Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1909-06-03
MARVEL OF A CLOCK,
Unique TimepieCe Made by a
Cripple In Ohio.
1T PLAYS DELIGHTFUL MUSIC.

Gives Weather Predictions and Con-
tinuous Show of Moving Pictures.
Shows Niagara In Operation, a Naval
Display and Uncle Sam Taking a
Walk.
AS an Easter surprise for its patrons
the management of the Hotel st. Re-
gis. in New York, recently purchased
a unique and remarkable clock for the
main drawing room of the hotel. The
clock was made in a little Ohio town
by a crippled workman, who spent
four years in its construction and
whose only tools We're scroll saw, a
jackknife and file.
Manager Gus Il. Schmidt of the st.
Regis, who heard of the clock in the
west, where he inspected 1t, said:
"The clock is wonder. 1t is twelve
feet four inches high, four feet four
inches wide and twenty-nine inches
deep one large dial gives the stand
ard time, while directly beneath it is n
dial which shows the changes of the
moon and gives the government
weather indications for twenty-four
hours in advance.
by watching the clock one sees
handsome pictures of the ships in the
United States navy pass behind a
glass. The history Of Christ is shown
from the nativity to the ascension by
pictures painted by the maker.
"An interesting feature of the clock
is n miniature Niagara falls, with real
water, the color of which appears to
change. Just below are an electric foun-
tain and an arch, which produce Il
beautiful effect. Flags appear on
staffs in front of the dial and indicate
the kind of weather expected twenty
four hours in advance. The weather
reports are produced by a thermome-
ter. a barometer, n hydrometer, spir-
it level and a compass arranged on the
front of the clock
"The front of the clock is lighted by
nifty small electric lights, thirty-five Of
which are arranged around the Mag
ara falls and electric arch. The his
tory of the United States from the
landing of Columbus to the present
time is shown by ninety-six paintings
attached to a ribbon los feet long,
which is moved by electricity. When
the clock strikes the hour the figures
of Uncle Sam and the Goddess of Lib
erty pass ont of an electric elevator on
one side. down n stairway, around the
base of the miniature cataract and
electric fountain to the other side,
where they ascend another stairway
and enter another elevator a minute
after the hour strikes fifty lights ap-
pear around the dial, and a musical
attachment is brought into play, send
ing forth delightful airs. At the half
hour the cathedral gong strikes once.
and the musical attachment is started
again.
IAN Illuminated picture on one side
Of the dial shows Washington crossing
the Delaware with his army. Three
boats are portrayed, with Washington
standing in the first one. This scene
is repeated every hour and forty min
utes. Other Illuminated pictures, which
appear periodically show the old bat
tleship Maine both before and after
the explosion in Havana harbor.
"On the back of the clock is display
ed the Lords Prayer, inlaid with 312
pieces of wood. Pictures of Ameri-
can poets, musicians and the presi-
dents also appear on the back. All Of
these portraits are in motion and trav-
ell at the rate Of twenty-five feet
minute. Pictures of Presidents Lin
coin, Garfield and Mckinley are
shown, and at the hour of their death
a light appears on the face of the
clock, while a phonograph announces
the occasion.
The face of the clock contains a
piece of wood from every state and
territory in the Union, including the
island possessions. and it took three
years for the maker of the clock to
collect them.
"All the mechanism for running the
clock is in the base and includes 640
feet Of electric wire and 412 electrical
connections. The current Is obtained
from an ordinary electric light conuec-
ton"
Man With the Conundrum.
The man with the fretful eyebrows
and the sorrowful ears comes to the
desk Of the man with the dispirited
mustache and asks: