The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-08-04
A MARVELLOUS CLOCK
THE WONDERFUL MECHANISM IN
THE sTRAsBURG CATHEDRAL.
Astronomical Phenomena DeIineated
AT Noon of Each Day the Apos-
ties Pass before the Savior.
New York Morning Journal.

had opportunity Of observing IL in on
Grafton could ever form an adequate idea
of its wonderful complexity, ingenuity and
exactness, as well as its remarkable beautv
as a work OF art
The Cathedral OF Strasburg. where the
clock Is placed. Is itself one of the princi
pal objects OF interest in all Europe. Its
spire is the highest in the world being
46S feet above the level of the cathedral
floor and twenty-five feet higher than the
Pyramid Of Ghizch, in Egypt. But grand
and majestic as is this wonderful specimen
OF medieval architecture. II fails to interest
the spectator as does its marvellous clock.
Cathedrals Of singular beauty and wealth
OF intricate ornament there are without
number, but the Strasburg clock is unique
Of its kind.
Preceding the construction Of the CLOCK
two others had been erected in the cath.
dral the first in 1924 the second, begun
IN 1871, was. on account OF many Interrupt
tons, not completed until 1874, and was the
one that gave rise to the legend that Jo-
eias Habreeht. who constructed the works.
mad been made blind by the magistrate. or
Mayor Of Strasburg, that he might never
be able 10 construct such another. This
story was. OF course. entirely a fabrication.
This clock was restored in 1859 and again in
1872. II ceased to work in 1889 and was re-
moved and set up in the Frauenhaus, in the
Place de la Cathedrale. In Strasburg Both
or these clocks were wonderful Illustrations
or mecnanIcaI skin and contained many or
the curious features which distinguish their
successor.
The present astronomical clock was begun
June "A, 1888, started on its working career
on October 2, 1872, when the tenth Scientific
Congress OF France held its session at
Strasburg. and was solomnly inaugurated
on December 81 of the same year.
II was constructed BY j. b. SchwiIgue
VINO was Its sole inventor. and who en-
ployed in its construction no part of either
OF the old clocks. At the base of the clock
Is celestial sphere. which indicates the
sldereal or star time on a disk. or dial
plate. The sphere Is made of copper is
supported by four metal columns and is
arranged for the latitude OF Strasburg
All the fixed stars TO the sixth magnitude
10 the number Of more than five thousand
are here represented in their true positions
on field which displays the celestial can
opy. They are grouped in ITO constella-
tons, easily recognized The sphere re-
wolves from east to west in exactly one
sidereal day, being three minutes and fifty
six seconds less than a solar day. 1t car
ries with ii the celestial equator. ecIiptic
and solstitial and equin0ctial solures, while
tionary
The mechanism which works this astro-
no1nical feature is of such precision as to
show the considerations as they rise and
set IN the meridian OF Strasburg. just as
these movements can be seen by the naked
eye.
PERPETUAL CALENDAR.
Immediately behind the celestial sphere
Is metallic band. ring-shaped, having a
circumference OF nearly thirty feet and
bearing on a gold ground the necessary
features of perpetual calendar. with the
names or saints. dominica letters, fasts
and feasts. etc. 1t advances every day ex-
aetly at noon 10 its proper position as
changed by the passage Of twenty-four
hours A statue of Apollo at the right of
the calendar points perpetually with an
arrow al the name OF the SAINT and the
DAY or the year of the existing day.
On the opposite side Diana, as goddess of
the night. STANDS as a pendant 10 the sun
god. The calendar makes its revolution in
BIO or 1856 days, according as the year is
common or bissextile, and operates with
It's own mechanism TO suppress the requi-
site three days in four hundred years of the
actual calendar. Between Dec. u and Jan.
and thereafter IL bears the words, Begin
ming OF the common year." except in a bis
sextile year, when the word common
disappears and Feb. p appears when due
Four figures. painted by the old artist. To-
bias Simmer. at the four corners, repre-
sent in character the four ancient mon
arches, Persia, Assyria, Greece and Rome
Within the band which presents the cal
endar are shown the common time. the
movements of the sun and moon, rising and
setting. the revolution of the latter around
the earth, it's right ascension. passage of
the meridian, phases, and, finally, the
eclipse of both sun and moon as these .oc-
cur. The two luminaries are represented,
the sun by a gilt disk with rays, the moon
by little globe, silvered On one side and
these figures is in exact relation TO the APP
parent dimensions OF the heavenly bodies
they represent
In the center OF the dial plate is a figure
OF the earth shown b. its northern hem
isphere with all the countries between the
equator and the pole. serving to indicate
the passage of the and moon over the
meridian OF each OF these countries. Dur
ing an eclipse of the moon the dark side
of the moon is turned toward the soecta-
tor. while an eclipse OF the sun is shown by
fits being obseured in exact agreement with
the nature Of the slipse total, partial or
annular.
are represented by appropriate hgures,
which pass before the spectator during
each day: Apollo In his chariot on sun
Sy S two D'a doves. for fo Monday Mars. armed
and equipped for war. on Tuesday; Mercury.
messenger of the gods, with MS caduee us
with thunderbolts. on Thursday; Venus.
accompanied by Cupid. on Friday. and SAT,
Sr armed With bd seyene o aha IN 10 tne be old
myth. representing Saturday and symDollz-
ing the devouring8 and irresistible character
OF Time
On both sides of that part of the struc
ture presenting the days Of the week are
beautiful paintings, picturing the Creation;
the Triumph of Faith and Virtue THESE
paintings are accompanied by appropriate
passages taken from the Bible.
THE GALLERY OF LIONS.
Next above is a balcony, which is called
the Gallery of Lions. from the fact that ii
Is guarded at either extremity by a superb
lion carved in wood. One holds within his
paws the crest and the other the escutch-
con OF the arms of Strasburs. The center
Of this gallery is occupied by a dial, the
acnlal clock face OF the structure. which
gives the common time TO the citizens or
Strasburg. The dial derives its motions
direct from the central power which gov
ems the whole structure. while the other
Two. sidereal and apparent times, are res
mated by intermediate mechanicism, in turn
moved by the central motor, which Is
wound up every eight days.
ON either side OF the clock face there sits
ngure termed a genius, or geni. The one
on the right OF the spectator holds in one
hand a sceptre, and in the other bell. on
which he strikes the first blow for every
quarter of an hour. The gent on the left
holds hour glass filed with red sand,
which he turns every hour. The striking
OF the first blow for the quarter hour Is
followed at each quarter by other auto
nations. who make their appearance in
compartment and strike each his particular
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