New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-09-26
THE CLOCK WINDER'S CALLING
WHIMs OF SOME OF HIS PATRONS, WHOSE
TIMEPIECES HE LOOKS AFTER

Clock winding seems a simple enough task to
be performed ty owners for their respecti"s
timepeces, but there are many people who find il
sufficiently burdensome to make them delegate Il
to some one else. Hence has arisen the profes.
sion Of clock -winder, which as yet claims prob.
ably fewer members than any other calling In
the city. For some years jewellers nave attend.
ed TO the repairing Of clocks which they sold, and
bayo oven looked after the winding, where this
was especially desired. But they never tried to
obtain this kind Of business, and 1t was done
merely as an accommodation to their customers.
Now there is at least one man In Ne"-fork-
there may be more. though not many-whose
only OCCUPATION is the winding, regulating and
occasional cleaning Of clocks for numerous fami.
lies lie makes daily rounds so as to cover his
entire route but he never visits the same house
oftcner than once a week. On that day his COM
ing is expected and he has free access TO all the
rooms whether they are occupied at the time or
not Through the various halls ana apartments
he goes from the top OF tle house 10 the bottom,
winding the clocks and giving a t0uth mere and
there to a regulator, where he ilnds 1t necessary.
OF course he does not pay any attention to the
LITTLE nickel alarm clocks, which run for only
che day. His care being given weekly, is spent
uron the eight day clocks, Of more expensive de.
sign and workmanship.
The clock-winder whom The Tribune reporter
saw had several stories to tell about the pur-
suit Of his occupation. Some people very
particular about the striking Of their clocks he
said. They will ash me If can't arrange to
have all the timepieces in the house strike to-
g.ther Now as general thing. That is an inn
possibility and III tell you why Some clocks
are arranged to strike just half minute before
far q on a "A N
some for few seconds after the hour and so on.
You soc if fixed them so that they would
strike together they would not be exactly to-
gother In point Of actual time. which IS more
iuportant In one house my list the family
owns twenty clocks. OF these | Suppose five or
six-perhaps mOre-strike in unison and the
others all within a minute. Ny orders in this
house are to have all the clocks, except one, at
precisely the correct time This odd one is the
timepiece in the bedroom Of the mistress of the
house and she wishes it kept three minutes fast
think that is the only instance among my Gus
toners Of anybody who wants clock perpctu-
ally fast. and am very certain there is no one
who asks me TO keep one slow.
when undertake the care Of the clocks in a
house nobody else is allowed to touch them. and
the servants in particular have orders never to
move or interfere with them in any way. Some
times this is done accidentally and II is hard
To- find out how the clock has been injured.
few months ago lost one ~ my best houses be-
cause there was one clock which could not seem
to put in proper order. | would take it away,
clean il thoroughly and look 10 every small
est Tart Of the mechanism: apparently 1t made
no difference; the clock positively refused t. run
right. Finally. | gave ii up and that family had
a mighty poor opinion Of my abilities as a clock
rcpairer Some weeks after that | came across
a clock in another house which acted IN exactly
the same way. | wa puzzled FOR a "hl!e.
Finally. / noticed that ii always stopped IN Fri
days. That was queerer than ever, until by
chance hit upon the solution OF the mystery
The servant while busting the room on that day,
vas in the habit of passing her cloih alonS the
mantle under the clock This would have made
no difference with many timepieces. but this one
had an open bottom, through which the tip OF
the pendulum projected. The busting cloth jus:
touched this enough to stop it. The girl did not
know what she had done. and thus the family
were mystiiied anew each week by finding that
the clock would not go On Friday.
II clean all my clocks regularly once In two
years. and in that way keep them in proper
running order. Most people think that it IS just
as well to let clock run until it stops fairly
clogged up with dirt but that isn't 50. t'y that
time it may be so bad tnat 1t will be- impossible
ever To make ii accurately as il did
before.
IL am usually paid by the month 10 take entire
charge OF all the clocks I'm house. il being
understood that | make weekly visits. Some
times, though, am employed by the year. In
the case OF the house was telling you ot. where
they have twenty clocks. they pay me $lVO annu-
ally for the work. II takes a good deal OF my
time I'm the coursp Of twelve months and don't