The daily gazette., 1877-12-17
From the Reading, Pa Eagle.
The Boss Of all the Clocks
WHAT A HAZLETON JEWELER
PRODUCED AFTER CUDGELING
HIS BRAIN FOR 20 YEARS. y
,~-4. sTRAsBURG's CLOCK
R1< =

NAAS ohhiN rOb ~ lEAho- !
| -- -. sTRAsBURG's CLOCK
DISCOUNTED.
In Mengels building, on Penn street a
few doors above Fourth, is now on ex-
hibition, ip all probability, the most won.
derfnl clock in the world. Capt. j. Reid
the owner, claims 1t is far more wondrous
| than the greatest of all clocks, the one al
Strasburg, and when he takes it TO Paris
next year, 1t will not only open the ewes
of the world but will realize Reid a for.
tune.
The Engle clock, now at the Mengel
building, was conceived and built by
stephen ID. Engle. jeweler, and watch
maker, at Hagleton, this State. He is
about as years of age, married man,
with wife and children, and he was
about twenty years in .perfecting the
clock. MIR. Reid says he paid Engle
50 600 for it, and gave him an order for
| another and much larger one to cost $50.
600. Engle never saw the Strasbure
| clock. In fact he has seen very little OF
this world, as he has not travelled more
than 200 miles from home at any time.
This clock stands eleven feet high. AT
its base it is about four feet wide and at
the top about two. 1t is about three feet
deep at the base, gradually less toward
the top. Its colors are dark brown and
gold. The Strasburg clock is thirty feet
high, yet its mechanism is not SO intricate
nor has 1t as many figures as the Haz-
Teton clock. The Strasburg clocks fig
ures are about three feet high and the
American clock about 8 inches. A view
of the latter's working, as can be seen at
its daily exhibitions, is far more satisfac-
tory than that cf the Strasburg clock.
The Engle clock shows at the top an
Apostolic procession, the tempting Satan,
Christ, the three Marys, figure of Jus.
tice, and golden cock that crows after
Peter has passed. Three minutes before
the hour (any hour in the twenty-four) a
pipe organ inside the clock plays a hymn
or an anthem. 1t has five tunes. Bells
are then rung, and when the hour is
struck the Apostolic march commences,
Double doors in an alcove open and fig
ure of James appears. Double doors to
the left then open, and the Apostles ap-
pear slowly one by one in PROCESSION. AS
they appear and pass Jesus, they turn
towards Him. Jesus bows, the Apostle
turns again and proceeds through the
double doors in an alcove on the right.
AS Peter approaches, Satan looks out of
window above and tempts him. Five
times the devil appears, and when Peter
passed denying Christ, the cock flaps its
wings and crows. When Judas appears
Satan comes down from his window and
follows Judas out in the procession, and
then goes back and up to his place to
watch Judas, appearing on both sides.
The Biblical lesson is magnificeutly illus
tiated, the figures being carved and col
ored after a very old and reliable pal Mt
ing. After the procession has passed,
Jesus and the three MaTys disappear
and the doors are closed. This scene can
be repeated seven times in an hour if
necessary, and the natural motion of the
clock produces it four times per hour,
whereas the Strasburg procession is made
but once day, at ~ o'clock.
Below the plaza where the procession
is made on the Engle clock, is the main
dial, about 13 inches in diameter. To its
right is figure of "Time," with an hour
glass. Above this is a window, at
which appear figures representing youth,
manhood and old age. To the left of the
dial is skeleton representing Death.
When the hour hand approaches the
first quarter, Father Time reverses his
hour glass and strikes one on a bell with
his scythe, when another bell inside re-
spends; then Childhood appears instant
ly. When the hour hand approaches the
second quarter, or half hour, there are
heard the strokes of two bells. Then
Youth appears and the organ plays a
sacred hymn. After this Father Time
strikes two and reverses his hour glass,
when two bells respond inside. One
minute after this chime of bells is heard,
when folding door opens in the upper
porch and one at the right of the court,
when the Saviour comes walking out
Then the Apostles appear in procession.
The clock also tells of the moons changes,
the tides, the seasons, days, and day of
the month and year, and the signs of
the zodiac; and on top, soldier in
armor is constantly on guard, walking
back and forward. As the hours adj
vance, manhood, old age and death take
part in the panorama 1t is marvellous
work OF genius, aud one that should be
seen TO be appreciated.