IN the forge, and two black
smiths are busily engaged in alternately
heating a bar of iron and hammering
it on the anvil, the strokes of Their
hammers being distinctly audible. This
is one Of the most perfect representations
in tie whole model. Retracing our
steps to the border of the lake, we come
to winding stairway chiseled from the
rock, and leading to the open court of
the villa above, in which is the playing
fountain. The base of the fountain is
artistically designed, and highly orna-
mented with sea shells and gold quartz.
A bridge spans a chasm at the back of
the fountain on which rests a weary
traveller eating his lunch; he takes a
bite every once in a while with evident
satisfaction. Beneath the bridge is the
road leading to the grist mill, along
which two figures propel w~heelbarrows
in opposite directions, and spend their
entire time in going to and from the
mill. The grist mill occupies a position
on the two lower stories of the left
wing of the building, the smut mill
being below, and the grist mill proper
above, both o (which are in full operation.
One may here be observed dressing a
stone and preparing it for the hopper,
while another is supplying the hopper
with grain from the grain room, and as
he passes it in and out of the door, he
closes it behind him. When the door is
open, an elderly lady is seen sitting
at her spinning wheel, going through
the various m~anipulations necessary
to that art. In the rear of the grist
mill is the Office, where sits the pro
prietor of the establishment, reading
his morning paper; his eyes follow the
lines, and apparently he is deeply inter
ested. After turning the paper W. and
scanning the contents he drops it on his
knee, and his spectacles being removed
gazes around and takes a peep into
the various departments. The elevator
outside, on the extreme left OF the build
ing, consistg Of a bucket, which moves
from the basement to the top story,
it dumps the grain, and again de-
sends to be reflled by a little automa-
ton, who turns it round to a spout, and
after filling il he again places it in posi-
ton. Close to the elevator is a car
penter mounted on the top Of a ladder,
engaged in driving a nail into a bird
house, which is supposed to have be-
come loose by the jar Of the machinery
in the mill. The echo of his hammer
can be heard as he strikes the nail.
an oak tree on the bank of run
ming stream is a temperance lecturer,
gesticulations increase as he be-
comes warmed in his subject. Sitting
on a rocky prominence, at the extreme
right of the premises, a yeritable Bohe-
milan, his notebook OH his knee, is rap
writing, while standing beside him
Is a friend with a TELESCOPES. which, at in
he raises and lowers, and then
turns round TO communicate with the
The saw-miIl is located in the
and between the buildings. 1t is
constructed on the gate principle. The !
,og is propelled on the carriage, while d.
he saw passes through with an upright !
it is then gigged back, and two {
men at each end set the dog for a new !
tut when one Of them moves the hume I
rate, and the operation is repeated, while {
he other man wheels round, and COM
nences driving a wedge into a log. A !
bird individual in front sharpens a
iand spike with an axe. The mill con- S
aims a large amount Of lumber, piled :
IN and also logs ready for the saw.