The true northerner., 1896-11-04
FAMOUS TIMEPIECES.
CLOCKS os STRANGE MECHANISM
AND CONSTRUCTION.
Many Curious Time Messursrs = Oensvs
Mechanics Have Done Some Wonderful
work = There Are Seven Millions of
Clocks In the United States.


Clocks In the United States.
While there are 1000, 900 clocks In the
United States and probably ten times that
number In the word there are some clocks
which, because of their peculiar working,
attract much attention. The first CON-
plete clock known was made In the thir-
teenth century by a Saracen mechanic
King Alfred In 8S7 measured time by wax
tapers The escapement was invented
about the year 1000 by Gerbert. The first
accurate clock was set up at Hampton
court In 1910, marked by It's maker IN
O." The first astronomical clock was
made about 1900
Clocks were first Illuminated, so that
the hour could be read at night, In 1925,
and the first of this kind was placed In St
Brides, London, In that year. Clocks
were first synchronized by Messrs Barraud
g. Lund so that they could be regulated by
an electric wire from standard clock, and
In November, 1873, they put into operation
in London an electric circuit Of 10S clocks.
The first clock regulated by a pendulum
was made In 1889 by the son Of Galilei
Richard Harris placed clock of this kind
In ST. Paul's in 1641, and Christian Huy-
gems made good ones previous to 1858. The
first clock TO strike the hour was placed In
Westminster In 1863.
A curious timepiece was the one John
Harrison of Foulby, England, made in
1715. Harrison was an early expert, and
won a reward OF 800, 900 offered by the
board Of longitude for a method Of deter
mining the longitude at sea. This clock
was not like the Others for 1t was made
with the sole intention of being curiosity.
Every part of 1t was Of wood, with the ex-
ception of the escapement, which he found
could not be made to work IL constructed
of wood. 1t, however, was success, for,
although made nearly two centuries ago,
1t was running In 1871 at the patent mu-
scum at South Kensington. 1t struck the
hours and indicated the day Of the month
and was an eight day clock.
A strange clock left by Fardoll Is not
only a curiosity, but 1t Is also admired as
a work of art, and 1t, moreover, kept good
time although the mechanism required Is
necessarily complicated 1t Is in shape like
fan, and the time Is shown by blades
opening progressively, which, when all are
spread, close at the twelfth hour The time
covered Is from to 6, 13 blades being
necessary to show the 12 hours. The hour
is denoted by the number of blades that
are exposed.
At 9 O'Clock the fan Is entirely closed
As time progresses the first blade moves
slowly upward, uncovering the next, until
at O'Clock the second blade Is entirely
visible, and SO on until O'Clock is again
reached, when a spring and lever attach
ment returns the fan to the original posi-
tion The movement Is bulky, but Is hid
den behind red plush cushion. The en-
amel painting on the fan Is wonderfully
fine.
M. Plancon devised an amusing clock
which attracted considerable attention at
the Amsterdam exposition. 1t consisted
of tin or metal plate, which would hold
water, with the hours marked about the
rim. When filled with liquid, a small
metal turtle floating In the center regu-
larly pointed To the hours The explana-
tion Is that magnetized disk travelled
about the circle under the water, and the
turtle, with it's small needle concealed be-
meath It's body, was attracted steadily by
the disk and followed it about.
Among the remarkable clocks are those
which run an unusually long time. Herr
Noll, a machanic of Berlanger, Germany,
constructed a clock warranted TO run 1000
years without winding, 1t is said. Mr..
d. l.. Golf, In this country, has In his hall
an old fashioned clock which, so long as
the house Is occupied, never runs down.
Whenever the front door Is opened or
closed, the winding arrangement connect
ed by gears with the clock Is given turn,
so that every person entering the house
aids in keeping it going.
Mr.. L. G.. Farron of Fresno, Cal, in
vented clock the only motive power of
which, he alleges, Is the gravitation Of the
earth, and 1t requires no winding. This
clock consists Of plate glass dial suspend
ed from the ceiling, and all the parts of it
visible are the two hands, the pivot on
which they swing and the dial In 1910
Mr.. j. Smith of Leeds, England, made a
clock the sole motor of which was cleo
tricity He lived to see this clock go for
so years. There is a clock in the Church
of st. Quentin, Mayence, which Is said to
have stopped only once during period of
500 years.
Clocks are now constructed to run five
years with one winding up. In 1881 the
Belgian government placed one of these in
railway station and sealed IL with the
government seal. 1t is said to have kept
admirable time, having been only twice
wound-in 1886 and 1891.
There is certain clock which has sim
gle hand, and 1t was never intended that
IL should have the regular complement. 1t
Is an old one standing In the courtyard of
the palace at Versailles and 1t called
L'Horloge de la Mort du Roi. 1t contains
no works, but consists merely of face in
the form Of a sun surrounded by rays On
the death of king the hand was set to the
moment of his demise and remained unal-
tered till his successor had joined him in
the grave The custom originated under
Louis XIII and continued until the revo-
luton. 1t was revived on the death of
Louis XVII, and the hand continues to
this day fixed on the precise moment of
that monarchs death.
A mechanic of Geneva in the last CEN
tury constructed truly remarkable clock.
1t had figures of "A negro, dog and
shepherd. When the clock struck, the
shepherd played six airs on his flute and
the dog approached and fawned upon him.
When exhibited to the king Of Spain by its
maker, Dros, the king, at his request, took
an apple from the shepherds basket The
dog barked and started the kings dog
barking also New York Journal
They Respected Thomas.
- s.s... a Il