Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1883-12-27
A CURIOUS CLOCK.
The W Onderful Timepiecc Which Ma
Twelve Years in Building.

Twelve Years in Building.
The Cincinnati Tmes-StNy thus describes
a remarkable clock which is now on eXhi-
bition in that city. The mechanism is
inclOsed in a walnut case twelve feet high
and five, feet wide, and weighs , 300 pounds.
The general design of its numerous figures
is to exemplity some of the leading events
and characters of American history. 1t was
made by Prot. Wegman at his home in
Frostbury, Md, in his leisure moments, he
having been engaged on it for over twelve
years
The base of the clock is about four feet
high. At the top is an astronomical dial
two feet in diameter, with figures Of the
planets, etc, showing the movements of the
sun and earth, the former circling the dial
once each year, and the latter revolving Oh
its axis once every twenty -four hours.
The moons phases the seasons, and other
familiar aStrOmical subjects are represented.
A large flag is carved in the case on each
side of the dial, and above them are at the
right a cannon and at the left drum, also
carved in bas relief. Below the dial is a
scroll bearing the inscription, ''E Pluribus
Unum," beneath which are two swords
crossed and soldiers cap
Immediately above the base of the clock
on a stage or platform are small forts, one
surmounted by the figure of a sailor and
the other by the figure of a soldier. Be-
tween these forts at the back Of the plat
form and resting against a central upright
case are ten figures of men, representing
ten different nationalities, five being upon
one side of an alcove, in which the pen
dulum swings. Every five minutes one
of these figures plays a tune on music
box.
The central upright post is p feet high
and feet wide. At the top is a represent
alton of the Bunker Hill monument with
an eagle perched upon it with Outstretched
wings. The eagle grasps in in its right
claw an olive branch and bundle of
spears. In it's left it holds globe, from
which is suspended the pendulum, forty
nine inches long. At the bottom of the
pendulum is a dial with the minutes and
hours marked off, and in the centre old
Father Time and his scythe remind the
beholder of the fleet passage of time into
the illimitable eternity. Every hour the
eagle calls out in hoarse tones the time.
At the left of the Bunker Hill monu-
ment is skeleton foot high grasping q
hammer, with which it tolls on bell the
quarter hours. At the first quarter door
in the upper case last described flies open
and the famous scene of the throwing over
board of cargo of tea in Boston harbor is
re-enacted. At the second quarter hour
another door is opened, and the cause Of
the war of 1922 is displayed by the repre-
sentation of an Englishman in the conven-
tional scarlet attire inviting an Indian chief
to take up arms against the Americans, the
palaver being delineated by clear panto-
mine. In the background are seen British
soldiers taking American sailors from their
ship.
The ringing of the third quarter hour
causes another door to spring open, dis
closing Generals Scott and Taylor en-
camped in Texas. Each of the distin-
guished soldiers steps forward and takes
off his chapeau to the spectators, and then
retires to keep vigilant eye ON the
greasers.
At the fourth quarter of an hour the
opening of a door brings to the view
scene emblematic of the late civil war A
negro is seen at the back of the alcove
bound with chains. A procession of eleven
men representing the eleven seeding
States-dressed in the gray uniform of the
confederate army, passes in front of the
unfortunate slave. each turning his back
on the colored man as he passes. After
they have all gone by, the emancipator of
the down-trodden race comes along, and
seeing the unhappy son of Ham, advances
to him, lOosens his sEackles, and leads him
away.
In addition to the airs that are played
every five minutes the period is also marked
by the passage across the stage of figures
which pass from the fort at the right and
disappear through the portals of the one
on the left. First comes Brigham Young
and one of his wives who are supposed to
be on their wedding tour. Next comes
General Grant on horseback; then hand
bearing the penknife with which Professor
Wegman carved out all the figures of the
clock then the figure of a man represent
ing a manager who rendered matters
unpleasant for the professor at one time
then the figures of Garfield and Guiteau as
they appeared at the moment of the assas-
sination; then Guiteau's deity, who carries
a sign reading, "Cranks Wanted; then the
Indian chieftain, Captain Jack, and finally
the historical vessel, the Mayhower Only
one of these figures passes around at each
interval of five minutes
The clock is operated by two springs
twenty feet long and three inches wide,
having lifting power of eight hundred
pOundS