The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-04-05
TINE.
THE WESTERN UNIONS PLAN TO KEEP TIME
FOR THIS CITY AND ELSEWHERE.

THE WESTERN UNIONS PLAN TO KEEP TINE
FOR THIS CITY AND ELSEWHERE.
An arrangement has been concluded between the
Superintendent OF the United States Naval observa'
tory at Washington and the Western Union Telegraph
Company for tho purpose OF disseminating inc
standard time as determined daily by the Naval OBJ
servalory to shipowners and masters, business men
In general, railways chronometcr makers and others,
ana 10 the public generally. In pursuance OF TINS
agreement time ball or large size is 10 be dropped
da,y from the tower Of the Western Union Telegraph
Company's Main Building at New YORK city, and ar
engagements win be made for controlling public clocks
in New YORK and other places and also for distribute
ing the noon signal OF United States Naval obscr
vaIory 10 various cities in the United States having
more than 20. 600 inhabitants.
NEW YORK BALL.
At l1h 55m. time ball VIII be hoisled half way up
the IRON flagstaff on tho tower OF the Western Union
Building This ball is three feet six inches dame
ter ana can seen by all the piping lying at The
New York and Brooklyn DOCKS and on the New Jersey
Shore well by Nil vessels lying IN the bay even
beyond Quarantine. For long distances an ordinary
ships glass will be needed. II can also be seen on
Broadway from Tenth street nearly TO the Battery,
and from suitable positions II Can be seen by large
majority OF tho citizens OF New York. Brooklyn, Ho-
poken, Jersey City, &c.
The ball will remain at half mast from llh. 5om. 10
l1h 5Sm At llh 5Sm. II Will be hostcd 10 It's highest
point about half way up tbe-maD stan-that Is, over
$50 teet above the street II will be dropped oy an
electric signal at exactly noon by New York time
The Longitude OF New York beng assumed to be that
determined by the United States Coast Survey Tor the
City Halt
Washington time.
i2h. ON. os 90 Now York time All SON. Is 05
H. on account Of high winds, &C., the ball falls to
fall at l2h On 0 1t Will be kept at mast head I'LL l2h
5m, and then dropped al l2h 5m o.: In such cases.
a small red flag will be hoisted at 12h. I'm. and kept
flying till LII. l0m
The time falling of the ball will record itself auto
maticaiiy, by electricity, near the standard clock OF
the Western Union Company, (which Is regulated ny
signals IRON the Wasnint0n observatory and II by
any cause 1t does tail precisely noon, Its error
viii be known In the evening papers the day, and
in the papers OF the next morning notice VIII be reg-
lary inserted stating whether the ball Tell at the correct
time ana II not, then its error, last or slow. In this
way, even signals which high winds or other causes
have prevented from beng given precisely, Will still
be available tor the regulation OF clocks and chrono
meters.
This ball will therefore regulate the clocks of
New York city TO standard New York time. and viii
also serve 10 give the correction TO the chronometers
or ships lying In the harbor.
The company is readiness to erect and maintain
similar time balls other scaports II the necessary
expenses provided for by the persons Interested
Tue ports chiefly requiring sucn time balls are Bos-
ton, Baltimore Philadelphia. Hampton Roads, Della
ware BrcaKwater, Charleston, Savannah, Mobile and
coxrRoILED CLOCKS IL VIEW YORK CITY
The importance OF exact standard time TO q busi-
ness community hardly be Overcast mated, IT
facilitates the conduct oil affairs, the keeping Of ap-
pointments, regulation of hours OF labor, &C., and
to the traveller, whether by sea land, is not
merely necessity but matter OF vital importance.
The daily ball Will succ TO furnish the standard
time ships Tor The regulation OF their chronometers.
Railways, manufactures. cocKmakers and others Will,
however require extension oil this system 10 the
control OF their local main clocks
Among other methods tho BAN system OF controlling
clocks simple and effective, the mechanical arrange
ment winch Il depends being as iollows:-
An attachment rs fitted 10 each clock, ny means OF
which a small PIN rs caused to project front OF the
minute hand whenever the clock hands indicate
I'm. ON. Us. (noonl This PIN can be Withdrawn by
electric signal To control number OF clocks each
one Is provided with this attachment (Which is com
paratively inexpcnsive, clock regulated
US TO gain thirty seconds daiy. At noon,
indicated by each clock the pin Is protruded and
the minute hand is thus ncd last, while the clock
train goes on, the hand slipping on It's axis. At noon
OF true time the pin is Withdrawn and the clock goes
gaining the next day as before In this way, by
daily signal, which IS comparatively inexpensive,
many clocks may be kept within few seconds OF
act time
For railways this system is peculiarly advantageous,
the clock OF the railway can be controlled,
and may in its turn control tho subordinate
clocks in tue various stations along the line In this
every employee matter at what point of the
line. has the means Of regulating his watch TO tho
adopted standard railway time.
DESTRUCTION OF THE WASHINGTON NOON SIGNAL
The Washington noon gna Is distributed daily at
Washington tnean noun) over the wires oil the West
Union Company by the standard astronomical
clock Of the United States Naval Observatory at Was
ngton. This company has prepared list OF various
cities in the United states having 20, 600 nhab