Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1878-02-06
The Clock or Clocks.

In Mongeps building is now on exhi-
bitiOn in all probabilityzthe most won-
derful clock in the world. 1t was built
by Stephen d. Engle, a matchmaker, at
Hazleton, Pa. He is about As years of
age, and was about twenty years in pe.-
fecting the clock. Mr.. Reid paid Engle
5000 for it. Engle never saw the
strasburg clock. In fact, he has never
travelled more than tive 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. Its colors are dark brown and
gold. The Strasburg clock is thirty feet
high, yet its mechanism is not so in
tricate, nor has 1t as many figures as
the Hazletou clock. The Strasburg
clocks figures are about three feet high,
and the American clock about nine
inches. Three minutes before the hour
pipe organ inside the clock plays an
anthem. 1t has five tunes. Bells are
then rung, and when the hour is struck
double doors in an alcoYe open and a
figure Of Jesus appears. Double doors
10 the left then open, and the apostles
appear slowly, one by one, in process
sion. AS they appear and pass Jesus
they turn towards him. Jesus bows, the
apostles turn again and proceed through
the double doors in an alcoye on the
right. AS Peter approaches Satan looks
out of a 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 procession has
passed, Judas and the three Marys dis
appear and the doors are closed. The.
scene can be repeated seven times in
an hour Unnecessary, and the natural
motion Of the clock produces il four
times per hour, whereas the Strasburg
procession is made but once a day, at
IL o'clock. Below the piazza is the
main dial, about l3 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 approach.
es the first quarter, Time reyerses his
hour-glass and strikes one on a bell
with his scythe, when another bell in
side 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 a hymn. After this Time strikes
two and reyerses his hour-glass, when
two bells respond inside. One minute
after this chime Of bells is heard,
when a folding door opens in the up
per porch and one at the right Of the
court, when the Saviour comes walking
out. Then the apostles appear in pro-
cession. The clock also tells Of the
moons changes the tides, the seasons,
days, aud day Of the month and year,
and the signs Of the zodiac and on
top a soldier in armor is constantly on
guard walking back and forward. As
the hours advance Manhood, Old Age
and Death take part in the panorama.