Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1893-04-14
AN OLD TIMER. -
watch Reported 10 be Eight Hun.
dFca Years Old.

Carson Appeal.
Tom longabangh OF Empire, Ne
'ada, has ~ his possession what is re-
gardcd as one OF the most valuable
relies in tie country. 1t is time
piece IN tho shape of watch and
bears the name OF " Joseph Davis,
London. 1921"
The gcnuincness of the article is
unIuestiored and its grea. value lies
~ the fact that the earliest record OF
a pocket timepiece is 1894, and is of
Swiss make.
The Davis watch had been an heir
loom OF the Swans for nearly POO years.
II finally came into the possession of
Frank Swan. one OF the family, who
livcs in Nevada. lie did not ap-
preciatc the value Of the watch and
gave IL to his children to play with,
aud when Mr. Longabaugh first saw it,
about II years ago. the hands had been
broken of and one of the three cases
within which the works were inclosed
were lost. He recognized its value
and secured il from Swan.
The watch was examined by Tucker,
the San Francisco jeweler, and after
making researches he pronounced it
genuine. More recently Hight &
Fairchild, Of Butte. made n search in
the misty past. but the earliest date
they could find OF the existence OF
watches was 1900.
The watch i'll question doubtless
represents the labor Of years, as it was
made entirely by hand, and the tool
marks throughout all its parts are plain
ly visible, and the watch was probably
the only one made by Davis OF London.
The machinery consists Of n large
steel hnlncc wheel, which works with
a pendulum like lever, and in place
Of the modern hair spring is a long
steel chain which winds and unwinds
on pulleys. Another large wheel, the
purposes OF which is not apparent,
looks like belt wheel on threshing
machine.
The works are protected and held to-
gether by fine ornamental network
Of brass. carved out by hand and rivet-
cd together with brass rivets, which
show hammer marks plainly. On the
back of the works is a polished steel
face similar TO the second dial on q
modern watch. but the figures run
form one TO six. The object OF it has
never been figured out by any Of the
jewellers who have examined it.
The face oi the watch is of polished
steel and the hours are marked by
raised Roman numerals. Around the
edge OF the face are figures from to
6O TO represent either seconds or
minutes. In the center OF the dial is
the British coat OF arms in raised brass
consisting OF the crown lion, unicorn.
The whole works are enclosed in sill
yer hemisphere, the silver being ham.
mered and shaped by hand, the in
dentures OF the hammer showing plain
ly.
On the outside OF the silver case is
another OF hammered brass, and the
evidence is plain that at one time
there was still third case on the out
side OF these two.
The watch was wound up with some
kind OF key, the keyhole being pro-
tectcd by rude trap or sliding door.
The watch has a stem nearly two
inches long and q ring on the end
large enough to hitch horse to. The
stem is OF solid silver, and in the mid.
die is nearly worn away. which alone
Is a slight indication OF its extreme
age. The watch is said to have been
in running order up to about 20 years
ago. IL weights about four ounces,
and in shape looks like baseball cut
in half. Mr.. Longabaugh has at diff
ferent times been offered several small
fortunes for his relic, but he says it is
not for sale. He will have it on ex-
hibition at the worlds fair.