Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-09-10

A WONDERFUL CLocK.-The Phila-
delphia Press contains the following des-
crpton of wonderful clock wonderfully
made, from a correspondent at Shanokin,
Penn
Karl Ketter, poor German miner of
the Excelsior Colliery, which is situated
within few miles of this borough, has ex-
hibited clock here, during the past week,
of a most remarkable character. He had
been three years constructing 1.-THE first
two years at intervals of time, and the last
year he worked at it day and night, scarce
ly taking time enough to eat and sleep.
| {" He became almost monomaniac on
the subject The clock was in his mind
during his waking hours and in his
dreams at night. He occupied alone a
small wooden shanty, where he worked,
slept and cooked his food. What ever
sleeping and cooking he did, however. was
but little. 1t is thought he would have
nearly starved but for the kindly interest
which his neighbors took in him and his
clock. They took him food and encourag-
ed him in his labors.
"The clock, which was made with no
other tools than than two common jack
knives, is eight feet high and four ieet
broad. Its frame is of the Gothic style of
architecture. 1t has sixteen sides and is
surmounted by globe, on top of whi ch is
attached small golden cross. On the
front of the clock there are four dial-plates
one shows the day of the week, another
shows the day of the month, another shows
the minutes and fractions of a IN mute, and
the other the hour of the day. These dials
are carved IN most unique manner, hav-
ing emblematic figures upon them and
around them of almost every imaginable
description. Above the dial-plates is a
semi circular gallery, extending around
about half the width Of the framework Of
the clock. Immediately in front, in the
center of this semicrcuar gallery, is the
carved wooden figure Of our Saviour.
"At the ends of the gallery, on either
side, there is small door opening into
the body of the clock. Over the door, on
the right-hand side o. the clock, as yor
stand facing it, is an eagle. Over th'
door, on the left-hand side. is a cock
Twice day-that is at II: o. in the day
and at y ! o. at night-a sweet chime ol
bells begins to play, the small door on the
right-hand side opens, and the small wood
en- figures, admirably carved, of the twelv,
Apostles, appear and walk out slowly and
gravely in procession, Peter in the lead
Advancing along the gallery until they ge
opposite the figure of Jesus, each in turn
| eli
bows his head to the Master, then recover
his former position as Peter does this th'
cock crows. They continue to advance tt
the other side Of the gallery and enter th'
small door on the left. AS Judas (who i
In the rear), with his right hand shielding
his face, and his left hand caspinl
the bag which is supposed to con
tain the thirty pieces of silver, Come
in full view of the cock, the cocl
crows again. By a simple arrange
ment this procession can be made to come
f out and pass around the gallery at any
time desired.
On pedestals, at the extreme corners o.
the front of the clock, are carved woodel
statues of Moses and Elias. In the rea
are two obelisks of the Egyptian style, up
on which are carved hieroglyphic charac
ters to represent the ancient period of tn
worlds history. The clock will run thirty
|, two hours without winding. MIR. Ketter
who is a native of Freiburg, in Baden, i
, very proud of his workmanship. He ca
, scarcely bear to be away from it lon
enough to eat his meals. He has bee
offered ten thousand dollars for it by /,
r person from New York, but he refused it
Mr. Ketter says he had often heard Q
the celebrated clock in Strasburg, but h
F never saw it, and he has no knowledge o
how it was constructed, neither has ht
ever had any instruction in mechanics o
any kind. His purpose is to exhibit i
for few months in this country, and ther
take it with him to Germany"