The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-11-11
Two Wonderful Clocks.

One of the most curious clocks ever
made was completed not many years ago
by Karl Keller, o German miner of Phil
adelphla. It SO nearly resembles the TO.
nous Strasburg clock rs to seem almost
en- imitation; but Keller. declares that he
has meyer seen the great clock of gtras.
baig, and that he never oven heard of
'it until his own work was nearly com.
pleted. At any rate, some account OF
Ketlsr's clock will be of interest to
American boys and girls as the first
piece OF mechanism Of this sort our own
continent has produced.
Keller was occupied three whole years
in the construction Of his wonderful time
piecs, during the ieet Of Che thres' work
ing day and night, and often 80 absorbed
in his undertaking % TO forget both food
and sleep. He was man Of very linn
tied education, without any. of. the ad.
vantages of travel or wide observation,
and tho whole work Of this curious clock
was performed with no other tools than
two common jack knives.
This clock is eight feet high and four
broad, has sizteen sides, and is surmount.
ed by globe, over which is cross.
There are four dial plates. all carved in
curious, emblematic figures Of most
unique design. One of the dials shows
the day OF the month; another, the day
of the week; third, the minutes and
secoE3s; and the fourth, the hour of the
day. Above the dial plates, gallery
extends about half way around the clock,
and in the centre of this gallery is a
carved wooden figure Of the Savior, while
at each end is small door opening into
the body Of the clock. Over the right
door is an eagle, and over the left n
rooster. Twice day-that is, at noon
and miduight-there is sweet Ginning
of bells. during which the small door ut
the right opens, twelve wooden figures,
personating the twelve apostles, march
in procession, with st. Peter at their
head, oil along the gallery. Each in turn,
as he passes the Lord, bows with face to-
ward him, and then, resuming his former
position, walks slowly forward till he
reaches the door at the left, which shey
oil enter. When Peter salutes the Lord
the cock crows; and when Judas, who is
in the rear, with one hand shielding his
face. and the other grasping a bag,
reaches the cock, it crows twice. AT the
extreme corners of the clock, placed on
pedestals, are beautifully carved statues
of Moses and Elias, and in the rear are
two obeliska of the Egyptian atyle, in.
scrihed in hieroglyphics, aud designed to
symbolize the ancient period of history.
The clock will run thirty.two hours, and, ,
by special attachment, the procession Of
the apostles may be repeated whenever
desired.
But the most astonishing thing l ever
heard of in the way Of time piece is q
clock described by q Hindoo rajah, as
belonging to native prince of Upper
India, and jealously guarded as tho rar-
est treasure of his luxurious palace.
In front of the clocks disk was gong,
swung upon poles, and near it was a pile
of artificial human limbs. The pile was
made up of the full number of parts for
twelve perfect bodies, and ell lay heaped
together In seeming confusion.
Whenever the hands of the clock ind;-
Gated the ho,.r of one, out from the pile
crawled just the number of parts needed
to form the frame of one man, part join.
ing itself to part with quick, metallic
click; and, when completed, the figure
sprang up, seized mallet, and Walking
up to the gong, struck one blow that sent
the sound ,pealing through every room
and d corridor of that stately castle. This
done, he returned to the pile and fell to
plsces again. When two O'Clock came
two men arose and did likewise; and go
through all the hours of the day, the
number of figures being the same as the
number of the hour, vtill at noon and
midnight, the entire heap sprang up,
and marching to tho gong, struck, one
after another, each his blow, making
twelve in all, and then fell % pieces.S
Some Wonderful Automata;;" 81. Nicholas
for February.