Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1890-11-28
THE GROWTH OF CLOCKS.
ANclENTs SCORED THE HOURS WITH
WATER TIMEPlECES.

Marvellous Development of the Clock In
dustry In This Country--Some Famou
Old Clocks That Have Existed for Hun
dreds of Years--Eii Terry.
The dropping of water through small
hole in jar was used by the Greeks anc
Romans as the rough measure of time
the water being either measured in the
jar from which it flowed or else by mean,
of a floating piece of wood In q receiving
jar. Occasionally some very wealthy
ancient Greek or Roman had clepsydra
that sounded musical note at inter walls
of an hour.
The story of King Alfred and his twelve
candles, each of which burned for exact
ly two hours, is well known The hour
glass Ia also Of early date. We read that
In the early history of New York the
soldiers used hour glasses when defend
ing the city in order that they should
know at what time to mount guard.
At what period in the worlds history
sun dials came into use il is impossible
even to conjecture. The Chaldeans were
accustomed to hang bead in a hollow
hemisphere in such position that the
shadow thrown by the bead would point
directly to the hour, which was marked
on the inner side of the hemisphere.
The old clock on the eastern end of
Faneuil hall, Boston, was formerly a dial
OLD HoRoLoGE.
The word horologe (horologia) means
hour teller, and was in very early times
applied to any machine for telling the
hours Previous to the discovery of the
pendulum these were very unreliable af-
fairs The striking parts, however, of
those erected in Canterbury cathedral in
1899, and at Westminster in 1888, and
many other places at these early dates,
are still In use.
The earliest known description of a
genuine horologe is that of one sent by
the sultan OF Egypt in 1889 to the Empe-
ror Frederick ii. at resembled a celes-
tial globe. in which the sun, moon and
planets moved, being impelled by weights
and wheels, so that they pointed out the
hour, day and night with certainty"
horologe from Dover Castle was on
exhibition some years ago in London. 1t
bore the date l34s, and was exhibited In
good going condition
THE FATHER OF CLOCK MAKING.
Eli Terry was the father of the clock
making industry in this country. With
no implements but a jackknife and saw
he made the first clock at Terryville,
Itchfield county.
He began the business in 1898. In the
year 1900 he employed two young men
TO help him. The works of his clocks
were now cut out several dozen at n
time, owing TO the business becoming
rapidly enlarged They were afterward
put together. Mr.. Terry, when he had a
small stock Of clocks ready, would make
trip TO what was then called 1.-THE new
country" just across the lower Hudson,
and sell the clocks for about $25 each,
this price being for the movement alone.
In 1907 Mr. Terry fitted up mill with
machinery and took large contract to
make clocks for Waterbury capitalists.
In 1908 he began the works of 500 clocks
at once. Previous to this time the wheels
had been marked out with square and
compass and the teeth cut with a very
fine saw Mr.. Terry made the patterns
and managed the business, but left his
workmen TO do the mechanical parta
and went himself from house to house to
peddle clocks. He often carried back to
Terryville salt pork and farm produce in
payment for his timepieces. At that time
Mr. Terry was poor, but twenty five
years later he was worth 100000.
INCREASE OF THE BUSINESS.
The business was sold out in 1910 to
Seth Thomas and Silas Hoadley, two OF
Mr.. Terry's leading mechanics, and Mr..
Terry devoted himself TO inventions and
improvements Other concerns sprang
up about this time. and the price OF
clocks was reduced from S25 to $40 and
30. The great family of Yankee clock
peddlers grew out of the competition OF
the manufacturers, and with two or three
clocks in their saddle bags they started
out TO the south and the then far west.
The business was revolutionized in 1914
by an invention of Mr.. Terry-a shelf
clock of wood, which superseded the old
fashioned hang up clock. This clock was
patented and called the pillar scroll top
case" Mr. Terry sold his patent to Seth
Thomas for 81 900. Their incomes were
at this time from Sl5, 600 to sec. 900 wear
each. And together they made about
1000 clocks yearly.
Shortly afterward Mr. Terry retired.
and, together with his sons, began the
manufacture of locks and iron castings.
None of the family is now in the clock
business.
In 1859 the elder Seth Thomas died,
and his elder son succeeded him. Mr..
Thomas became secretary of the Seth
Thomas Clock company when it was or.
gained. He died in April, 1888. The
present treasurer of the company is his
only son, Seth f. Thomas,
There are several tower clocks in New
York none of which strike the hours. 1t
was at one time usual to demand in a
tower clock a variation OF not more than
minute month. One in Independence
Hall has averaged variation of less than
second month. At Holyoke, Mass,
the variation has not exceeded two sec
onds month. In making sale now
ten seconds a month must be guaranteed.
William Gregory Hodson in San Fran
cisco Chronicle
Care of the Teeth.
A childs teeth should be confided 20
the care of dentist while they are max
Ing their appearance If the dentist Ia