The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1882-03-02
Costly CLOCKS.

Mr.. George W. Childs of the Philadel-
phia Ledger, according to the Record of
that city. is the possessor of clocks to the
value of $50, 900. Among them is Gen.
Grants present, sometimes known as the
Grant clock and often named the Kiln
genburg clock latter its maker, John
Klingenburg, of Amsterdam), of great
value. Bat it is commonplace, as COM
pared with the Ritteuhouse clock, which
occupies an honored corner in the mag
niicent office. For ingenuity and ac-
curacy and beauty of workmanship it is
believed to exceed any clock in America.
David Rittenhouse, u famous Philadel-
phian, after whom kittenhouse Square
was named made the clock in 1767 for Jos.
Potts, who paid S640 to Rittenhouse. This
timepiece was much sought after in the
early days of the republic, 125 guineas
having been offered for it by Lord Howe
when he was holding Philadelphia under
occup ,tion. Later on the Spanish Min
lister TO the United States wanted to make
substantial present to his sovereign,
and offered $500 for this clock. 1t, how.
ever, fell into the possession of the Bar
ton family, who retained it until it was
bought by Mr.. Childs in October, 1879
The intrlcacy of its mechanism Is won
derful. 1t contains seventy-two wheels,
with 5 $50 teeth 1t is operated by three
weights, aggregating 100 pounds in
weight. In addition to the timepiece
it has musical attachment and linn
tied planetarium in miniature. On its
face are six dials. The main dial in the
onds, minutes, hours and days, the last
being SO set as to run perpetually, with
due provision for leap year and all the
other vagaries of the calendar. The
phases OF the moon are also shown. The
second dial accurately represents the
movements of Venus, Jupiter, Mars,
Mercury, and the earth around the sun,
each of the planets being repres. nted by
small gold ball, that makes it's orbital
revolutions around the central
sun with wonderful precision. Thus
far the gold ball marked Jupiter has
made only nine and half revolutions
since the clock was made-114 years ago.
The rim of the dial is marked by the
signs of the zodiac, thus showing the To-
cation of each planet. These clocks in
Mr.. Childs' Office could not be bought
for any money. They cost over SO, 900,
while $50, 900 will hardly cover the cost
OF all his clocks, numbering fifty, the
others being divided among his summer
house at Wootten, his Long Branch resi-
dence and his mansion at Twenty Second
and Walnut streets. Every room in each
of these dcmiciles has its clock, and each
clock has its peculiar merit. In the Ii
brary at the corner of Twenty-Second
and Walnut streets is heavy clock, rich
in design and finish, that was once
owned by Prince Napoleon, while in the
parlor stands what is probably the most
costly parlor clock in the world. 1t
weighs two tons and stands nine feet
high, onyx and verde antique forming a
base two feet square and four feet high.
On this pedestal poses life-sizs figure
in silver of woman, her raised arm
posing circular pendulum, which
operates the machinery in the base. The
clock won universal admiration, as we'll
as the grand prize, at the Paris exhibit
ton of 1867.