The Clifton clarion., 1889-06-12
\ WONDERFUL CLOCK.
The Work of Boston Watch Maker.

A clock has just been completed in the city of Chelsea which is probably the most wonderful piece of mechan- ism in its line that has ever been in- vented. The maker. Lucius l.. Rob- bins, has been over nine years engaged in carrying out his favorite project of manufacturing a clock of kind the world had never seen. He has been discouraged by nearly every one he knew, but he persevered and is now triumphant.
 In 1879 he first became impressed with the idea of making wonderful clock, and without considering the ex- pense of the project he went to work and began the plans.
 His ambition has been to understand practically. and to show to the world through other than theory and words the correct movements of the earth and the planetary sy stem. With only limited means at his command. and depending solely on his vocation as a watchmakcr to provide the necesSa- ries of life, he has struggled along these ten years, devoting every sparo moment to the accomplishment of his purpose. The clock was started in Boston, where he lived for five years.
 The clock is twelve feet high. is five feet wide and three feet deep. It is ran by weights weighing over 200 pounds, while the total weight is al- most ton. The large weights are wound every eight days, and in run ming down they wind the smaller ones.
 The face of the clock contains seven dials, two balconies and five alcoveS on the upper section, while the lower part is taken up by an immense dial three feet in diameter. The topmost dial has three hands. Two are white in color and the other is red. The long white hand indicates the lunar month, the short white hand points to the day of the lunar year and the week of the year at the same time, and the red hand shows the age of the moon.
 There are also two circles that fall until the 2lst day of June, the longest of tie year. and then rise until the Dist day of December. the shortest day of the year. In this dial representations of the sun and moon rise and set regu- larly every day. When the moon is in the eastern or western quarter it is ac- curately shown in the proper position on the clock.
 There are three rows of figures on this dial. The outside row represents the days of the lunar month, the mid die row the day of the year, and the inside TOW the week of the year. On the left side of the lunar dial is a small alcove, showing q cuckoo perched on the limb of tree, which sings for every hour. Opposite this, on the other side of the dial there is another small d. cove. where old Father Time strikes the hours as they pass. Below the lunar dial there are two small dials. The one on the right indicates the time ofthe suns rising, and that on the left the time of its setting.
 In the center of the upper part of the clock is an alcove in which is hourly represented the four stages of manhood. At ten minutes past the hour an infant appears, and at the first quarter hour strikes one; at twenty five minutes past the hour the infant is replaced by youth, who, on the second quarter hour strikes two; at twenty minutes of the hour the youth rttires and man comes in view and strikes three on the third quarter hour at i've minutes before the hour an old man appears, and at one minute of the hour strikes four. Directly in front of the four stages of manhood is small balcony, on which a sentinel is constantly marching back and forth. He turns about face at both ends of the balcony. and can be made to go either on the double quick" or "slow timen
 The rise and fall of the tide is shown on pretty scene representing the city of Boston and its harbor. The city is painted on canvas in the back ground. The harbor with the shippingis paint cd on glass that moves up.and down with the tide. At high tide the city is seen through the rigging and masts of