Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-07-15
THE SWISS EXHIBIT.
Vendors Of the Watch Departmental sed
Carvtsss..school Apparatus..I.ace Cur.
tains.. Kmb roiderles.

Vendors Of the Watch Depsrsment..Wss
Carvtsxs..schooI Apparatus..I.aco Cur
Observation-Disclosures.
At first the Swiss section at the Gen
tennial. says Tribune correspondent
disappoints by its small extent, but tn,
visitor loses this feeling when he see
how much is crowded into little space
and how compactly and systematicall,
the articles are disposed. With few ex
captions, all the important export indus
tries Of the mountain republic are rep
resented. The section is arranged in q
series Of courts inclosed by showcases
Of tho severest plainness, the iron frame,
being painted Quaker drab color, un
relieved by any ornament. Taking them
in their order from the main aisle TO-
ward tho wall, these enclosures might be
called, f,om the principal exhibits they
respectively contain, the court Of
watches, of education, Of embroideries,
Of textile fabrics, and of wood carvings
and chemical products. In the latter
stands a pretty little one-story chalet,
used as an office for the commission. In
the last century matchmaking has be
come the dominant industry in the
French speaking cantons of Switzerland,
More than 200, 900 watches, represent
ing value of over $2O, OO0, 900, are pro.
duced annually. 1t is no wonder that
this great manufacturing interest is
given the most prominent position in
the Swiss section. There are forty-five
exhibitors of watches, thermometers.
and parts of watches, and their products
embrace the whole range of pocket
timepieces, from the cheapest silver
cylinder escapement up to wonderfully
elaborate pieces of mechanism that
strike the hour and the minute and tell
the day of the month and the phase of
the moon.
There are watches, too, so small that
they are inserted in finger rings and in
charms for ladies' chains, and one mira
Gle of minrteness is contained in q gold
penholder. It has three dials of three
sixteenths of nm inch diameter encb. in
dicatine the time the dav of the week.
and the date of tho month. The price
ia $500. The watches set in gold rings
are n little larger and cost in the neigh.
borhood of $500. The most valuable
watch shown il held at 81. 900. gold. T.
is IN hour. quarter and minute reneater:
has nm INDEPENDENT second hand. and a
alendar of the day. month and wear.
and shows the changes of the moon
Some verv handsome engraved work in
cold. OF different colors, is displayed in
watch cases, and the only painting men
toned in the Swiss catalogue is a copy
of Creme "Morninp" on the inner
case of a watch: SO e would seem that
what little art there ia in Switzerland Is
the servant Of time. People who are
curious ahout !" ovements. :" " Jewels. -"
and other features of the insides of
watches. can study the subject ao1 Hbi.
tuna on the cases Of "parts" exhibited.
The Jewels. bv the way. are NOT glass.
as MANY have no doubt imagined' bnt
are real stones. For the cheanest GRADES
of watches AQUA marina is used. for the
better grades garnets, and rubies for
the best.
Scientific instruments, for the max
ing of which the Swiss are celebrated,
electric clocks, and music boxes are
in the same court with the
watches. The largest music box is in
the form of o sideboard, plays thirty
six tunes, and costs 80, 600. A smaller
one, playing only eig ht tunes, but COM
bining with the ordinary music box ma
chinery a reed organ, drum, and a
chime of bells. is also valued at So, 900,
A chalet of carved oak, containing
clock, music box, and singing bird,
is q pretty novelty.
The group of education is especially
With those of engineering
and architecture it occupies the largest
Of the series of courts. Every canton
in the ConfedeI alton is represented.
We see here school books of all kinds,
, full array of articles used in the Froe-
bel system of object teaching
lions of minerals. plants. insects. pieces
IF the skins of animals. peometrical fie.
Tres. diagrams and a great variety of
other objects designed to lead the child
20 the stndv of nafure-plain and relief
mans. philosophical apparatus, plans of
specimens of drawings
md modelling executed by pupils in the
public schools, etc. Every canton es-
ablishes its own system Of education,
mt r. ia evident that there.exists q sub.
tantial uniformity among them, In
he oroun of engineering material for
nanv days of study is furnished by the
photographs. and volumes of
of the system of intercom-
which has overcome the
,reot obstacles presented by nature in
he Anime ranges. and covered the
onntrv with netword of RAILWAYS and
Nth the hest tnrnpikes in Europe. The
art which in Switzerland
q ;n France and Germany. has been
'ronoht To a degree of nerfection mn.
.novn in this conntrv. il represented hv
n admirable collection Of mans. larOe
nd smailM some IN elahoratc in details
q to show every denress;on and eleva.
ion in Tho surface II the conntrv and
narv chalet ana footnath
TTe third contains the lnce curfains
nj tha arohro;Ja,;es from tho cantons
9 Amn o ond 81 Hollan--verv bean.
;fni worL esnec;aIlv tho fem nattern
nrta;~ " Hhicb at l;ttla distance 70.
lind one Of nothing 40 mnch az Of deli.
o"E Va mourning " IN o ~ 49,