Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 116, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 May 1919 — FRENCHMAN’S WORK OF ART [ARTICLE]

FRENCHMAN’S WORK OF ART

Beauvais Cathedral Clock a Remarkable Example of Ingenuity in Its Construction. The clock of Hennvais ( Eranee) cathedral is said to be composed of 92.000 separate pieces. One sees on dial plates the hour, the day. the week and the month: the rising and setting of tiie sun, phases of the ninon, the tides, tiie time in the principal capitals of the world, together with a series of terrestrial and astronomical evolutions. Tiie framework is carved oak. eight meters by five meters, or 20 feet by 16% feet. When the clockstrikes all tiie edifice seems in movement. The designer wished to depict the Last Judgment. This wonderful work recalls the clock of Strassl.-tti g. and is of modern construction. It the work of M. V erite, who was in the engineering department of the Nord railway, and who died in 1887. The cock crows, angels sound a trumpet at the four cardinal points. Imitation of flames appears from the openings of little steeples right and left. A soul, that of the impenitent thief, appeals before the supreme Judge. It is con detuned, “a I’ enfer.” and a demon armed with a pitchfork seizes it and casts it into the abyss. Next comes the soul of. the just. The. angels advance and conduct it to tiie realms of day, sacred strains being heard.