The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-03-29
A WONDERFUL CLOCK.
The Ingenious Timepiece Connecticut Men
Have Built.

| One day recently reception was held
in Waterbury, Conn.,, at which one of the
| most wonderful, if not the most wonder
| full, continuance of mechanical art in this
country was exhibited for the first time.
| Those who were present saw work rep
resenting twelve years skilled labor ex-
pended in original design and application
upon clock which is said to rival that
of the famous Strasburg cathedral, and
is said to have no equal in America.
| In 1881 E. A. Locke, secretary of the
Waterbury Clock Company. conceived
the idea of constructing the clock. and
work upon it was Immediately begun.
| 1t was the original intention of the COM
pany to have it finished and
placed on exhibition at the Paris Expo
sition, in 1889, but the scope of the
undertaking assumed greater proportions
as the work progressed, and it has been
completely only a week.
The timepiece 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 the last century,
every figure being in motion.
The largest scene is in the centre of
the clock. 1t represents the ''train-
ROOM Of the Waterbury Clock Company,
with all the shafting and machinery in
operation and % operatives at work. The
figures go through every motion of work
in that department
| Four scenes are represented on each
side of the clock. The subjects are,
first cotton gin in full operation in
cotton field with negroes carrying
the cotton in from the fields and
placing it on the cotton gin, while Eli
Whitney, who stands by, is ex-
| planning the workings of the ma
chinery to the planter. A second
scene shows the old methods of manu-
featuring CLOTH The operatives are at
work beating the flax and preparing it
for the looms and spinning wheels. A
third scene represents a coal mine with
the cage working and the miners digging
| into the banks of coal.
In a fourth scene is a representation
of the improvement in sewing machines.
Elias Howe is watching the work of one
1
machines are plying, and in another
adjacent group are a number of women
laboriously sewing by hand. The fifth
group indicates the advance in the
electrical world. Electrician Daft is
represented operating dynamo. The
sixth shows the interior of a telephone
and telegraph office with the operators at
work and messenger boys running in
and out.
Scene seven contrasts the old and new
methods of manufacturing watches,
showing the improved factories of the
present day and kitchen in Switzer-
| land where watches were made by hand
a century ago. The last is an old fash
toned saw mill with the saw running,
logs MOVING, and children playing near
by.
The figures are all operated by an
electric motor, and are constantly in
motion The centre of the clock is oc-
cupied by beautiful water color of the
buildings of the clock company, while
| just above is the handsome dial of the
clock. 1t is three feet in diameter, and
indicates the days of the week, month
and year, the hours, minutes and seconds
of the day, and the moons phases and
tides. Each figure represented is an exl
act likeness, and the whole is complete
in every respect. At the the top of the
clock is handsome carving of the ''Dec-
| laration of Indedendence," with re-
| production of the famous old Liberty
| bell.
The clock will be sent to the Column
bian Exposition in three weeks. 1t is
| valued at 100000. The work on it has
been done in secret by D. A. Buck and
| Il r Hubbard