The San Mateo item. (San Mateo City, Putnam County, Fla) 189?-19??, 1909-05-15

interesting; Is that OF the official time.
keeper OF London. 10 whom practical
ly every big watch and clock maker
in the metropolis pays fee once a
week TO learn the correct time, says
"TitBits."
What Is more" said Miss Belle.
vile, the woman in question, recently,
my father and mother before mo
earned very good income by pro.
viding London with the correct time.
AS matter OF fact. my curious little
business originated some seventy
years ago. In those days II was ex-
tremely difficult 20 obtain the exact
time III London. The principal watch
and clock makers had nothing to guide
them. If they sent 10 the Greenwich
Observatory there was no outside
clock. and the department. OF course.
did not exist for the purpose OF sup
plying watchmakers with the time.
Ultimately Mr.. Pond, the astron-
omer royal OF the period. was ap-
preached and asked II anything could
be done. Ny father. John Henry
Belleyille, was az that time chief as
sistant OF the astronomer royal, and.
also a ward Of his, and Mr.. Pond sug-
gested to him that on certain days my
father should take around the right
time TO London firms by means OF n
corrected chronometer.
This my father did, the firms pay
Ing him a stipulated amount per an
mum. and the innovation proved so
successful that, at the time of his
death, he was drawing an income
from this source of between e400
and $500 year After his death my
mother was granted the privilege OF
having her thermometer corrected ut
Greenwich whenever she pleased, in
order that she might carry on the
business of timekeeper, and when she
gave IL up in 1892 I took her place,
and have carried on the business ever
since, with the permission of Sir viii
liam Christie the present astronomer
royal"
Every Monday morning Miss Belle.
vile goes from Maidenhead. where
she resides. to the Observatory at
Greenwich, and Is there given an of
fetal document saying that her
chronometer differs from mean time
by so many seconds and tenths OF Sec
onds. Such a favor is granted to no
other person. and. armed with this
exclusive credential. Miss Belleville
sallies forth to correct the timepieces
OF London.
She has about forty customers In
the city, and to each she repairs in
turn and permits them to correct their
time in accordance with that Of her
own chronometer and the official doc.
ument. And from. the forty custom
ers whom Miss Belleville visits for
this purpose the rest OF London gets
It's time, for the customers include
such firms as Dent's-the makers OF
Big Ben-Bensons etc.
To the "Tit-Bits' man Miss Belle
vile showed the chronometer which
enables her to carry on her unique
business. IT is a watch OF the "tur-
nip" type, and of very venerable ap-
pearance It's history is decidedly In
teresting.
1T was made" said its owner, "in
1885 by Arnold, one or the most IA
nous watchmakers that ever lived, for
the Duke of Sussex, a son OF George
III. After possessing 1t a short time
the noble owner discarded II because
Il was too clumsy, and my father
bought II at a fancy price Az that
time the chronometer(had a gold case,
but my father had it'replaced by a sill
yer one, as he had TO visit many Lon
don slums. and thought II would DO
safer II Il looked less imposing.
'Is my business still a success, you
ask2 Oh, yes. otherwise ! should not
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