The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1877-03-24
UNIFORM TIME.

The Detroit Post, in considering the de-
STABILITY of a standard and uniform time
throughout the country, states that, in tina
city, there are five railroads run by Detroit
time, three by Chicago time, and one by
Columbus time; and, referring to the diff.
culties and perplexities which surround a
stranger in endeavoring to leave the city,
says: ''Detroit may be set down as one of
q" the most hosptable cities in the country.
Those who come here find great difficult
"ty in getting away" Rutland can SYM
pathize with Detroit in her perplexiues, as
we have three rail- Dads run by Boston time
and two by New York time-but we are a
little better off than Detroit, for we have
no railroad to run by Rutland time, and no
Rutland time to run one by even if we had
another railroad.
But, after all, our railroad time is even
more absurd than that of Detroit. We
have four lines of direct railroad communi-
cation with New York city, all Of them
offering certain advantages. One of these
40 W thC anu luGDCe ONeI
the Vermont Valley and the New London
Northern another over the Harlem Ex-
tension the third over the Rensselaer, and
Saratoga (; and the fourth over the
Rutland and Washington - the last
three running direct to Troy anu
the distance being substantially tn,
same over each. Two of these roads
are run by Bostoa time and two by New
York time-and the curiosity is that the
trains which start out in the direction OF
New York leave by Boston time, while
those which are apparently intent on Civ
ing New York wide berth are run by
New York time. The perplexity of a
stranger can be imagined for if he under
takes TO go to New York-startipg by the
time which regulates the running of the
train which carries the regular New York
mail-he will find more than half the time
that he is ten minutes too late, and will
discover that Notwithstanding 1t is 30 Gen.
trally located that one can start from the
Rutland depot and 60 to any part Of the
wordsworth or south, east or west-yet,
after all, it is an exceedingly difficult place
to get started from.
But this difference in railroad time lie
not the only thing that bothers Rutland.
We said tina. there was no Rutland time,
but for the moment we overlooked our
standard town clock which adorns the
county court house. That furnishes
standard and uniform time indeed, but like
the algebraical it is an unknown guam
tiy, and, like certain peace we read OF,
1t passeth all understanding-but truth and
candor compels US to say that it is not
without variableness or shadow of turning.
Exactly, or even approximately, what time
1t will be sixty MINUTES after given hour
Is more puzz!ing than one of General
Grants ''debatable questions" but this
trifing difficulty has its compensation.
During some part of the day, every clock
and watch in town-or in the country fol-
that matter-agrees with it and 30 the dit
ference between New York and Boston
is temporarily Ieconciled, and even our dis
cordant shop whistles become harmonized.
This standard Rutland time is the result
of compromise, something like the com.
promise position occupied by certain news.
papers which are always sure to agree
with the policy of the postmaster general
for the time being whether it is Jewell
conservative republican, Tyner an extreme
radical, or Key an ex-confederate dino.
crat. Years ago, Rutland was blessed
with two town clocks-one placed on the
old county court house-which was burned
April 2. lS69-and the other in the belfry of
the old Congregational church built in
1919, and abandoned in 1s6O-on Main
street. The former was regulated" If
we remember correctly, by Charles E.
Terrill, and the latter by Hiram w. Ben
nett. These men were rival clock makers,
and they carried their rivalry TO that ex-
tent that they would not permit their
respective town clocks to keep the same
time. Each had time of his own,
not dependent upon the position of
Rutland, with which the sun at meridi-
an had nothing to do, and which cared no
more for New York, Boston, Washington
or Greenwich time than it did for Green
land or Patagonia time. The clocks, gen.
orally, were some half an hour apart, and
1t was rather interesting for the laborers
on The raiIroad-which was then in the
process Of construction-so long as they
could commence to work by one clock and
leave of working by the other. When,
however, the contractors saw marvellous
light aud concluded to allow the laborers o
rede' IN their time by commencing work by
the clock which told seven o'clock the ear
lest and leaving of by the one which