Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-03-30
THE CITY TlMeKEEpER.
Living in . House Full of Clocks. Old
New. Cnriou. and Lnilne.

Living In . House Full of Clocks. Old
New, Curious and Unique.
Like the driftxood srttered along the
banks Of a river, there many curious
saaracters to DO found N the hooks and
corners Of this great city Among these Is
the city timekeerssr whose duty 1t Is TO see that
all Of the corporation clocks keep good time.
Tall and spare IN frame, with s;-lty 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 sam. purpose lie
also looks after Mayor Grants clock and
those N the ahIernanic chamber, It IL by
one Of his clocks that the precise hour, min
ute and second Of adopting the tax levy Is
deterrnined
The city timekesper 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 10y hi. clocks, as he makes bis
rounds a, very early hour Few who do
meet the old man imagine that he Is city
official.
John McCarten Is native Of fitzpatrick,
In the north Of Ireland, where he was born In
was still fresh in the minds Of men Though
now over 70, he is quite active and has been
the city timekeeper for nearly fifteen years
lie earnsd the trade Of watch and clock
making in his native town, and has passed all
his life among clocks and is walking ency'
clope,iia 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 SJ2 West Thirty seventh 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
Is trembling on the verge Of eternity, null
titude Of unseen clocks begin tolling the
strokes, But it is in the parlor that John
McCarten keeps his chiefest and choicest
treasures. In ono corner stands a 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 scyths, while the pendu-
lum movement is Indicated by a group Of
dancers, In an opposite corner stands an
other of these tall Dutch clocks, and 1t bears
the name of a famous Amsterdam house
There are three silver bells among its mech
anlsm to indicate the hour, half and quarter
hours, with weekly and monthly calendar,
dial showing the phases of the moon and
many other quaint devices The cases Of
these two clocks are of rare woods, richly in
laid and decorated with gilt carved figures
and tracery
On the mantel beside a bust of Daniel
OConnell is en- English clock. and beside it
another over 100 years old On the wall near
the piano han; IN old Flemish painting the
steeple 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 even on chairs are more clocks,
all Of them rare and valuable Down stairs
in the basement, where Mr. McCarten has his
workshop, there are more clocks, English,
French, German, Italian and Swiss. Some
OF thcso are very old, others comparatively
new and fresh, but they are all considered
treasures 10y tllS old Clochmaker
"Ics, | have plenty of clocks" said John
McCarten, rs he lifted a clock from chair
for his visitor. Il don't know how many
there are. for they scattered all over the
house, Ben, all Of foreign make they are not
very marketable because American clocks
are so cheap, but these clocks of niue arc
fine time Keepers and very curious IN their
make Clocks are good deal like children
II you take good care of them and use them
gently they will respond to your touch and
be on their best behavior Neglect them and
they soon grow irregular and get dissipated
and unreliable get $50 year for attend
ing to TIL corporation clocks, and besides
that, have regular routes to look after clocks
for private customers There is no telling
how many clocks there are in New York city
but don't doubt that there is over one mill
ion running, for some families keep as many
as a dozen, One of NV customers has three
in his parlor, two in the library, two more in
the dining room, and there isn't room in the
house without one. As keep them going
correctly it is like listening to a chime Of bells
whom they begin striking the hour Of noon. "
New York World