The San Francisco call., 1904-06-12
Largest
Clock
i'm the
World.

~ IXTEEN times larger than any
Ia tfmepiece in the world will be
T the floral clock at the exposition
grounds at ST. Louis. which Is
located in front Of the north entrance
to the Palace of Agriculture. and sepa-
rated from that building by a drive
way, Although it is what is known as
4 floral clock. it will keep accurate
time, for beneath the vines and other
plants. skilled artisans have construct
ed machinery similar to the works OF
a watch, but which ii size bears the
same comparison as does the dino
therium, which once inhabited the mio-
Gene beds Of Europe and Asia, to the
titrnouse OF to-day.
The disk consists Of a circle OF dow-
er beds liz feet in diameter and the
hands are long. green pointers. the larg-
est Of which moves five feet a minute.
At the place where these hands join
in the center, a tall man could lie
down and the surface beneath would
extend four feet beyond his head.
Between the dial ard the Palace Of
Agriculture are three small ornate
buildings. The central one, which Is
II feet square at the base and IA feet
to the cornice line. is of Grecian archi-
lecture, except the roof which Is a
hemisphere u feet in diameter. The
ground color of this roof is azure; 1t Is
dotted with stars and marked with
meridians, to represent the heavens. In
this building is the mechanism that
connects with the underground ma
ehinery and moves the hands. also ths
mechanism that strikes the great bell
The south wall is of plate glass, and
the glass in turn is hidden from view
by a swinging door, except for a few
minutes during every hour. when the
door IS thrown back automatically, re-
vealing the works Within Above the
dome is a figure OF Time.
On the right Of this central building
IS a similar structure, though smaller;
the roof, also a hemisphere, represents
half the earth, showing the western
continents. Within hangs the 7000-
pound bell, which sounds the hours in
deep tones that can be heard all over
the exposition grounds. And II Is at
the first stroke of the bell that the
door swings open, revealing the clock
work
A companion structure stands on the
left of the central building, and within
is an immense hour glass that turns
automatically every hour.
At night these three buildings will be
brilliantly illuminated, and so will be
the dial, to do which electric bulbs will
nestle under the plants that form the
numerals and cover the hands. To
cause the necessary effect, 1000 lights
Will be used.
This clock, in SO Ear as the machinery
goes, is an exhibit OF a Western
mandatory; the floral arrangement
has been planned by the Chief of Ag-
, riculture of the exposition and his
assistants. Following the latest plans,
the inner surface of the dial--the
smaller circle, which is bOrdered by a
white rim containing the numerals
will be of white. low growing flowers
bordered by a thin hedge Of foliage
plants. Within the rim the numerals
of the hours viii be dark. tall foliage
plants thrown into relief by interven-
ing white blossoms. the same as those
growing in the inner circle. The border
of the rim will be a circle Of low
growing flowers. and beyond this again
will be spears Of foliage plants. red
alternating with yellow. which viii in
dicate the seconds. 1900 of the one color
and the same number of the other,
making 5000 in all.
Surrounding the complete circumfer-
ence of the dial on the outside viii be
six feet of lawn. and surrounding this
again win be 4 broad path Of red-col-
Ored earth.
The minute and the hour hands are
long steel trouShs. in which fertilized
earth has been placed 10 supply nour-
ishment to the vines that Will cover
the metal and completely hide it from
view. The minute hand weighs 250o
pounds, and the vines that viii cover
it would hide from view the front of
a large house.
The effect IN the daytime will be that
of a mass of green moving slowly over
a field of white and pointing at brill
Iiant-colored hours and minutes; at
|; night, a glowing Indicator viii move
above glowing numerals. Particulars
Of the great clock:
Diameter OF dial. al...---......--... 1I2 feet.
Length OF minute hand -.-.-..-- 20 feet
Diameter OF the hands across this
center 10 reet.
Minute hand moves each minute feet
Weight Of minute hand d--........ $500 pounds.
Weight OF bell..--................ 900 pounds.
Diameter of bell at mouth. 20 inches.
Height Of bell ...............-.. 90 inches.
Scientific American.