New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-02-13
TELEGRAPH TIME SERVICE,
HOW CITY CLOCKS ARE REGULATED.
TIE OFFICE OF THE SERVICE IN THE WESTERN
UNION BUuDING-THE STANDARD CLOCK
QUESTION OLE INTERNATIONAL TIME

TIE OFFICE OF THE SERVICE IN THE WESTERN
| UNION DUnDNG-THE STANDARD CLOCK
QUESTION OF INTERNATIONAL TINE.
Aside from the scientific knowledge to be
acquired by thorough investigation the Telegapbo
Time Service Of this city there something in the work
Ing OF the system both entertaining and instructive To
sit in the office Of the Time Service Department in the
Western Union Telegraph Building and listen to the reg
ular click, click" of tho Geographic instruments, the
monotony OF which is broken by the striking OF bells and
the general rattle OF Geographic apparatus, is
sufficient 60 the curiosity Of the most care
Tess observer. In this Office there Is large
electric clock OF the finest Workmanship and
OF well tested accuracy, the swinging Of
the pendulum of which heard all this and ada
cent cities Six Geographic wires attached to this clock
and branching out in every direction convey through
out all the districts they travel the regular beat Of that
merCurial pendulum. The fist line starts from the
western Union Building In Broadway, passes up Broad
way and has nineteen stations the second wire goes
Though Thrdaye. to Observation-Disclosures seventh
e ana has twentthree stations the third wire
to Brooklyn, taking in eight stations in this city and
seven in Brooklyn; the fourth wire creulaes in the
lower part Of the city, and has twenty-five stations the
fifth wire covers the West side Of the city, going up
West broadway and Sxh-aye the sixth wire goes TO
Newark aud has SIX stations. These wires convey the
time all OF the principal jewellers and dealers
in clocks and watches in this city. In every
there ia bell attached to electric coil This bell be
ing connected with the electric clock at the Time Service
office by of these Geographic wires, is made to
strike in perfect keeping with the swinging of the
pendulum OF it. Most of the bells however, ara ad
usod to strike only upon the hour, quarter, half
aud hreeuarter hour and not upon the beating OF the
pendulum.
This striking OF the different parts of the hour is Of
the most wonderful of the performances of the electric
clock and il feature unknown to any other electric
clocks in the country The central regulator standard
clock is kept in exact time with the clock Of the National
Observatory, due allowance being made for difference
In geographical position. Every day It is compared
with the clock at Washington and checked by the
daily time observations at the obseryaores at AL
legheny PENN and Cambridge Mass, with which Is in
telegraphc cOmmun cation By this 1t Is not to be infer
red that the clock question is kept exact accord with
either or all OF the observatory clocks that being
mechanical mpOssibly. The range OF variation, how
ever, Is kept within few hundredhs Of q second.
The description OF the mechanical cOntrivance by
which this accurate time thus maintained s distributed
the city TO those who want it is briefly as follows.
The standard clock has electrical attachment This
controlling clock constructed by L. Howard Co.,
OF Boston, designs furnished by James Hambet,
manager of the Time Service. On the
front clock-plate, to which electrical
mechanism is attached, is a wheel occupying
central position and having hand, making revOu
ton in a minute One Of its thirty teeth has been filed
the vacant space causing the omission OF me ck
which would otherwise mark the httyelgth second OF
the minute The remaining teeth act upon dencate
eweled spring. which breaks an electric circuit at the
passage Of each tooth The two wires whlcn are con
ncced with this spring operate the relay ana through
minute by pause of two seconds. The beginning OF
each five minutes is identified by pause of twenty sec
onds, caused by the action OF yemnute wheel at me
left OF the seconds wheel At each revolution OF THIS
fye-mInute wheel lever drOps into the nOtch
III the wheel, making electrical connection be-
tween the two wires which govern the relay
thus preventing the minre wheel from breaking the CIR
saunders located along the line recipients Of the service
enabled to regulate their tlnerIeces There are
small BELL before described This bell strikes every
stroke after omission marks me beginning OF
each minute. The advantage OF this Is that person
wanting know the correct time can ascertain it by
listening to the striking OF the bell and noting carefully
the position of the secondhand OF his watch or clock
when the first beat alter the pause occurs In a case
where IA watch has run down and 1t Is de-
sired to set it again one one only, only i mas 10
first the by striking the number OF the hour and
following up by Two or three double beats accord
a quarter half threequarters past the hOur
Tno MANAGER, Of the Elevated Roads in the city have
now under consideration Proposition providing Tor tho
establishing OF Tune service Oh Tue road TO De
operated by the standard cock ln the western Union
Telegraph Company'- building. Mr. Aamhet has Inade
apropOstOn TO the Elevated Railroad Companies TO pace
every station on me roads clock keeping standard
tim. and regulated every hour by the standard cleo
tic clock The trains on the Elevated roads are run
a. present by regular time ~ stem
IN ihe tine service ,gas asked by reporter
opin regard to an International standard OF
We'll" he said my ideas do not vary much from
those OF Professor Abbes on TINS subject.
His idea IS to adopt the Greenwich stand
ard There we differ. Greenwich time is all
well enough for nautical people but 50 soon an on come
ON land n, different thing particularly for railroad
purposes Washington Is the GreeEN len OF the United
states, and THINK ought to measure our time from
that meridian
How would you do t!'
should iyOcate dividing the country into zones of
an nOur each. one zone would extend from Washing
ton to not lar from Quincy, H. Then all clocks within
mat zone would be and all railroads would run
heir trains by Uniform time mat Is all III accordance
with Professor ADbes idea except OF course, the Orug
ING of the Greedwich meridian into the United states"
DO Won think wen nave International inner
"Nu belicyelt Will be difficult TO have II adopted all
over the country because there are so many dHcfen
0pIuons in regard it, IL be brought about now
ever subject OF legislation, or II all the raIi-
Has this question been under discussion many
years !" A., ...., 49, a..
called TO II twelve fifteen years ago 10y pamphlet
published in Troy. Ii would be success nj ana every
mere adopted IL Congress would make 1t mpuisOiy
with railroads, to ad0pt standard ana use IT, believe
Connecticut Is the first state TO adopt standard time,
I l. "A railroads by tult