The Detroit times., 1909-04-09
OHIO MAN MAKES
WONDERFUL CLOCK
Gives Weather Predictions and
Shows Historic Niagara in Opera
tion-Invento Is Cripple.

NEW YORK, April 9.-NeRotiations
are under way by the management OF
the Hotel St Regis for pae purchase
of what is said TO be a unique and
remarkable clock which. the manage
ment hopes TO have In the hotel as
surprise for its paroons. The clock
was made In a little Ohio town oy
n crippled workman who spent four
years in its CONSTRUCTION, and whose
only tools were scroll saw, jack
knife and a file.
81 have just returned from the
west. where heard OF the clock, and
after an inspection Of It offered to
purchase or lease it. The offer met
with favorable consideration and
expect to have it here for Easter"
said Manager Gus r. Schmidt. The
clock igSA wonder II is II feet =
inches high.4 feet 4 inches wide and
20 inches deep. One large dial gives
the standard time, while directly be-
meath II Is q dial which shows the
charges Of the moon and gives the
government weather indications for
"a hours I'm advance.
by watching the clock one sees
handsome pictures CT the ships in the
United States navy pass behind
glass. The history OF Christ Is shown
from the nativity 10 the ascension by
pictures painted by the maker.
AN interesting feature of the clock
is a miniature Niagara falls. with real
water, the color Of which appears to
change Just below is an electric
fountain and an arch which produces
"a beautiful effect. Flags appear on
stats in front OF the dial and indi-
cate the kind of weather expected
"a hours in advance. The weather
reports are produced by tehrmome-
ter. barometer hydrometer, spirit
level and a compass arranged on the
front OF the clock.
THE front OF the clock is lighted by
so small electric lights. 35 of which
are arranged around the Niagara Falls
and electric arch. The history OF the
United States from the landing OF Co.
lumbus to the present time Is shown
by SO paintings attached to a rib
bon 10S feet long which is moved by
electricity When the clock strikes
the hour the figures OF Uncle Sam and
the Goddess OF Liberty pass out OF ali
electric elevator on one side, down a
stairway, around the base of the NINA
ture cataract and electric fountain TO
the other side, where they ascend an
other stairway and enter another ele-
vator. A minute after the hour strikes
so lights appear around the dial and
musical attachment Is brought into
play. sending forth delightful airs.
At the half-hour the cathedral gong
strikes once and the musical attach
ment is started again.
AN illuminated picture on the 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 40 minutes.
Other illuminated pictures. which ap-
pear periodically. show the old battle
ship Maine, both before and after the
explosion in Havana harbor
ION the back OF the clock is dis
played the Lords prayer. inlaid with
912 pieces OF wood. Pictures OF AM
erican poets, musicians. and the presi-
dents also appear on the back. All
OF these portraits are In motion and
travel at the rate of % feet a minute.
Pictures OF Presidents Lincoln, Gar
field and Mckinley are shown, and at
the hour OF their death light APP
pears on the face Of the clock. while
a phonogaph 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 II 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 $40
feet OF electric wire and 4l2 electrician
connections. The current is obtaintJfl
from an ordinary electric light con-
nection.