Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1912-07-12
DRAPER REQUEST
IS NOW OPERATIVE
Memorial Clock Tower Being
Built at Retreat
viii Surmount Casino Building and Dlals
VIII Be lIumlnated-Equlpped with
Tubular Bell.

When DR.. Joseph Draper, who was for
many years superintendent of the Brat
tleboro Retreat, died March q, 1892, he
left a will in which provision was made
Cor a clock tower at the Retreat for the
benefit of the patients who wished to
note the passing of the hours during the
night. The bequest was not to become
operative during the life of Mrs Draper,
but the latter Is DESTROYS of seeing the
tower and sharing in the benefit of it,
and accordingly plans are going forward
for its erection at once. The tower will
contain an electrically illuminated clock
and will be located above the middle
section of the handsome memorial casino
and gymnasium building, erected the
past year on the Retreat grounds south
of the main building The trustees be-
came convinced, after careful considera-
ton of the various possible sites, that
the most feasible plan would be to erect
1T on the roof of the memorial building.
1t will be known as the Draper memoir
ial clock tower.
Mrs. Draper was designated as the
sole executrix of her husbands will, and
while, as above stated, the bequest was
not to become operative until Mrs.
Diapers decease, by unanimous consent
of the executrix and other legatees 1t
was decided that the memorial should be
built now.
The clause in DR. Diapers will Great
ing this legacy reads as follows: 1T give
and bequeath to the Brattleboro Retreat
in Brattleboro, Vermont, ten thousand
dollars, one-half for the endowment of
a free bed in said institution, and one
half for the erection of a clock tower
and placing and maintaining therein a
clock which shall strike the hours and
which can be seen from all or nearly all
the wards, my experience having shown
me that 1t is great comfort to Sleep
less persons to be able to note the
passage of the hours during the time of
| darkness"
New steel trusses will be required to
strengthen the building, and to serve
as a support for the tower which Is to
be 36 feet above the ridge-pole and 10
feet in diameter at the base. The clock
dials, four in number, are to be five feet
in diameter, above which will be the
bell. The clock and bell will be installed
by the E. Howard Clock company of
Boston, who have furnished most of the
| large and expensive clocks throughout
the United States. The specifications call
| for a powerful hour and half-ho strik-
ing clock and tubular bell All of the
dials will be of sectional glass and iron
| suitable for illumination, so that the
| figures may be easily read from sum
set to sunrise. This clock, which will be
made of the finest material, is guaran-
| teed to run without a variation of more
| than 80 seconds month.
! The construction of this tower, which
| is now under way, is under the
general supervision of Fred c.
Brown, who has had charge of
| the carpenter work at the memorial
| casino and gymnasium. The exterior will
be built of best quality cypress, and the
| structure will be braced so as to with
stand the great wind pressure which will
| come against it. The present cupola of
| the gymnasium building will be removed
| to make room for the tower. All the
ventilation of the building centres in
| this cupola, but the tower will be so
| constructed as not to interfere with the
ventilating system. The generosity of
| DR.. and Mrs. Draper will provide a val
| liable and beautiful addition to the
| equipment of this important insttu-
| tion,-an addition which will be appre-
| ciated by the public generally