Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-08-05
A WONDERFUL CLOCK.
The Beautiful Piece of Me
chanism made by a DetrOiter.

The Detroit Ffot TITUS COuldius an az
count of a clock made by Felix Meier, a
Bavarian living in that city. 1t is said
to be the most wonderful piece OF me-
chanism ever constructed, and required
ten wears time for its construction.
COMPLETE DESCRIPTION
Ofthe "American-National and AstronO-
mical Clock" in all its parts would, in
deed. be a fatiguing task. The reader
must simply imagine piece of.mechan--
ism composed of beautifully carved and
highly polished black walnut ornament
ed with bronze, gilt, white holly wood,
etc, and studded with finely chiseled
figures, the whole surrounding, support
ing and overlapping an immense dial in
which is represented the
ENTIRE KNOWN PLANETARY SYSTEM,
And he has the new clock which far
surpasses in every particular the Strass-
bourg clock. Commencing with
THE DIAL,
We have a large circle surrounded by
an immense brass belt on which are
carved the signs of the Zodiac. Inside
the circle is blue back ground, repre-
senting the canopy of the heavens stud
ded with stars. In the center is the sun,
a large golden ball around which the
planets revolve. The planets are ar
ranged in accordance with astronomical
calculations as to size and distance from
the sun, the earth and its moon being
set to one side and enlarged in order to
show the action of the solar system to
better advantage. The planets Mercu-
nv, Venus, Mars, Besta, Juno, Ceres,
Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus are sus-
pended upon silver rods which project
from the sun around which they reyolve,
the latter once in eighty-four years.
UpOn the brass belt are marked the
days of the month and above these are
shown the month and the day OF the
week. Extending from the sun are
four golden rods which mark
THE SEASONS,
Spring, summer, autumn and winter,
and the earth bears its relative position
to these points as well as to the sun.
Surrounding the large dial are thirteen
small dials, which give the correct time
at San Francisco, Washington, New
York, London, Paris, Berlin, Vienna,
COnstantinople, st. Petersburg, Pekin,
Melbourne and Cairo.
THE STEP OF AGES
Next attracts the attention, the figures
being on each side of the dial. An in
FAINT stands in a prettily carved niche
with a tinkling bell, upon which 1t
strikes the quarter heur; youth OPP
pOsite with clear toned bell strikes the
half hour; "a middle-aged man in his
work above the infant strikes with a
hammer the quarter hour upon the full
toned bell, and the old man opposite
whose bell is weaker, strikes the quarter
hour; then Death in the shape of skel-
eton tolls the full hour. The
KNELL OF THE HOUR
That has passed away is scarcely sound
Ell before a lively national air is started
and one of the wonderful features OF the
clock is exhibited. At the top OF the
case, under a canopy surmounted with
thirty-seven stars sits the Father OF his
Country in an arm chair. On either
side of Washington are two closed doors
guarded by cOlored servants. AS the
music begins the servant on the LETT
opens his door and out irdik the Prcsi-
dents of the United States from Wash
ingtOn down TO Hayes. As the line
draws up i'm front of his chair Wash
ington arises and waves alOft the Dec
laration of Independence; the Presi-
dents salute him and pass on across the
platform where the other servant opens
his door and they pass out of sight.
This interesting scene is repeated every
hour.
THE PENDULUM,
Which swings below the dial, is an
elaborate affair. IL is inclosed in plate
glass case and is of gilt, bearing the en-
blems and motto of the United States,
together with the name of the inventor
and builder Of the clock, Felix Meier.
THE ORNAMENTS
Are too elaborate to be enumerated, and
the architecture is something admirable.
Supporting the dial are handsomely
carved statuettes of William Cullen
BRYANT and Prof. Morse, and the whole
case is surmounted with bronze figure