The professional world. (Columbia, Mo.) 1901-192?, 1901-12-06
A CLOCK.
Description of the Product of Ger
man Matchmaker.

and art, consisting of an astronomical
and calendar clock. Twenty-four years
ago he was fired to attempt the task by
a study of the famous neurological mon
ument at Strasburg cathedral. He i'm
mediately began to execute his design
to excel even this surprising piece OF
ingenuity. For 10 years be devoted all
mis- time to the project. At n time,
his means being of the scantiest char
acter, he had no alternative but to
sell by degrees everything he could
spare. His wife, being extremely in
dignant at this procedure, brought her
complaints before the local magistrate.
He promised her his help, being con-
WINGED that a mans mind must be de-
ranged who thought he could make an
astronomical calendar clock ever sur
passing that of Strasburg. His mental
activity and financial and domestic
troubles told upon the patient work.
er, and at last his friends declared him
insane. At the thought of parting from
his clock he became more excited. He
was forthwith put into a straight waist
coat and sent to a lunatic asylum. AT
length he managed to regain his liberty
on the understanding that he remained
under police surveillance. He found
that his home was no place for him, so
he journeyed to Carlsruhe, Baden, TAX
ing the clock and his tools with him.
In this town he obtained, with the as
s~istance OF a privy councillor, free board
and lodgings at the permanent Indus
trial exhibition. After a stay OF IL
months he lost his place of refuge, and
fled with his work by night to his son
in Switzerland. In Carlsruhe he had
been able to make some small savings,
and a few friends gave him assistance.
The German emperor, though his
majesty thought his task hopeless, sent
him a sum of money. At last the clock,
however, was finished, but the con-
structor had no funds for the case. On
this occasion a parish priest came for
ward with generous and unselfsh help,
and the project was completed.
1t is claimed that this clock is as
wonderful for it's artistic beauty and
workmanship as for its ingenious
mechanical arrangements. 1t is in
closed within glass, so that it's every
movement can be seen. 1t consists of
2,200 parts, 112 of which are wheels.
Every detail is the watchmaker's w
5 handiwork. The clock indicates the
seconds, minutes, hours, dates, the days
= of the week, month, II the seasons of
Y the year, the pictures Of the signs of the
. zodiac, the sun, moon and stars, and
. the rising and setting, as well as the
exact position of the celestial bodies
t 1t shows, besides, the moon phases, all
t the eclipses of the sun and moon. Its
calendar, it is urged, will last forever
with minute accuracy. At the begin.
n r;,,r 4f tho uoor ~ Gvoc hu ifca1f thf
statements of the astronomical practi'
: TONERS in explanation Of the everlast
n ing calendar, as well as Easter, and the
changeable festival days for the com
A ing year. A glass ball, representing
S the spherical globe exactly, shows thu
movements and positions Of the planets
Mercury, Venus, earth and moon, Mars
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus.
The work is beautified by over 10
movable pictures and figures. Ever,
quarter of an hour the figure of
guardian angel appears on the lef
side of the principal field. The strik
ing of the quarter is lone by tw,
angels, standing in the second recess o.
the left, while in the sixth recess twt
figures at a time, representing the fOu
ages Of men, are changing alternate
". On the right side of the principa
field the angel of death advances, point
ing with his scythe to the dial plate
When the full hour strikes the cente
angel of the second recess appears
holding an %hourglass, while the ange
on the right side above is sounding
trumpet. Under the roof an allegorics
figure represents s~ymbo1ically the RICH
season of the year, while above in tn
principal field the guiding star of tn
year appears. On the left side of tn
cabinet stands a cock, which, five mir
utes before noon beats its wings, stooI
its neck, opens it's beak, and crow
three times.
When the picture shows "sprine
there appears a cuckoo above; with I'll
season summer a quail comes fort
on the left side, both calling seve
times. When the picture autumn" al
pears a >bull lying at the feet of IL
evangelist st. Luke roars, and whe
winter" is indicated a lion, which Ii,
close to st. Mark, raises its voice. E.
cry time the clock strikes ~, Chris
bending his head, appears with his
apostles, and a monk, standing in Il
portal below, rings his ave"
The work contains also a sma
chime, which plays five minutes aft
the striking of an "even" hour, Il
melodies changing and each lasting OF
minute. This work has IL little bell
and on the roller there are 997 pin
which make the music.
Now that the patient worker has fiji
ished his task, he has been unable
find anyone to buy it from him.