Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-12-04
soxe woxoeasul CLOCKS.
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OF course every Briton has heard at
one time or other OF the famous clock
tower adjoining the houses Of Parlia-
mert. No doubt he imagines IT to be q
very fine structure, and, as a matter of
fact, it is regarded as the best speci-
men in our country: but there are
many more wonderful clocks in exist
ence today. perhaps not In size. but
dertainly in their skilful mechanism.
The most wonderful clock In the
world Is exhibited in st. Petersburg. It's
magniflcence may be imagined from
the fact of this colossal timepiece hav-
ing no fewer than IS faces. 1t indi-
Gates simultaneously the time Of day a:
30 points on the earth's surface, beside
the movement CT the earth around the
sun. the phases of the moon. the sign
OF the zodiac, the passage over tn ,
meridian Of mole than 30 stars Of the
northern hemisphere, and the date, ac-
cording to the Gregoyian. Greek. Mus
sulman. and Hebrew calendars. The
works took two years to put together
after the clock had been sent in de-
tached pieces from Switzerland to
Russia.
a certain matchmaker constructed
clock whose pachinism represents,
every Il minutes. all the activities Of a
miniature railway station. The tele-
graph operator sends a dispatch, the
doors OF the station open. the station
master and his assistant appear on the
steps, the clerks open the windows and
distribute the tickets: several travel
ers rush toward the train that comes in
at full speed In short. until the train
has gone the usual stir of such stations
is exactly reproduced.
AS the train leaves each automaton
returns to its place, and for a quarter
Of an hour everything is peaceful The
clocks dimensions are not known, but
IL is said to have had six years labor
expended upon it.
Another remarkable clock is that
made by Villingen. the clockmaker Of
the Black Forest. Germany. 1t shows
the seconds. minutes. quarter hours.
days. weeks. months. seasons. years.
and leap years to the last second of the
year 99999. besides host OF other as
Economical. geographical and histori-
cal facts.
There is "A celebrated clock tower at
Berne. In Switzerland. The approach Of
the hour Is announced by the Growing of
cock. AT the same time may be seen
at the very top of the tower man claG
in n coat of mail. striking the hours with
his sword on a large bell. As the hours
are striking. a troupe of bears make their
appearance and parade around the tower.
then make their exit. Long strings of
carriages draw up every hour for the
occupants to witness this interesting
spectacle.
a gigantic clock. made of cycle parts.
was shown at recent exhibition held in
Paris. The hour figures are composed of
brightly plated cranks. All the smaller
wheels revolve by means of gear chains,
but this was only for attraction. The
clock kept excellent time, and struck
real mechanism being concealed in the
base.
AT the time of the corona ton of the
Empress of Russia at Moscow in 1924. she
was presented with a watch as wonderful
in every particular the famous StraS-
bourg clock. On the opposite side of the
time-keeping part there was an exact
counterpart of the Holy Sepulchre. with
a carved image of the Roman guard. the
scene being viewed through the glass in
the case. Upon opening the case the inn
itation stones would roll away from the
mouth of the miniature sepulchre. the
guard kneel. angels appear at opposite
sides of the opening, and at this time the
music would begin TO play. in soft sweet
strains the Easter songs so well known
to all Russians. The watch only weighed
seven ounces. The maker of this wonder
full piece of mechanism is said to have
worked upon 1t almost uninterruptedly
for a period of nine years.