The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-01-14
b Be Tried by Superinten-
dent Knight.

II Superintendent Knight of the street
lighting department could say, LET
there be light" and there was light
light on the city hall clock; a goodshare
Of the troubles of this life would slip
from the shoulders of that worthy Off
cal. But unfortunately there are some
things that may not be, and these are
those.
In the street lighting department ev-
srything from an appropriation up has
10 be fought for, and the city hall clock
has resolved itself into battle between
nights, with Superintendent Knight on
one side, single-handed and alone, and
all the dark nights in the 1856 arrayed
on the other.
The problem is a vexatious one-very.
What is needed is light--light on all
four sides of it, and Superintendent
Knight now has under consideration a
scheme which bids fair to land him the
victorious Knight.
Since the lighting of the clock faces
on the city hall tower was first pro-
posed, various schemes have been tried,
and all have alike proved unsuccess-
full. The searchlight scheme was tried,
but beneath the wandering rays Of that
project the clock coyly covered her face
with her hands, and at last, after per-
sstent chasing and sparkling, her re-
serve partially melted, and she yielded
a portion of her best face to the feeble
glow that streamed across Main street.
But that was all; there she drew the
live Af. fx,ar M. hull
doing proved successful in max ing
that bashful face visible to homeward
bound club members after IL p. m.
Without attempting to cast any re-
Election upon either the clock or its
various faces, it is evident even to a
cross-eyed man that a clock in that
condition is of little real value, and
Superintendent knight has worked
faithfully upon the problem in an eff
fort to arrive at a satisfactory solu-
ton Of it.
Yesterday he had planned to place
in position over the north face of the
clock, three sixteen candle power
lamps with refieetors behind each
lamp as a temporary arrangement to
test the efficiency of Il plan he has UNI
der consideration. Preparations We're
made yesterday for the experiment, the
work being placed in the hands of
Plummer, Ham & Richardson. The
weather was such, however, late in the
afternoon that it was found impracti-
cable to attempt the experiment, and
1t was postponed to this afternoon
The plan is to lower from the top OF
the tower a wooden framework curved
TO the shape of the top of the circle
OF the clock face, and having the six
teen candle power lamps fixed in 1t,
This framework is to be large enough
TO roach from 10 to 2 over the top or
the clocks face. and after it has been
lowered to the desired position it is
TO be held in position by ropes.
The theory is that the three mean
descent lights arranged in a semi cir
cular form over the clocks face will
throw downward light which will rem
Der visible every portion of the clock
lace. If this theory proves correct,
steps will be taken ID place the lamps
IN position for permanent service.
The method by which this is to be
Gone was explained to a Spy reporter
by SUPERINTENDENT knight, yesterday
1t has been submitted to Mayor Dodge
who offers no objections to it, and 1t
has also been submitted to the city en-
sineer. who says he considers it very
feasible. The plan is to cut through
the wall of the city hall tower JUST
above each face of the clock three holes
large enough TO admit the passage
through them of an electric light ana
lis reflector 1t is planned to have the
lights and its rehectors backed up by
large wooden plugs, which shaH JUS
oil the holes in the walls. Throug