CLOCK INDUSTRY IN AMERICA The clock industry showed an entirely different development in America from that in Europe. In Europe, clocks were made by jewellers, locksmiths, blacksmiths, astronomers and priests. The new world recruited its first clock-makers from the ranks of the carpenters, and consequently the oldest American clocks were constructed of wood. In New England, which is still the greatest manufacturer of watches and clocks in the world, the new industry was born, and Eli Terry of Connecticut was one of the first and best-known clock-makers. It is well-known that he and his helpers made a few dozen clocks by hand, and Eli mounted his horse, with clocks hanging from the saddle, and sold them to the farmers in the surrounding countries. Terry was the first clock maker to use machinery, when his orders began to increase, and thus became a clock manufacturer in the true sense of the word. Another old time clock mechanic, who developed into a clock manufacturer, was one of Eli Terry's helpers, Seth Thomas. His honest and clever workmanship built up a business that is still one of the largest and best-known in America. It is carried on in a large clock factory whose product still carries his name. It was Chauncey Jerome, another New Englander, who saw the great advantages of using brass instead of wood in clock movements. Through this change in material, clock movements became less cumbersome and easier to transport, and most important of all, cheaper. Eli Terry's hand-made clocks sold for about $40 apiece. Jerome's clocks could be bought for from $5 to $6 each. In America, in contrast to European conditions, the individual clock makers were absorbed by larger corporations, as the following description shows. Chauncey Jerome leased together with E. D. Bryant a building from the American Brass and Copper Company, located in Ansonia in the Naugatuck valley, the centre of the present clock manufacturing district, for the manufacture of clock cases and clock movements. Subsequently, both makes of cases and movements passed into the hands of the Ansonia Brass and Copper Company. The business of the Ansonia Brass and Copper Company assumed such magnitude that in 1877 a re organization became desirable, and a new corporation was formed under the name of the Ansonia Clock Company.
The American manufacturers concentrated from the start in the elimination of costly handwork. The old way of making a clock was to have a master-mechanic build a model clock, which after it had passed inspection and test runs would be taken apart, the parts distributed to different workmen, who had to copy these parts as closely as possible; these parts then were returned to the clock maker, who assembled and adjusted them again. Although all of these clocks were expected to be alike, no part of one of them could be interchanged with the same part of another clock. It was, therefore, the aim of the early Yankee clock-makers to produce a clock with interchangeable parts, which was accurate in telling time, and cheap enough to bring it within the reach of everyone. Even though all theoretical work had been finished in the European clock-making countries, there remained still the work of mass production. Fortunately the period coincided with the period of great American inventiveness. In this period, the old method of producing all work by hand was rapidly superseded by new methods, where new machinery was invented and used in all branches of manufacture. When the means for more rapid pro ducing of parts had been obtained other factors had to be con sidered, not only the design of the clock as timekeeper had to be correct, parts to be absolutely interchangeable, and the ease of assembly had to be taken into consideration, but also much thought had to be given to making the work of the clock repairer easy, in order that the price of any eventual repair ing would not be prohibitive.
In 1850 a firm that could boast seven timepieces a day, was doing well. In 1928 clock companies could produce from io,000 to 30,00o timepieces each, per day. As a result prices tumbled so that a watch or an alarm clock which will give good service can be bought for as low as $1.00. The number of pieces in a watch or clock have not materially changed since clocks were first made. It is only through the replacement of handwork by machinery, that modern production and low prices become possible. Almost all new inventions in the clock field are not so much concerned with different designs or reduction of parts as with easier and cheaper manufacturing. With the advent of the radio, and the broadcasting of the exact time, the public has become more exact ing as regards the time-keeping qualities of clocks and watches. The owner checks his timepiece with the observatory time signals, and is dissatisfied if there is any variation. (W. H. BA.)