The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1897-11-19
SOME WONDERFUL CLOCKS
ihe ni"rveis OF Astronomical and Chrono.
me'rio!Meohanism-st.J etetsbureI Has
Tmepi-ce With Ninsty-Flve Faces
And Btrne One with Famous
Antomnta.
It'd.

VI course, every Brlton has heard
at one time or other OF tho famous
clock tower adjoining the houses of
parliament No doubt he iGlagines
1t to be a very fine structure, and, as
u matter Of fact, it is regarded as the
best specimen in our country; but
there are many more wonderful
clocks iii existence today, perhaps
not in size, but cer'a' My in their
skillful mechanism.
The most wonderful clook in tie
world is exhibited in st. Petersburg.
Its magniticence may DO imagined
from the fact Of this colossal time.
piece having NO fower than ninety.
i've faces. 1t indicates simultane.
ously the time Of day at thirty dif1'sr-
ont spots on the earth's surface, DO.
sides tho movement Of tho Garth
around the sun, the phasos Of tho
moon, the signs Of tho zodiac, tho
passage over tho meridian Of moro
than fifty stars OF the northern
hemisphere, and the date according
to the Gregoriau, Greok, Mussulmau
and Hobrew calendars. gTho works
took two years to put together after
tho clock had been sent in detached
p; 'ces from Switzerland to Russia.
A certain matchmaker constructed
clock whose mechanism represents
every fifteen minutes oil the activi.
ties OF miniature railway station.
The telegraph operator sends dis.
patch, the doors of tho station open,
tho stationmaster and his assis tant
appear OH tho steps, tho clerks open
the windows and distribute the tick.
eta; several travolors rush toward
the train that comes in at full speed,
In short, until tho train has zone,
the usual stir of such stations is OK.
actly reproduced.
AS tho train leaves, each automa.
ton returns to it's place, and for a
quarter OF an hour everything is
peaceful. The clocks Dimensions
are not known, and it is said to hcve
had six years labor expended upon
it.
Another remarkable clock il that
made by Villingen, the clockmsker
OF the Black Forest, Germany. It.
| shows the seconds, minutes, quarter
hours. hours, days, weeks, month,
seasons. yenrs and leap years to tho
last second Of the year A. ID. 0O0YQ,
besides host of other astronomical,
! geographical and historical facts.
There is celebrated clock towor
ut Borne, in Switzerland. Tho an.
| proaoh OF tho hour ia announced by
tho growing Of Il cock. At tho aamo
tlmo may no seen Mt tho very top of
the tower man clad in n coat OF
mail striking the hours with his
sword on n largo bell, As tho hours
arc striking " troupe Of bears mako
thoir appearance and parade round
tho towor, then mako their exit.
Long atrings Of oarriagoa draw up
overy hour for tho occupants to wit
ness this interesting spectacle.
A gigantic clock, made of cyclic
parts, was shown at q recent oxhibi-
ton held in Paris. Tho hour figures
arc composed Of brightly plated
brunks. All tho smaller wheels re.
volvo by means of geur chains, but
this was only for attraction. The
clock kept excellont time, and struck
hours, half and quarter hours, tho
real mechanism being concealed in
tho base.
At tho time Of tho coronation Of
tho Empress of Russia at Moscow in
l|Z4, she was presented with
watch as wonderful in every partiou.
lar as the famous Strasburg clock.
On the opposite side of the time.
keeping part there was an exact
counterpart Of tho holy sepulcher,
with carved image Of tho Roman
guard, tho scene being viewed
through the glass in the case. Upon
opening tho case the imitation stones
would roll away from the mouth of
tho miniature sepulchor, tho guard
kneel, angels appear at oppo ute sides
OF the opening, and at this time the
music would begin t.; play, in so't,
sweet strains, tho Easter songs so
we'll known to all Russians. Tho
watch only weighed seven ounces.
The maker Of this wonderful piece
OF mechanism is said to have worked
al