The Ouachita telegraph., 1880-07-09
A WONDERFUL CLOCK.
New York Heratd,i

\ ~ VVNDEAsk " ~ SAAVSAs
L. New York Heraid,i
+ In the large Tammany Hall ut the
present time there is ON exhibition one
ofthc most remarkable curiositles In the
shape of an astronomical clock, that
has ever been seen in this country. 1t
is the work of a German named Felix
Meters, an adopted citizen of America,
and he claims that it Is tho granGlcst
work of neurological science ever pro-
duced, being superior in many respects
to the celebrated Strasburg Cathedral
clock. Viewed cxteriorly it is n mass
of fornan,entation, the carving alone
of which occupied more than Il year.
InteriOrly there ia vast network of
wheels and complex machinery, all of
which, however, is apparently under
the completest control.
The clock stands about eighteen feet
high, Is Ave feet deep and weighs 1000
pounds. 1t is moved III sections, run
by 100 pound weights, regulated by a
mercury pendulum thirty pounds in
weight, and requires winding once in
twelve days. The ease Is of Michigan
black walnut, and Is more or less
decorated with designs emblematic Of
American history. Above the main
body OF the clock is Il marble done,
upon which Washington sits In his
chair of state, protected by n cnnopy
which Is surmounted by Il gilded statue
of Columbia. On either side Of WASH
ington is u colored servant, iu livery,
guarding the doors which open be-
tween the pillars that support the
canopy. On the four corners of the
main body Of the black walnut nichcs
containing human figures cmblcnatic of
the march Of life; the two lower ones
are supported by two female figures
with flaming torches one of tho inches
contains the figure of IN infant, the
second the figure of II youth, the third
of y man in middle life, tho fourth OF
an aged gray beard, and still another,
directly over the centre, contains II
skeleton representing Father Time.
All of these figures have bells and
hammers i'll their hands. The infants
bell is small and sweet toned, tho
youths bell larger and ha,shcr, the
bell Of manhood strong ana resonant,
thtt OF old age dim inisising in strength, /,
and e-be!i Of the skeleton deep and
sad. a figure of " We, g. l:ryant aud an
| other of Prof. Morse, inventor 81
graphy, rest upon the pillars that sup
port tho planetary system. 1T is said
that the mat hennptical calculations are
so nicely adjusted as to correctly y, record
tho movements of the plancts for NOO
years. The relationship of the plancts g
to the universe is shown on "a large
dial, and the changes OF the sum and
! moon, with reference to tho earth, arc
not only instructive but wonderful
ly Indicative of the correctness with
which machinery haR been made to
obey the will of man. Ihc local time
of the principal cities of tho world is
given, and any variation ut New York
or Washington, London or Paris; is
Instantly recorded. One of the move
ments of this wonderful machine is 80
elaborate that it cannot be regularly
repeated more than once in eighty
four years, although the inventor has
a crank attachment whereby he can mt
will hasten or fetard tho operation OF
the machinery in giving his dcscrip.
tions of the same. The quarter hours
are struck by an infant, the half hours
by youth, tho thrcc-quarter hours by
a middle aged man, and tho end of tho
hour by graybeard. Death, repre-
sented by skeleton, then proceeds to
solcmnly toll the full stroke. At this
moment --the even hour--a strain of
music is heard, one of thirteen airs, u
servant opens II side door under the
roof or pOrtico OF the clock, and tho
figures OF all tho Presidents, from
Washington to Hayes, solernnly file
out, and, passing tho figure OF Wash
ington, raise their hands and salute
the Father of his Country. The Latter
rises to his feet and extends his right
hand, in which is held the Declaration
of Independence. He remains stand.
ing until the unique procession passes
and then solcmnly resumes his place.
No description, however, can convey n
complete idea Of this curious invention.
It is exhibited twenty minutes before
every hour, when an explanatory lee
turc is given. 1t will remain at Tam
many Hall three months, and be OK
hibitcd on Sunday afternoons ns we'll
as during the week days. The value
of tho clock is said to be $5O, 900. rH
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