New Britain herald., 1925-09-26

and are responsible for the creation of the charming banjo clock, mo well known grandfather clock ana long line of various willard timepieces, very much celebrated wherever tho industry is nentioned'
 Connecticut followed close on the heels of its sister state, Eli Terry first coming 10 the fore as d clock maker in Watortown in l7a2, just when simon Willard was turning ou his famous specimens up in MasSa- chusetts. Terry was great mechanical genius, and while his clocks may not have been as fine as WilIards, he must nevertheless be given credit for turning n tourney mans trade into a great industry. He, as did Willard, made brass clock works, and every so often tied a dozen or more on his saddle and prddled them here and there on horseback,
 This clock -pcddling soon became too slow for Terry who was very enterprisng young man. He LOOK in Seth Thomas and Silas Hoadley. la-' ter clock makers of their own and names 10 be, Conjured with III the clock hcld. introduced water power in his plant and in 1907 took on contract for the delivery Of 4oVO clocks inside of three years, People called him mad: but he lived up to his part of the contract. and rom | then on, tho busilitss assumed tre' Imcndous proportions In 1914 he invented a shelf clock which put the old tall case out of the running ! forever.
 This is the popular pillar-and- scroll case clock. It has rectangn- lar mahogany case about @1 inches | high, with small feet, and the top in d. graceful scroll. At the sides | are delicate round pillars, tapering at the top and ending in turned cap. Thea wooden face is painted land so is the glass door. These clocks were, ~nd are today, very
 popular. Thomas paid Terry the
 price of $IG00 for the right to make
 them and they both turned them
 out by the hundreds. These clocks are very easy 10 find today with in most cases, Terry's or Thomass printed instructions pasted on me back. Of course, the Terry clock IS the more to be desired.
 Thus 1t was that Eli Terry set eo-
 ing the millions of timepieces that Connecticut is today turning ont TOT
 nse all over the world. He was the first American manufacturer 10
 make a fortune out of quantity
 production.
 Although clocks had heon made
 for centuries they were still FIX
 ury at the time Of the colonies and
 previous to the advent of simon
 Willard up in Boston. The early
 settlers contented themselves with
 T glance at the sun which began
 and ended their day. The clocks they Idid have were set upon shclt
 against the wall and the long pen Idulum swung back and forth in
 slit In the shelf. These were called
 -Walr' clocks, and 1t was probably 10 protect the pendu- lum that the first tall clock cases
 were made.
 From "Antiques" we quote the
 following delft touch on the subject of clocks:
 a"Clocks are a fascinating subject. I haven't the slightest idea what makes d clock go, and l am sure l
 could live in a loclloss world for , 1000 years without ever trying to -make one. The shadow on the hills or the swift trickle of sand in the hour glass would he enough for me. Why Worry about he seconds as they fly into eternity? If man could
 make a clock that would catch a : few, could understand his cease less and passionate interest in mak- , ing them. However, clocks are charming objects even if they can . do no more with time than tell it."