Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-09-19

1ne Pennsylvania Company Anxious
20 secure a New Time Standard.
From the Philadelphia Record.

From the Philadelphia Record
''This train starts at "A O'clock"
These were the words used by gentleman at
Broad street station on Saturday i'm explana-
ton OF theory which will, in all probability. be
put into practice at no distant day. The theory
ID the establishment of a thine standard" as
the railroad men term it. to be put into opera
tion on all the railroads In the country. The
proposed standard would simply add the hours
after midnight to II, 80 that II o'clock in the
morning would be % o'clock and noon would be
"a o'clock. The dals of clocks would be made
into twenty-four divisions of time and the trou-
blesOme a. m. and pm. would be avoided Uni
fOrmity and certainty in the movement Of trains
In all parts OF the country is of the greatest
advantages claimed for the new standard and a
slmpilncatlon of time tables that the public
would be quick to recognize and appreciate
would follow.
The Pennsylvania railroad company has given
the question OF the new standard favorable
consideration. An officer of that cOrpOration
says There are now in operation at least fifty
standards of time. The reduction of their num
Der mas engrossed the attention of the different
Timetable conventions held within the past
twenty years. but no solution of the problem
has been reached. The last railway time con-
ventiOn held was at st. Louis in April last. and
II was there that a plan for reducing the num-
Der OF standards from fifty to five was suggested
as the easiest and simplest way out of the from
bic "Of course. said the PENNSYLVANIA rail-
road officer. 1.-The railroad managers had to
adopt the plan before it could be put into effect:
and responses had been received favorable to the
nye standard arrangement from the officers OF
corporations controlling seventeen thousand
miles OF road. forming an unbroken line from
Boston to Omaha on the west. and Charleston,
sc. ON the south. Still il was not unanimous,
and. therefore. not effective"
Tn originator of the theory of twenty-four
hOurSs4Or standard time was by Mr. w. II.
Devices. OF this city. MIR. Devices. upon ex-
pressing his views, said recently: Anything
more crude, uncertain and insufficient than
the style now in use cannot be IMAGINED II js
relic of the dark ages adopted centuries he
fore railroad or telegraph was thought of
Modern progress demands something better
adapted to the wants of our present advanced
CIVILIZATION If my plan is adopted think it
Will gradually extend throughout the world.
would take time from Greenwich observa.
tory, for 1t is the best time that exists. II is
exact, constant and known (Or ascertainable)
everywhere.
Objections" he said, are likely to be urged
against Greenwich time by the peOple II
would probably be contended that inasmuch
rs the hours OF the day would run from one 10
twenty-tOur, Instead OF the day being divided
into halves of twelve hours each as ia the
present civil day. great Inconvenience would
however. become accustomed to the new
method. Should Greenwich Astronomical
time DE taken the standard, II O'Clock
midnight would become the end of the Twelfth
and beginning of the thirteenth hour: two
O'Clock a m (present style). the beginning o.
the fifteenth hour; 8 O'Clock IN. present style),
TIE BEGINNING OF the nineteenth hour. and so on
around the circle 4 man reading of events
occurring in Euroue at a certain time of day
souid not be in bi;sSrui ignorance. If the new
s.'u'',hd were in force. OF the time when they
seAiS aid occar. Under the new standard there
oIio no ioALer De any question about New
Is "a fhIiaiephi2, Washington Pittsbury
nov Ia force" "'
ine Ie;i'iSy wanna railroad company Is anxious
70 nav tie new standard Of 81 o'clock adopted
s' " Ia Icati.iF unite with other companies in
na'lhs IL put into effect The oficars ~ IN
COMPANY say there IS no nscessity Tor the nubijl
dlscarding It's present method of teilinP 49,
time II Tot satisfied with the proposab o.. Lii III
road standard Ii viii be very easy svsn nnnr
the clocks and watches now in use. to recp or
the railroad t:mo- Another time oonysntior
will probably be called. at which the sr,hisci
viii be thoroughly canvassed and adopted.
The w're-fsnes war will engage m extra sss
Son OF the Texas legislature soas OF the pas
tares are feEcsd without break for ssyty ale
or LaoFs and the ezly sasics lslt for travellers II
either to drive two days Journey out of the
way or cat the fences