The evening times., 1899-11-27


before the Virgin by means of mechanism
which atithe same time. rang the chimes
of bells and -co:k tapped its wings and
| crowed. After running for many years II
| ceased moving and no one could repair it,
| the works CT this clock are in the Cathe-
dral, and form no part OF the present one
] I'm the year Of l547. strasburg decided
| to build another clock. Three distinguish
ed mathematicians furnished the plan and
| partly superintended the construction. They
| were DR.. Michel Herr, Christian Herlin,
and Nicholas Pruyner who. after preach
ing the reformation at Mulholse and Ben
| field. occupied himself with mechanics and
astrology. They never completed the clock
entirely. Work was resumed on 1t in 1910.
and finished in 1874. Dosypodius. Habrecht.
| and Stemmer were the names Of the
wCrkmen. 1t ceased going in 1888. and re-
mained silent until 1886. when the corpora
tion of Strassburg had native OF the place.
Herr Schmilgue, to undertake its repair.
which was perfected four years later. and
IL has been running constantly ever since
1912.
The following description was secured
from enc Of the Cathedral officials and con-
tains much information not in the guide
book. Let us start right, by saying that
the clock Is not In the steeple. but on
the ground floor inside of the Cathedral
on the left Of the high altar. and is seven
ty-five feet high and eighteen feet wide
at the base and extending cut four feet is
the globe of the world that reyolves every
twenty-fOur hours.
Immediately back of the globe is the
orrery chart Of the Copernican system, rep
resenting the mean tropical revolutions of
each planet. the phases of the moon. the
eclipses of the sun and moon. calculated
forever, the true time and the sideral time.
The sun is central globe revolving around
corner Mercury IN SS days. Venus in 235
days. the earth in 365 days and fraction.
the moon 2S days, Mars 600 days. Jupiter
in II years, and Saturn in % years.
This celestial chart also shows the pro-
cession OF the equinoxes. solar and lunary
equations for the reduction of the mean
geocentric ascension and declension OF
the sun and moon at true times and places.
A dial placed outside OF the church. shows
the hours and days. put in motion by the
mechanism of the clock. Immediately
above is the perpetual calendar on pro-
jecting shelf. Each day brings forth and
remains twenty-four hours a chariot.
driver. and horses. Sunday is represented
by the sun, Monday the moon, Tuesday
Mars. Wednesday Mercury. Thursday Ju-
piter and Saturday by Venus.
Above this is the dial of the clock; on
the right is genii that strikes a bell the
first quarter of the hour. on the left anoth-
er genii that turns over the hourglass OF
sand on the last stroke Of the hour. which
is struck by old age on a bell held by
death situated on projecting shelf above.
Wonderful Mechanism.
I'VE next come to the perpetual calendar
showing the signs of the zodiac and other
astronomical information. Still higher We
next have projecting shelf. in
the centre of which stands the
figure of death with scythe.
and before him bell. At the quarter on
the hour the genii below strikes bell,
this begins the four ages of man, the child
strikes the quarter, youth then comes forth
and passing death strikes the half hour,
and passes away; middle age strikes at
the three quarters. and on the hour old age
passes before death and strikes the bell,
and immediate below the genii turns the
hourglass of sand.
The great mechanical wonder OF the
clock is at the hour of noon. and 10 use
theatrical term. the grand climax. I'm
mediately after old age has struck the bell
the first time. and the genii has turned
the hour glass the entire structure seems
to be imbued into life. At the highest
point of the clock some seventy-hve feet
from the base is projecting shelf on
which and in the centre is carved figure
of Christ. AT the first stroke on the hour of
twelve the apostolic procession begins.
Judas appears. but disappears; Peter
comes and a huge cock TO the right flaps
its wings and crows three times during the
procession. which embraces the twelve
apostles. each passing before Christ and
bowling the hand of the Saviour touching
each head as they pass before him.
Below old age passes death and strikes
the bell. the calendar chariot of the day
enters, and the hour glass is turned. The
solaire lumnarie show a ball representing
the moon; when new moon the ball is
black which slowly becomes white at the
full period. The map of the world. the sun
rises in the east and sets in the west; the
ecclesiastical computer turns once year,
reaching a complete circle the last day of
the wear and indicates the holidays and
feasts.
Portions OF the clock are wound up once
a year the other parts once week. The
clock is protected by ten-fOot fence and
daily there is a big audience at noon TO
see the movements. Patiently and silently
they stand waiting and gazing up at the
wonder of the clock art. AS the hour CT
twelve approaches the interest increases.
As the hand points to twelve the child
strikes the bell the chariot of the day ar
rives, the Apostle Peter appears before
Christ. the cock flaps its wings and crows,
and so on as above described This mon
ster timepiece and ecclesiastical and
astronomical machine goes on in the
brightness of day and solemn darkness of
the night. silently and to all intent and
purpose forever.
Europe has developed considerable
steam in their heels the past few years.
and can put Americans TO their metal in
some things. The great Siberian railway
not over 5.5S2 miles long. has trains pro-
vided with every modern comfort, includ-
ing a church, in which services are cele-
brated on Sunday. OF course the service is
the Greek church, but when Greek meets
Greek-well that is another story.
FRANCE HONORS ST. GAUDENS.