The National tribune., 1882-02-04
A WONDERFUL CLOCK.

James McGlynn, an unlettered miner in the
Hollenbeck colliery at Wilkesbarre, has just
completed, 1000 feet under the earth's surface,
wonderful piece of mechanism-a clock. Other
marvellous clocks have been made, but zone as
this one was made. McGlynn began nine years
ago to practice wood carving in his spare mo-
ments. He had no tools and to the construction
of these he first devoted his attention. He built
an engine to propel lathe, and from such scraps
of old materials as he found lying loose around
the eolliery, put his lathe together, and COM
menced fashoning bits Of wood into whatever
forms his fancy suggested. Then he conceived
the idea of making clock upon elaborate
scale and went to work with the devotion of an
enthusiast until at the end of nearly decade he
has produced piece of mechanism that, says
correspondent who has inspected it, is certainly
wonderful to contemplate, considering the con-
ditions under which it was made. The clock
stands about nine feet high, and is incased in al
elaborately carved case Of black walnut, consist
ing of 406 pieces, of perfect finish. Each of these
pieces was turned in the mine by the enthusiastic
miner with a tool that would make cabinet
maker smile, being nothing less than broken
saw file. But the workmanship is perfect, and
the symmetry of the several parts would do
credit to the best wood carver in the country
How did l make my measurements" said
Mc(ilynn. with a string. Oh, l never run
short of materials If one thing doesn't do
take another"
In addition to the 406 turned pieces in black
walnut, which comprise the frame work of the
clock, it has SO moving figures, actuated by
JoTt1
interesting historical and biblical scenes. 1t is
the intention of the miner-mechanic to make the
number of figures hundred as soon as his
means, which are rather limited, shall afford
such an additional outlay.
The front of the clock shows three balconies
rising above a massive and elegantly carved
pedestal, and upon these the moving hgures
appear. The lower balcony shows procession
of Continental soldiers, headed by a mounted
general and marching past while the old Liberty
Bell proclaims it's welcome notes of freedom. A
sentinel salutes the Continentals as they pass,
and just at the moment a door is opened from an
upper balcony and reveals Molly Pitcher, with
her cannon which she fires with startling and
realistic effect. To show how well the maker OF
the clock has considered the details Of his handl-
work, he has placed a small revolving tan IN the
clock, to be actuated after the firing OF MOllys
cannon, for the purpose of clearing out the
powder smoke Simultaneous with this, the
portraits of the twenty presidents OF the oni'eu
States pass in panoramic review ON oai"a'
Just above the patriotic tableau, OF when "oiiS
Pitcher is the central figure, and Inonl's &c
son holds up the Declaration OF indep
The apostolic procession is similar 70 'n0se
hitherto seen in such clocks. The twelve apos-
ties file past satan appears, and the cock crows
in warning to Peter figure OF justice RAISES
her scales as the form of Christ appears, and
during the scene a large representation of death
tells off the minutes upon bell. Wien one
sees the clock, the tools with which it was made
and hears the miners story of how ne bought
the wood for it, bit by Bit as he could afford
from his spare change, he is sensibly impressed
with human possibilities.