The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-03-08

for the maker and conferred upon him
several distinctions, as well as granting
him pension. The case Of the watch
was made of china, while the works We're
simply composed Of the odds and ends
accompanying the old cup. Not only did
il keep good time, but only required
winding once every three or four days
This remarkable watch is believed to be
still In the possession Of the Russiirn royal
family.
A most peculiar watch, made about the
year 1900, is of silver, which has strongly
oxidizod since, and has the shape of skull.
TO open il the lower jaw and set of teeth
had TO be pulled downward, when the
cover Of the watch proper opened, as
shown TO the right Of the cut. The face
was curiously ornamented with a repre-
sentation of the Last Judgment within
the circle of Roman numerals, and the
whole was carried like a locket by ring
attached TO the top of the skull Another
curious specimen of an old timepiece is
the pocket sun dial made by lie Marie, in
Paris, before 1900 The entire instrument
- VI opliN SilNil anu WY oi NiotiShiis
chased and engraved. 1t is perfect even
now, and is provided with "A compass and
an arm giving the angles at which the
dial should be set for the various lati-
tudcs. The entire dial could be folded
together into a small space and con-
yeniently carried in the pocket.
AMERICAN MASTERPIECES.
A very handsome clock has recently
been placed i'm the southeast angle of the
Broad street station, at Philadelphia. 1t
is a work of art from the hands Of Carl
Bitter. The clock is of terra Gotta entirely,
that Is, of course, all but the works, and
IL roposes on the wall on IA level with the
entresol. The dial, which is of terra Gotta,
Is four feet i'm diameter, and is supported
on one side by heroic figure representing
CONN cree, and on the other side by an
other heroic figure symbolizing prosperity.
Directly under the dial, and also support
ing it, is a magnificent figure of Mercury.
Sitting astride of the broad dial is
chubby Cupid, who holds in his hand
large electric lamp to make the clock face
bright at night The hands, which are
handsomely nodded are also of terra Gotta.
There is in st. Louis clock that for
and accuracy surpasscs the
historic one of Benjamin Franklin The
Is shaped like an elongated
horseshoe, about two and one half feet i'm
height, and from its center hangs n wheel
four and one half inches in diameter and
one inch wide. This wheel is inclosed by
glass so as to be air tight. Along its
inner circumference are 16 small parti-
tions, connected with each other by means
of IA puncture the size Of pin hole. The
wheel turns on an axle six inches long
about which is coiled the thread by
which the wheel is suspended. Now if
the l6 partitions were empty, there would
be nothing to prevent the thread about
the axle uncoiling and the wheel falling
down. As n counterforce therefore, eight
Of the partitions Gse filled with alcohol
and when the thread begins TO unwind
the alcohol on one side is higher than
on the other. Consequently, the force
Of gravity acts TO prevent the string
from untwisting further. 1t is here that
the pin holes come i'm for as the alcohol
slowly oozes through them i'm order TO
seek the proper level, the thread unwinds
a little more, the one side is again raised
slightly and so the thread by scarcely
steps slowly descends. On
-he scale figured out in this instrument,
i takes just 12 hours for the wheel to
descend the distance of two feet. 1t can
hen be easily wound up again by twist
ng back the thread upon the axle. To
mark the exact time of day there is con-
itructed upon one side of the frame a
straight dial with divisions as close as
i've minutes. A single hand balanced
ipon the axle of the descending wheel,
POINTS the time upon the scale.
Mr. Nathan Allgood of Boswell, Georgia,
las clock which has been running and
,eeping correct time for period of 12O |
ears, and it has never been out of fix but |
nee During the war "a soldier broke a |
og out of one of its wheels which gave it |
years rest. Mr. Allgood had il repaired |
md IL is now doing full duty. The run
llnR RciT IL an vi NOou anu tLc HIS
n ancient appearance.
A Geneva clock maker has just per-
ected and patented speaking watch. 1t |
an application of the phonograph to |
he old fashioned repeater whose springs |
nd hammers have been replaced by disk |
vulcanized India rubber. As the point |
lovcs over the surface it emits articulated |
Dunds, indicating the hour, being an ex-
ct reproduction of those produced on
ylinder by the human voice, which can
D heard in an adjoining room.
In the shop of a St Petersburg watch
laker human-faced clock is on view
no only one of its kind. The hands are
ivoted on its nose, and any message that
lay bc spoken into its ears is repeated by
phonograph through its mouth. A
ock on exhibition in the same city last
nar had ninety-fve faces indicating si-
the time mt thirty five differ
lt spots of the earth's surface, besides
lc movements of the earth and planets.
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