The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-11-10
The New STANDARD Time.

A committee of the American Academy
of Arts and Sciences which was appointed
to consider the advisabilitv, with reference
TO the public convenience, of an acceptance
by cities and towns of the railway standard
time which is soon to go into effect for the
regulation of all trains running on the
railroads of this country and Canada, has
reported to the President of the Academy
strongly 10 favor Of conformity with the
railroad standard. But for the pressure
upon our columns this merning we should
be glad to give the report of the committee,
Wolcott Gibbs, Francis A. Walker and j.
Raynor Edwards, in full, but that is
inpracticable. They have, it seems to us,
considered the subject intelligently and with
regard TO its practical convenience rather
than its scientific and theoretical bearing,
and their conclusion is the only reasonable
one.
1t must be apparent to all who. consider
the subject that the inconvenience of having
the railroad use one time and the people of
the town or city through which it passes
use another would be very great. This is
recognized now to such an extent that local
time conforms to railroad time in most
places. When the proposed change is made
the whole matter can be easily arranged
simply by resetting clocks and watches, and
the change is nowhere so great that it will
cause much disarrangement of established
habits and conventions. If the clocks of
family were to be set backward, or forward,
in the night fifteen minutes, how many
would find out that breakfast was served a
quarter of an hour earlier or later than
usual, before they went abroad and
discovered that their clocks had got out of
time with those of the town, the railroad
and the offices? But if all the clocks, public
and private, in the place had been changed
alike, few would ever discover the difference
until they had occasion to compare theil
time with that Of other places.
If 1t is necessary to begin or end any work
with reference to the sun, it. is easy to
designate the time by the clock so that the
conditions imposed by nature will not be
violated. For examplei if at the eastern limit
of any district 1t should be found that
beginning school at the same hour by the
clock, after the time had been changed,
puts the time of closing SO late in the day
that in the winter season it becomes 100
dark for study, the simple remedy would be
to have school begin at quarter before nine
or at half-past eight by the clock, and the
school would then be kept the same hours
as now relative to the beginning and close of
daylight.
The change is to be made on the railroads
and It is altogether likely that it will be per-
manent, for their need of uniform stan lard
is great and all the conditions of the prob
lem as it affects them have been carefully
and thoroughly taken into account Be-
cause fhe railroads are to make it the people
must. The committee say:
Amy city, however large, which maintains its To-
cal time after the railroads have deserted it in fay
of the standard, will isolate itself from the
time Of the country, and bring constantly recurring
annoyance upon its citizens its visitors. and those
who deal with 1t by telegraph. =
Officials and local boards. with which the authority
may lie, should therefore take formal action in fa-
vor Of it. Mills, banks brokers' boards and schools
should announce their intention to conform to 1t.
Lawyers and insurance companies should
prepare themselves to use the slight YER
bal precautions which will prevent litiga-
ton arising from any uncertainty during the
first few days following the change. And individ-
uals generally should adapt their plans to the new
arrangements. Already the railroads are prepared
But inaction on the part of communities leaves
room for possible misunderstanding and legal dit
ncnlties which would be averted by a little fore
sight and promptness of action.