New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1873-01-02
The Great Strasburg Clock Beaten
by an Ingenious German.

A German, Of Cincinnati, has invented a
clock which, though much smaller than the
celebrated one at Strasburg, is, from its de-
scription, much more complicated. We see,
in glass case, a three-story, steeple-shaped
clock, four feet wide at the first story and
nine feet high. The movement is placed in
the first story, on four delicate columns,
within which swings the pendulum. The
second story consists Of two towerlike pieces,
on the doors Of which there are two pictures
that represent boyhood and early manhood.
A tower crowns, as third story, the inge-
NOUS structure. A cock, a symbol of watch
fulness, stands on the top, directly over the
portal. When the clock marks the first
quarter the door Of the left piece Of the second
story opens, and a child issues from the back
ground, comes forward to little bell, gives
it a blow, and then disappears. At the
second quarter, youth appears, strikes the
bell twice, and disappears; at the third, there
comes a man in his prime; at the fourth, we
have a lettering old man, leaning on a staff,
who strikes the bell four times. Each time
the door closes of itself. When the hours
are full, the door Of the right piece of the
second story opens, and Death, as q skele.
ton, scythe in hand, appears, aud marks the
hour by striking a bell. But it is at the
twelfth hour that we have the grand specta-
ment. Then, when Death has struck three
blows on the little bell, the cock on the top of
the tower suddenly flaps his wings. and crows
in shrill tone; and after Death hath marked
the twelfth hour with his hammer, he crows
again twice. Immediately three angels, who
stand as guardians in a central position, raise
their trumpets with their right hands Tin the
left they hold swords) and blow blast TO-
ward each of the four quarters Of the earth.
At the last blast the door of the tower opens,
and the resurrected children of earth appear,
while the destroying angel sinks out of sight
Then, suddenly, Christ descends, surrounded
holds the scales of justice; on his right
another carries the Book of Life, which opens
to show the alpha and omega-the beginning
and the end. Christ waves his hand, and in
stantly the good among the resurrected are
separated from among the wicked, the former
going to the right, the latter to the left.
The Archangel Michael salutes the good,
while on the other side stands the devil, ra.
diant with fiendish delight-he can hardly
wait for the final sentence of those who fall
to him, but, in obedience to the command Of
the central figure, he withdraws. The figure
of Christ raises its hand again, with threat.
/ euing mein, and the accursed sink down to
the realms of his satanic majesty. Then
Christ blesses the chosen few, who draw neal
to him. Finally, we hear cheerful chime
of bells, during which Chrirt rises, sur
rounded by his angels, until he disappears
and the portal Closes.
A complete drama is here represented
without the aid of human hand. The
movements are steady, calm, and noiseless
with the exception of the threatening ges
lures of the figure Of Christ and movements
of Lucifer, who darts across the scene will
lightning rapidity. Of course, the peculia
action of these figures is Intentional on tn,
part Of the artist, and adds greatly to tn
effect.