The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-12-24
American Clocks Everywhere,

American-made clocks and watches are
Tow shipped direct from the port OF New
York 10 every quarter of the globe where
civilization has made or is making lis
way. They are for the most part Of q
kind with the nickel alarm clock and the
dollar nickel watch-machine-mad goods,
with which the foreign manufacturer can
not compete. The export demand of this
year has been the greatest the manu-
factUrers have known; they have not re-
sources sufficient to supply the whole Of
ii. The shipments in the months ending
October. aggregate in value nearly ST.
800 0o0 which is the same as saying about
a million and a quarter clocks and watch
es. In 1873 the exports We're valued AT
about s., coo. coo; in 1883 at about SlS05,-
600; and ii is estimated that this year the
value Will reach about $1,7o0.0oo. The
clocks go to Hong Kong, Buenos Ayres.
Bombay, London, Cape Town, Manila,
Arabia, northern Africa-everywheIe
even, in some considerable quantity, 10
Switzerland.
The clock-making Industry IN the Uni
ted States is Just as old as the century.
II is on record, however, that Eli Terry
patented and manufactured an equation
clock in 1891. In 1897 this same Terry en-
tered into d contract with clock-maker
of Waterbury to make 1000 thirty-hour
hands and all, for 81 each. He was given
three years to complete his contract.
There was then a clock-maker at Ply
mouth another at Salem Bridge, and an
other al RoXbury-au distinguished in
their profession. In 1914 Terry perfected
a thirty-hodr clock of a new eonsJruc-
ton: and at once ali the makers took ii
up successfully. Since then the Industry
has rapidly developed. until now one con-
Germ, the Ansonia Clock company, makes
eight clocks and cheap watches min
ute, or 5000 a day, or 100000 year;
and another. the Seth Thomas Clock COM
pany, makes. of clocks alone, two a min
ute, or 200 a day, or 10000 a year. 1t
may be said, in passing, that the cheap
est nickel clock requires $50 landings
to complete
Il estimate" said a manufacturer,
that about 10000 clocks day are made
in the United States. That this enor-
nous supply continues is simply explain
ed. The cheap clock or watch will keep
good time for about two years Then the
oil dries and clogs the wheels; and the
owner buys a new one rather than go TO
the expense of having the old one re-
haired. Here's little clock, called the
'hee.' 1t was invented in twenty minutes,
it has gone all over the world, and l
shouldn't wonder if it held its own In
the market until 20.O00 900 are sold. You
must know that clock-making some time
ago reached a point in progress near per
lection. The important improvements of
recent years have been few.
In ten months of 1898 $1,000 worth OF
clocks and watches were exported TO
China and $4,000 worth to Japan. The
Japanese are teaching themselves clock
making: in the corresponding ten months
of n
and watches were exported TO that coun-
cry. The demand in China, however, has
increased; and it is peculiar concerning
II that nothing but round or octagon-case
clocks can be sold TO the Chinese mer-
hants-old-fashioned wooden, large-dial
clocks. such as have hung in country
school rooms and churches for years, ana
which now must he mace 10 supply TINS
demand. The Chinese are beginning TO
make the cases for themselves, as the
Japanese did long ago; for the most part
only the movements to fit are sent 10
these countries. The amount saved TO the
buyer is extremely small. The manufac-
turers have tried vainly to introduce
clocks of an improved form and move
ment; but there is practically no sale for
ANYTHING other than the octagon style,
which can be shipped in any position
and therefore first made their way so far
East.
A similar attempt to introduce modern
manufactures in Spain has also pracu-
calIy failed. The Spanish demand the
"sharp gothic" form-a mantel clock
with a veneered case and pendulum
movement, which was popular here nifty
wears ago. There is. comparatively. no
sale for any other kind in Spain; such
clocks are made. in these days. chiefly
for that trade. though. Of course, since
their manufacture is continued, they are
sold elsewhere. The Spanish became ia
rniliar with them long ago, tried and
nroved them. and are content with no
other kind OF the $4,000 worth Of clocks
Skinned to Brazil in ten months of this
wear most were in similar form, but In
a case made for hanging on the wall
not for a mantel; for there are no man
tells in South America. On the contrary,
the clocks shipped 10 India are OF the
latest design; the cheap little bee
watch is being sold there in thousands
not that the natives care about the time
of dav. If was said, but find a clock novel
and interesting.
The nickel alarm-clock goes to the
rnining-camps Of Alaska and the Hudson
Rav posts of British North America, and
IN North Africa and Arabia-even to the
tents Of the Bedouins. In the Orient
however, the sale IS small, as 1t Is 70 all
indoIent peoples Queer orders come 10
the manufacturers from such places. The
catalogues Of the various trms drlit
through many countries. being carried 10
this place BY commission salesman. and
to that by travelling merchant. being
LOST and found and traded and sold-gath-
ering business for the firm all the time
Often orders arrive IN New York that
were put in the mail in some out-of-the-
way corner Of the world six or nine
months before: it turns out usually that
the selection IS made from long out
of-date catalogue. and sometimes II hap
mems that the clocks are ont OF date,
too. being made no more at all N2fn
such orders are filed. the Dacking-caseS
are wired tightly rs they are IN all ship
rrents TO eastern countries: FOR the
thieves are many, and find II easv -
loosen board and abstract clocks from
the cases in transit.
In the foreign shipping room q 4 clock
company IN New York. the other GAY.
cases were addressed 70 merchants in
calcutta. Toxic. Bombay. Dutch West
indies. Cape Town. Hong Kong RIO 90
Janeiro Havana. Manila. and many other
cities in ali parts ~ the w0rif fF'H
these distributing points the CLOCKS ara
+slan into the smaller interior towns.
where they find places fl the houses =
tho naonle. Exports 70 various countrles
for the first ten months % iSe9 were az
follows. France 81 Germany f'lsz3.
Tinted Kingdom. $50 AZ China S-zas- ia
nan 81 t7s Africa t5ag71.
About Eve years ago the u1anufacinrers
NJ the crean American clocks 1rsf began
20 recognize the German compeH'i1r-
German workue1 who had been employ
81 an The American factories rad dFifted
hack 10 their native la1d. carving al
tAa details % the machiue-v ard methods
~ manufacture l1 their ml75s Wow. II