Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1890-09-03
A MARVELLOUS CLOCK.
Philadelphia's Present to the
Cruiser Named for Her.
The Finest Specimen of Clock-MaILing
Ever Produced in the United States
Work of Art as Well ~ an
Accurate Time-Keeper.

Ever Produced in tho United States
a Work of Art rs Well ~ an
Accurate Time-Keeper.
Above the silver-faced dial an eagle,
with outspread wings, assumes defens-
i've position, says the Philadelphia
Ledger, while on the right side of the
clock face stands full length figure of
/ a woman, in classic attire, holding q
roll as she leans on the side of the beze1.
To the left another female figure stands
In similar position, carrying the horn
of plenty on one arm. Below the clock
face shield, which upon close inspec-
tion is seen to represent a section on
the hull of vessel, surmounts crossed
guns and is encircled by laurel wreath.
! On this shield is an inscription setting
| forth that the clock was presented to
the cruiser Philadelphia on behalf of
the citizens of Philadelphia
A cable forms square around the
clock case, and in loops at each of the
two upper corners fouled anchor is
held. From either side of the group
around the dial two draped American
standards jut out gracefully. and be-
meath the two female figures, which
stand on kind of premonitory, are
seen choppy waves bordered with a
scroll, bearing the words, philadelphia
Maneto." A massive scroll at the base
1 of the clock is inscribed "U. S. S. Phila-
delphia."
The silver dial bears figures in gold
in relief of most beautiful and original
design. The minutes are divided by
raised, golden pegs, while the center of
the face bears an exquisite piece of the
jewelers. art. 1t is the shield of the
city's arms. The plow, in the top Sec
ton of the device, is in relief, as is the
ship. with all her canvas on, which is
in the lower third. The whole plate is
most dainty and correct in detail, and
above it, also in bas relief, is the arm of
justice, with the balance. A rich,
golden scroll frames the arms on the
face, which, altogether, is pronounced
to be not only exquisite but unique.
This part of the ornamentation is an
excellent specimen of the good en-
graver's art. Considerable difficulty
wassencountered in modelling the work
in getting an eagle that would be suit
able Finally a fine specimen was
secured in the Academy of Natural
Sciences, and it has been faithfully re-
produced The two female figures were
modelled from life, and are fair repre-
sentations of graceful and 1.-the femi-
nine forms. They are in gilt bronze,
which contrasts pleasantly with the
dark bronze of their surroundings In
the original model the two figures were
in bas relief, but the sculptor, and
rightly, too, thought that the effect
could be heightened by placing the
figures in full relief. as they are now
seen.
To give some idea of the care be-
slowed upon the time-piece it should be
mentioned that, in order to have the
guns and the old-style wooden ship in
the design truthful, the firm sent to the
Navy Department and received photo
graphs of the old man-of-war Constitu
tion and of the new-style ordnance, and
from these those seen in the completed
work were modelled.
Strictly speaking, the movement o.
the clock is nautical one. 1t is con
structed with balance wheel on the
principle of watch; consequently the
pitching and tossing sea will not affec
the movement. The escapement is &
demi-chronometer, jeweled in all its
principal parts, and highly finished.
Instead of the hours, the chime ot
bells strikes in couplets, in true nautica
style, the ships bells. When it il
twelve o'clock eight bells are struck
instead of twelve, as in other time
pieces; at nine o'clock, two bells, etc
This has never before been accom-
piShed in a fine clock. Another feat
ure which will be appreciated by
mariners, which is also an Inn
provement, is that of making the hour
hand free of its twin, the minute hand
in regulating the clock. This enables
them to turn the clock back or forward
an hour without disturbing the minute
hand, as is required to be done every
day in crossing the various degrees ot
longitude during voyage.
The regulation of the hands and bells
is commanded by a series of wheels
hidden in metal closet opening on one
side of the case. An ingenious device
, has been contrived to open the bezel OF
the clock, SO that the minute hand can
be turned in regulating it. When not
i required to be open it is locked by q
minute lock in the lower part BY in.
, serting small hook-like key and Civ.
{ ing it turn the case is unlocked. Two
other hooks are placed in the sides, and
the plate glass and bezel drawn out
about an inch. Then by hidden hinge
on the top the piece can be raised.
The clock is incased in a mahogany
, box and the back is of steel. The whole
: piece weighs about 400 pounds, is about
three feet high, and is nearly as many
broad