The daily gazette., 1878-04-18
A Work of Genius.
THE GREAT APOSTOLIC CLOCK.

In Henninger's Building at the northwest
corner OF Seventh and Linden streets.+
No one can examine its construction and
performances without being impressed
with the astonishing skill and study dis
4 played Dy It's maker. Every part of il is
novel from base to apex, and no sooner
does the eye leave one than it rests upon
another still more curious. 1t is a far
greater wonder than the Strasburg clock,
(pullt 4OO year ago. known to every
school boy i'll the land, because it greatly
exceeds that piece of mechanism in the
number OF Its automatic movements, and
as between 1t and the Troutman clock,
exhibited here recently, the Engle is as
| lar superior to 1t as Is the ocean steamer
to the common canal scow. 10 is indeed
II great curiosity, so marvellous in its
comDinatlon, so true to nature, so prep-
nant with thought, so full of apparent
ANIMATION, that it may be ranked with
the greatest productions of mechanical
genius. The mind that could conceive,
ana the hand which could execute such q
piece OF skilled work, could belong to no
ordinary person. The clock is instructive
and interesting in the highest degree to
every age, and it is not astonishing that
IL possesses such a wonderful charm as
an Xhibition, and is visited by thousands
in all our cities
AS matter of interest to the general
reader we would say that the clock was
made by Stephen ID. Engle, of HaZletown
Pa, after twenty years of hard labor mt
spare moments. He is Il matchmaker,
ana depends upon his vocation rs n sup
port for his family, SO that his undertake
ing to make it was overcome only by
| steady perseverance and determination
to succeed. The clock was purchased
from Mr.. Engle by Capt. j. Reid, who is
now exhibiting it throughout the coun-
| try, and designs taking it to the Paris
| Exposition. Engle never saw the Stras-
| burg clock. In fact, he has not travelled
more than two hundred miles from home
~ any time. The clock stands thirteen
feet high and forms the central tower of
a base eight Jeet in width, and three feet
| IN depth. IL is apparently divided into
three sections, eacn with tower ofgreat
beauty, those on either end being formed
into panels beautifully finished.
On either side of these panels are repre-
| sentations of columns in gold, and mid
way between the last and top of the col
| umns there aro four lions heads, beauti-
| fully carved and gilded each lion holding
in his mouth a beautiful silk cord, which
| is suspended across the entire base and
droops gracefully away from each, while
between the curves thus formed beauti-
| ful taSsle hangs suspended. In the centre
| is perhaps one of the greatest achieve
| mentS and wonders of the entire clock !;
| in circular space of about twenty-six
inches is contained a most elaborate and
comprehensive diagram of the mysteri-
| Gus and intricate workings of the entire
solar system This zodiac reyolves once
in B5 days, and tells at a glance the equa-
torial and ecliptic consultations for every
month in the year. 1t shows the stars of
| the first, second and third magnitude in
their proper places, or when any sign or
constellation enters the sun, and tells
when any. star in any constellation ap-
proaches and enters the meridian; also
| the difference between equinoctial and
| ecliptic and sidereal time. The signs of
| the zodiac are painted in brilliant white,
| while the stars and consultations are
painted in yellow, the circles or orbits
within which the planets move being de-
lineated by gilt lines. The months of the
year and days of the months are systemat-
ically arranged, and correspond with the
| other signs so thoroughly as to Illustrate
| the wonders of astronomy moro plainly
! and clearly perhaps than in any other
way. From the centre of this Is suspend
| ed globe, six inches in diameter, which
represents the earth, and which makes
one revolution in every twenty-tour hours,
| thus illustrating the stages-morning,
| noon and night-while just underneath
are two diagrams that show the beginning
and length Of the morning and evening
| twilightS. Suspended by n slender rod is
| a smaller globe, of brass, which represents
| the moon, and which makes one revolu-
ton around the earth in twenty-nine and
| half days, illustrating why it is that In
| time of the new moon we only soc a cres-
cent and its successive stages of growth,
and then aS it diminishes again it shows
why the crescent is reversed and appears
| different to US than when we sawit when
new. BY referring to the diagram we
learn the hour and minute that the moon
rises and sets, when it comes to and is in
| the meridian, in what constellation and
relative positions of the earth and moon,
showing why we only see aportion of the
| illuminated surface of the moon at certain
/ times.
| 1t also shows how far north or
south the sun is from the equator every
day in the year, and in short, explains
simply and thoroughly all the various
changes of the seasons. The side bases
have two towers, each four feet six
inches in height above the base, the one
on the left having in an alcove at the
top representation of the Esprit of
| rs" The scene as presented is a town
in revolutionary times, the houses of
which are built of logs-a practical rep
Presentation of the primitive dwellings
of our forefathers. When the hands of
the clock IN the central tower approach
the quarter-hour mechanical fife be-
gins to play. and then with the soul-stir
ring "The girl left behind me" "Bon-
ny Doom, or some other Of the fine tunes
which areHproducsd by wonderful ma
chinery, q door in one Of the houses, or
log cabins, opens and the figure repre-
senting an ollie Pitcher" the revolu-
tionary heroine, comes out and turns
around as tho figures Of seventeen sol
diers, armed, uniformed and equipped in
Continental style, pass, and just as the
last of the file has gone by she turns
around again and passes along IN the
same direction. This tower is also beau
tifully ornamented with gilt-huted col
umns, the end ones being surmounted
with battleraxe and bundle Of sticks,
illustrating the motto, Omitted we stand,
divided we fall" while the central col
umn is surmounted by two American
banners crossed. illustrating the motto,
ain Union there is strength" The tow
or on the left is also beautifully decor
ated, and reveals tive folding doors. The
lower part of it Is of the appearance of
an organ, showing twelve gilded pipes.
When the minute hand of the clock ap-
proaches the quarter-hour an organ plays
"a piece of sacred music, while the fold
ing doors at the top suddenly fly open