The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1889-04-05
THE CITY TIMekeEpee.
living In a House Fun OF Clocks, OLD
New, Curious and Unique.

Living In a House Euu OF Clocks, OlN
New, Curious and Unique.
lake the driftwood scattered along the
banks Of river, there are mnny curious
characters TO be found In the hooks and
CORNERS OF this great city. Among these is
the city tifnekeeper, whose duty It is to see that
all Of the corporation clocks keep good time
Tall and spare in frame, with scanty locks
whitened by the lapse Of years, this old man
winds up the big clock in the cupola OF the
city hall, and climbs up into the high tower
of jefferson market for the same purpose. He
also looks after Mayor Grants clock and
those in the aldermanic chamber. IL Is by
one Of his clocks that the precise hour, min
ute and second OF adopting the tax levy Is
determined.
The city timekeeper has also charge Of all
the clocks in the finance department, the
street and park departments, the courts OF
sessions, all of the district, civil and the po-
lice courts He is very seldom seen, even by
those governed by his clocks, as be makes his
rounds At verg early hour. Few who do
meet tia old man imagine that he is a city
official
John McCnrten is a native Of Dunpatrick,
In the north of Ireland, where he was born In
tho year 1911 when the battle of Waterloo
was still fresh in the minds Of men. Though
now over 10, he is quite active and has been
the city timekeeper for nearly fifteen years.
He learned the trade of watch and clock
making in his native town, and has passed all
his life among clocks, and is walking ency-
clopeda ON the history and progress of clock
| making Coming TO New York some forty
| years ago, he has been in business ever since,
but now his principal revenue is derived from
the care Of the city's clocks and those Of pri-
vate individuals.
A World reporter visited the old man at
his home, No 302 West Thirtyseventh street,
| and at once found himself in clock land. On
entering the hallway the visitor is confronted
| by an old and evidently valuable time piece,
| while another looms up from the top Of the
basement stairs. Looking up, the eye en-
counters more clocks, and, as the hour of 3
| is trembling on the verge of eternity, null
| titude of unseen clocks begin tolling the
strokes. But il is in the parlor that John
McCarten keeps his chiefest and choicest
| treasures In one corner stands large
grandfather clock of Holland manufacture
and belonging TO the time of the First EN-
pire, when Bonaparte upset and gave away
! thrones. This one strikes the hours and half
hours on separate bells, and the dial contains
a monthly calendar Over the silver faced
dial stands figure of old Father Time, now
ing away with his scythe, while the pendu-
lum movement is indicated by group OF
dancers In an opposite corner stands an
other Oh these tail Dutch CLOCKS, and It bears
the name OF famous Amsterdam house.
Ihere are three SILVER pelis among It's mech
anisrn 10 Indicate tne hour, hali ana quarter
hours with a weekly ana monthly calendar,
dial showing tne phases OF the moon and
many other quaint devices. The cases Of
these TWO CLOCKS are OF rare woods, richly IN
iaia ana decorated Win gut carved hgures
ana uacery'
On the mantel beside bust of Daniel
| OConnell is an English clock, and beside it
another over 100 years old. On the wall near
the piaso hangs an old Flemish painting, the
steeple OF the church IN the village scene hav-
ing miniature clock in active movement.
On brackets in the corners, between the win
dows, over the doors, standing on the tables
and piano and eYen on chairs, are more clocks,
all OF them rare and valuable. Down stairs
in the basement, where MIR. McCarten has his