The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-12-09
REMARKABLE CLOCKS {
MADE BY AN EXPERl.
One Timepiece Built Out Of Paper, Another
Of Logs and Twigs-Curiosities in
the National Museum.

down to timepieces so minute that thsy
could be placed in a small wine glass.
Although NJ Bouilat sells these prod
ucts of his skill nevertheless the maxi
Ing OF them is. in a sense. fad. A tall
ented horologist and fairly well-to-do. ne
long since wearIed OF the ordinary work
attaching 10 his trade, and began expert
mentlng on the production OF new and
unusual designs His workshop Is q ver-
table treasure trove OF odd mechanical
marvels, and many OF his productions
grace the salons OF some OF the weaIthiest
people in France
Two of Mons. Boulat's latest triumphs
are clock made OF wood and one fash
Toned entirely OF old newspapers
The first OF these he calls a ''rustsc
clock" and In appearance II Is n curious
compound OF great rough logs, twigs and
pieces OF wire. At first glance nothing
much more different from n clock could
be imagined, but on closer inspection II II
evident TO the practiced eve that the
wooden mass. though rough ana crude. Is
perfect tmepiece, constructed on SCI
entihc principles and with a skill that re-
fleets credit on its creator.
Inc wooden clock possesses all the nee
essary parts, although they are simple,
almost primitive, Two small logs of Are
wood. fastened crosswise, constitute the
base, and two upright sticks solidly con-
reception OF the aroors The mechanism
consists OF motor weight. a four-armed
wheel and encasement rack. a pendulum
and two pulleys one of which has a crank
and handle for winding A dial and
hands. with the dial work. complete tho
ensemble.
All Is OF wood. except the wheel range
or the rack which IL Of metal. The motor
weight II suspended from the drum of she
four-nrmed wheel. which occupies the
central part Of the clock. The force IL
transmitted to the pendulum. and tho
motion work by wire four and a half
meters IN length, rolled on one hand on
the arbor of the rack. and on the other
attached 10 one OF the arms Of the wheel
The pendulum Is attached to a wire OF
which the length IL regulated by means Of
| pn at the top OF the frame The
winding Is effected by means OF pulley
| placed at the lower part OF the oonstruc-
tion and connected with the axis OF tho
escapement wheel by an endless wire
| The motion work IL operated with the aid
OF pinfon of three leaves acting on a
cannon pinion or sevcrty-two teeth. which
| revolves once an hour. This pinion Ia on
| the arhnr Of the escapenent rack. so that
tho latter makes twenty-four revolutions
an hour; az 1t has 100 teeth, the virtual
! length of the pendulum Is about SOS GEN.
| timetors. The wheel revolves once In four
hours.
The clock keeps excellent time, and does
| not vary more than two minutes In n
| week. remarkable result when tho
character ~ the construction Is taken into
| consideration
Equally wonderful is the clever French-
mans newspaper clock" This II made
entirely from old newspapers. case. PEN
dnlum. dial wheels and all the operating
mechanism quantity or old newspa-
perN collected Mt RI ndnpu wae mad. t.t,.
pulp. mixed with certain chemicals and
hardening substances and baked hard.
In this condition II was as hard as steel,
but extremely brittle and difficult TO work.
Nevertheless. by great care and the use
OF specially prepared tools. Boulat was
able 20 Gu, out the posts, wheels. teeth,
etc. The pendulum rod and other large
pieces were made by casting into mods
The newspaper clock does not run with
the same accuracy as Its rustic rival. but
under the circumstances the wonder In
that II goes al all.
clock made entirely OF straw attract
ed general attention some years ago. "
Boullat frequently receives commissions
from wealthy Parisiannes 10 execute
clocks I'm precious metals and stones He
has made them entirely OF gold and sill
yer with diamond tipped hands. and ru-
bles Karnets pearls, opal-. ensralds and
other precious stones TO represent the ng-
urcs. Some OF these clocks especially the
smaller ones are vefitahle art gems.
one 81 the most curious collections in
the National museum in Washington IL
that Of antique and primitive methods Of
recording time. sun dials, hour glasses.
water clocks and old watches are among
these devices, and a Chinese gsomantio
compass. snuth-pointing needle and .
Persian astroiabe are 'tnrown In