The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1893-04-12
NryelOns Mechanism.

Last - :. mt Waterbury, Conn.,, there
was Civ. ia private exhibition Of one OF
the most Onderful contrivances of me-
chanical arts ever produced in this coun-
try. 1t represented twelve years labor
expended in original design and appli-
cation upon clock, which is said to
rival that Of the celebrated Strasburg
Cathedral, and to have no equal in Ameri-
ca.
In 1881 L. A. Locks, secretary of the
Waterbury Clock Co., conceived the idea
of constructing the clock, and work
upon it was Immediately begun. 1t was
the original intention of the company to
have it finished and placed on exhibition
at the Paris exposition in 1889, but the
scope of the undertaking assumed more
aud moro colossal proportions as the
work progressed, and it has been COM
pleted but week.
The time piece stands sixteen feet in
height with six foot base. 1t is made
of black walnut, highly polished and
handsomely carved, with scenes repre-
senting American history from the land
ing Of Columbus to the present time. AT
the lower part of the clock, and on each
side, is an allegorical scene representing
mechanical progress during the past cen-
tury, every figure in each group being ir
motion. The largest scene is in the CEN
ire Of the clock. 1t represents the train
room" of the Waterbury Clock Co., with
all fhe shafting and machinery in opera
ton, and twenty-five operatives at work
in that department.
Four scenes are represented on the
sides of the clock. The subject OF one is
cotton gin in full operation in a cotton
field, with the negroes carrying the cotton
in from the fields, and placing it on the
cotton gin, while Eli Whitney, who
stands by, is explaining the workings OF
the machine to planter.
A second scene shows the old methods
of manufacturing cloth. The operatives
are at work beating the flax and
preparing it for the looms and spinning
wheels.
a third scene represents coal mine
with the cage working and the miners
digging into the banks Of coal.
A fourth is representation of the I'M
provement in sewing machines. Elias
Howe Is watching the work of one of his
machines, while close by modern ma
chimes are plying, and in another
adjacent group are number OF women,
laboriously sewing by hand.
The fifth group indicates the advance
in the electrical world. Electrician Daft
is represented running dynamo. The
sixth shows the interior Of telephone
and telegraph Office, with operators at
work, and messenger boys running in and
out.
Scene contrasts the old and new meth
ods of manufacturing watches, showing
the improved factories of the present day,
and a kitchen in Switzerland where
watches were made by hand century
ago. -,
The last is an old fashioned saw mill,
with the saw running, logs moving and
children playing near by.
The figures are all operated by an elec-
trio motor, and are constantly in motion.
The centre of the clock is occupied by q
beautiful water color painting ofthe bull
dings of the clock company, while just
above is the handsome dial of the clock.
It is three feet in diameter, and indicates
the days of the week, month and year; (;
the hours, minutes and seconds of the
day; the moons phases and the tides.
Each figure represented is an exact like
ness, and the whole is complete in every
respect.
At the top is handsome carving Of
the Declaration of Independence, with
reproduction of the famous old liberty
bell.
The clock will be sent to the Colum-
bian Exposition in three weeks. It Ia
valued at 100000. The work on it has
been entirely done in secret by the we'll
known designers, D. A. Buck and F. E.
Hubbard. This is one of the most char
acteristic exhibits Connecticut will make
al the experimentation Journal Of
Commerce.