The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1878-01-23
A Wonderful Clock.

The Reading CPa) Eagle says In
Mengel's building is now on exhibition
in all probability the most wonderful
clock in the world. 1t was built by
Stephen d. Engle, a matchmaker, at
Hazleton. He is about forty-five years
of age and was about twenty years in
perfecting the clock. Mr.. Reid paid
Engle $5, 900 for it. Engle never saw
the Strasburg clock In fact, he has not
travelled more than two hundred 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 towards the
top. It's colors are dark brown and gold
The Strasburg clock is thirty feet high,
yet its mechanism is not so intricate nor
has it Us many figures as the Hazleton
clock. The Strasburg clocks figures
are about three feet high and the Ameri-
can clock about nine inches. Three
minutes before Ithe hour a pipe organ
inside the clock plays an anthem. Ithas
five tunes. Bells are then rung and
when the hour is struck, double doors in
an alcove open and figure of Jesus APP
pears. Double doors to the left then
open, iand the apostles appear slowly,
one by one, in procession. AS they ap-
pear and pass Jesus they turn towards
him, Jesus bows, the apostle turns again
and proceeds through the double doors
of an alcove on the right. AS Peter ap-
proaches Satan looks out of window
above and tempts him. Five times the
devil appears, and when Peter passes,
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 up to his place to watch Judas
appearing on both sides. AS the pro-
cession has passed, Judas and the three
Marys disappear and the doors are
closed. The 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 Stras-
burg procession is made but once day,
at IL o'clock. Below the piazza is the
main dial, about thirteen inches in di-
ameter. To its right is figure of Time
with an hour-glass. Above thiss is a
window, at which appear figures repre-.
senting youth, manhood and old age
To the left of the dial is skeleton rep
IcbcubluB btdOus w uOu udDO
approaches the first quarter. Time re-
verses his hour glass and strikes one on
bell with his scythe, when another bell
inside responds, then childhood appears
instantly. When the hour hand ap-
proaches the second quarter or half hour,
there are heard the strokes of two bells.
Then Youth appears and the organ plays
hymn. After this, Time strikes two
and reverses his hour glass, when two
bells respond inside. One minute after
this chime of bells is heard, when a
folding door opens i'll 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 advance, Man
hood, Old Age and death take part in
the panorama.