Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1884-01-30

|
edly. watches are queer things. They
possess some unaccountahle pecuiarites.
For instance, some time about the begin
ming of last summer. when there had
been succession of fine displays of the
aurora borealis, it was estimated that in o
single night in the city Of New York, the
main springs of not less han three thous
and watches broke. Tnls estimate is
based on actual inquiries. Fine sensitive
watches are particularly liable to he affect
Ell by electrical atmospheric disturbances
During the months OF June, July aud
August. when the phenomena are most
| frequent, there are more main springs brok.
en- than during the remaining months Of the
year. They break in II variety OF ways, some
times swapping into as many as twenty
Sc en- pieces. 1t is fact tn 1t since the
introduction of the electric light has be
come 50 general, "A large number of watches,
some very fine ones, have become magnet
ized. While in this condition they are
useless as limekeepers. This defect used
to be considered incurable, and becanSe of
| it thousands of watches have been thrown
away after much money has been spent
On them in vain attempts to persuade
methods resorted to, were Washing the
parts in garlic juice, retinishing and pass
ing them through the fire. But all these
devices were entire failures or only in
part effective. A man who bad fine
and valuable movement which kept ex-
cellent time transferred it from u silver
case to second hand gold one. Immedi-
ately it lost all its characteristics of stead
iness and reliability. and, in fact, did not
keep time at all. When replaced in the
silver case it kept good time again. The
owner, a jeweller, puzzled himself and
experimental ia vain TO discover the
cause of this strange partially on the part
of his watch for silver. At length he
sent it to an expert. He discovered that
the lifting spring of the gold case had
become magnetized. On substituting
another for it, the watch kept as good
time in the gold case as in the silver
case.
There are occasions when it is very
serious matter to have your watch magnet
ized. Captain w. r. Smith commands
the steamer Delaware, which plies be-
tween New York and New London.
Before putting to sea on a recent voyage
he was invited 10 inspect an electric
dynamo machine and examine its parts
closely. Soon after getting on board the
steamer he observed that the compass
became strangely affected when he ap-
preached it. Whether he stood on the
right or the left, or Immediately in front
of the compass, the needle would invaria
bly, point to him. The compass was
worse than useless when he come near it.
1t was dangerous and might wreck the
ship. This phenomenon alarmed and
puzzled Captain Smith not a little. At
length he recalled his visit TO the dynamo
machine and the true eccentric behavior
of the needle flashed upon him. His
watch had become magnetized. When he
removed it, the needle resumed its con-
stancy 10 the polar star. On his return to
New York he took the watch to Mathey
Brothers & Malhey, who demagnetized it
for him. The firm has invented some
machine, the mechanism of which is a
secret, by which they dema2netize mag
netized watch speedily and etfectually.
Watches frequently get magnetized in
iron mines or machine shops, where they
are incautiously brought near swiftly run.
ming belts.
III Is well kuoWn ldcI alhplS Iiololo-
gists that no watch will keep the same
time with two people. The cause has
not yet been definitely ascertained, but it
would seem that in some mysterious way
the watch is affected by the temperament of
the wearer. The mere physical dlfferencein
gait and movement between fferent peo-
pie is not sufficient to account for all the
variations that have been observed.-N
Y. Tribune.