The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1889-08-21
MARVELS OF MECHANISM.
THE MECHANICS ART DISPLAYED
IN INFINITEsIMALs.
Some of the Wonders of the World
Which Seem Almost impossible
Marvels of Human Ingenuity


wonderful is I chcrry-stone story. At
the time of the French Crystal Palace
Exposition a Nuremberg toymaker ex-
hibited a cherry within the hol-
low of which he had built perfect plan
of the city of Sevastopal, showing plain
ly a railway station and the famous
'Alessiah" of Klopstock. A powerful
microscope was used by the exhibitor of
this wonder, and it was estimated by the
exhibition authorities that not less than
500, 900 people took a peep at the results
of the toymaker's toll, each of whom de-
posted franc in the handsof the ingen-
ious mechanic, making him a snug little
fortune.
Machines for weight and measures
have also been brought up almost to per-
fection. Sir W. Armstrong, the great
gunmaker, had on exhibition in 1878 a
machine for taking measurements that
did its work 50 nicely that the millionth
part of an inch could be ascertained
with as much precision as an inch or
foot.
AT the same exhibition one A. NJ
Oberlong showed balance so nicely ad-
just I'd as to weigh accurately the one
thousandth part of a grain. Talk about
little wonders not being wonderful.
Oswaldus Northingenus an artist, who
lived during the reign of Pope Paul ",
about 1910, is said to have made 600
plates OF dishes of pewter, which were of
such diminutive proportions as to admit
of the whole lot being hidden upon the
inside of the stone of common peach.
Mark Scarlost, blacksmith who lived
under the reign of Queen Elizabeth,
made chain of forty-five links, to which
he attached a paddock made of steel and
brass, consisting of eleven pieces besides
the key. The chain was so small as to
freely admit of being fastened about the
neck of common everyday flea, and
the apparatus, flea, chain, paddock, key
and all weighed but grain and half
when exhibited before the wondering
royalty on plate of polished silver.
The reader WILL no doubt, think these
stories worthy to be taken with the pro-
verbal grain of salt, noting, as he will,
that they nearly all bear the date and
stamp of eye olden times" but what
will he say when informed that within
the last five years San Francisco pro-
fessor has equaled Mark Scarlost's in
genuity in every particular. This Golden
Gate grasper after the intinitessimal ex-
hibited perfectly trained team of feas,
drawing a miniature tally-ho coach, made
of gold, with all four wheels perfect,
each turning on its axle. All the elite
of San Francisco witnessed the professors
wonderful exhibition of his control over
these trisky little pets, and all were un-
sparing in their praises of the queer little
team, the professor and the golden coach.
The first watch was made in Nurem-
berg in the cherry stone about the year
1477. Soon after its invention curious
gold and silver smiths began to expert
ment on what they could do in the way
of diminutivc time pieces. One of these,
now over 200 years old, is kept as a Won
der in one of the Swiss museums. 1t is
only three-siXteenths of an inch in diam
eter, but, small as it is, it not only indi
Gates hours and minutes, but seconds and
tenths of seconds, days of the week, days
of the month and the number of the
year.
Another of the old Nuremberg wonders
was in the form of an acorn, fve-six-
teenths of an inch in diameter, and half
an inch long. 1t was perfect in every
particular, kept good time, and was used
us charm on lGdy's necklace.
One of exactly the same pattern, but
provided with tiny pistol, which was
used as an alarm, is now to be seen in
the South Kcnsington Museum, London.
King George Ill, of England, had a
watch not larger than an old-fashioned
silver tive-cent piece, which had 120 diff
ferent parts, the whole not weighing as
much as a silver dime.
The enginemakers, like the watch
makers, have also tried TO attain distinc-
ton in the matter Of the diminutive. In
1870 John Penn, the eminent maker Of
great steam engines, who resided at
England, came in possession
of what was then the smallest steam en-
gine i'll the world. 1t stood on a three
penny piece. 1t really covered less space,
for its base plate measured only three
eighths of an inch by about three-tenths.
From the extreme smaIlness of the model
some of the details were omitted, but not
enough to interfere in any way with its
going. The screws were only one
eightieth Of an inch in diameter, and
these were duly furnished with hexagonal
nuts, which only could be loosened by aid
Of tiny wrench made for that purpose.
The weight Of the whole model, without
the three-penny base, was less than the
weight of the coin itself.
Six years later, time of our Centennial
Penn would have felt ashamed
Of % "three-pcnny piece engine" had he
had it on exhibition ut Philadelphia.
During che progress of that great exposi-
ton, Levi Taylor, of Indianola, Ia.,
placed on exhibition, ''side by side" with !
the great Corliss engine, an engine per-
feet in all its parts, built on a twenty |
iye-cent gold piece, and with some of its |
parts so small as TO only be seen by aid of |
/ powerful microscope. The entire en-
CINE weighed but three grains. In other
words, it would have taken 140 such en-
yines to balance an ounce avoirdupois. |
Three of the Penn engines would have |
Weighed more than 146 like that made by |
raylor,-St. Louis Republic.
The court of Pope Leo is said to com
rise 1160 nprsous naarINy five bupdra1 |