Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-12-17
WORLDS WONDERFUL CLOCKS.


OF course everyone has heard at one
time or another of the famous clock
tower adjoining the houses Of parlia-
ment. No doubt he imaslues 1t TO be n
very fine structure, and, us a matter of
fact, 1t 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
certainly in their skillful mechanism.
The most wonderful clock in the
world is exhibited In St Petersburg.
Its magnincence may be imagined
from the fact of this colossal time
piece having no fewer than ninety five
fnces II indicates simultaneously the
time Of day mt thirty points on inc
earth's surface. besides the movement
ment of the earth around the sun, the
phases OF the moon, the signs OF the
zodiac the passage over the meridian
OF more than fifty stars of the north
ern hemisphere ana the date. accord
ing TO the Gregorian, Greek. Mussul-
man and Hebrew calendars. Thi
works took years to put together after
the clock had been sent in detached
pieces from Switzerland to Russia.
A certain matchmaker constructed
clock whose mechanism represents
every Is minutes. all the activities OF "A
miniature railway station. The tele-
rraph operator sends dispatch, the
doors of the station open, the station
master and his assistant appear on the
steps, and clerks open the windows
and distribute the tickets; several tray
elers rush toward the train that comes
in at full speed. In short, until the
train is gone the usual stir of such sta
lions is exactly reproduced.
As the train leaves each automaton
returns to It's place, and for quarter
of nn hour everything is peaceful. The
clocks Dimensions are not known, but
IL is said to have had six years labor
expended upon II.
Another remarkable clock is that
made by Villlngen, the clockmaker of
the Black Forest, Germany. II shows
the seconds minutes. quarter hours
hours, days, weeks, months, seasons
years and leap years TO the last second
OF the year 9go99, besides a host OF
other astronomical, geographical and
historical facts.
There is celebrated clock tower at
Berne in Switzerland. The approach
of the hour is announced by the crow
ing of cock At the same time may
be seen at the very top OF the tower
man clad in a coat of mail striking the
hours with his sword on large bell
AS the hours are striking troupe of
hears make their appearance and
their exit, Long strings of carriages
draw up every hour for the occupants
to witness this interesting spectacle.
gigantic clock. made OF cycle parts
was shown at n recent exhibition held
In Paris. The hour figures are com
posed 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 struckHhours, half and quar-
ter hours, the real mechanism being
concealed In the base.
At the time of the coronation Of the
empress of Russia at MOSCOW. in 1924
she was presented with Il watch as
wonderful in every particular as the
famous Strasbourg clock. On the OPP
posite side of the time keeping part
there was an exact counterpart of the
holy sepulcher, With carved image
OF the Roman guard. the scene being
Viewed through thel glass in the case.
Upon opening the case the imitation
stones would roll away from the mouth
of the miniature sepulcher the guard
kneel the 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
weighed only seven ounces. The maker
of this wonderful piece of mechanism
is said to have worked upon 1t almost
uninterruptedly for u period of nine
years.-Tit-B