Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-01-18

How the Proposed Change by the cry
Council is Looked UpOn-its Actioh
Deemed Hasty and Unwise-CompIica-
tions tn Arise with Two Standards IN
Existence.
A variety Of opinion exists in reference
70 the action Of the City Council IN repeal-
ing the resolution by which the standard
time was adopted. While the action was
anticipated by few, inc majority OF citi-
zens we're, it seems, unaware that any
such move was contemplated, and. the
announcement in thu MORNING NEWS
Yesterday that the city clocks would De
set forward or Saturday TO the OLD time
was naturally surprise.
In order to obtain, al far as possible, an
expression Of opinion in regard 10 tne
change back, reporter called upon tne
leading merchants of the city, and at the
hanks and public offices yesterday. Inc
general oDiniOn seemed to be that the ac-
ton of the Council was hasty ana preilla-
ture. The new time had not been gwen d
fair trial and a sufficient test 10 snow
whether IL would prove satisfactory or
not. A confusion Wouid na.ui ~
follow any change Of established
time h,If this confusion was but tenn
Do-arv and. so far as could be learned,
was almost entirely done away with,
e--cant i'm the refusal CT some firms and
emnI0vers 10 recognize the new time,
thus causing an embarrassment IN fegu-
lating their business affairs with those OF
firms and EMPLOYERS using II. Among
contractors and men employing large
numbers OF hands the old time seems to
have been more satisfactory than the
new. but among the majority OF business
neoDle the change back is deemed an I'M
wise move.
The banks adopted the new time shortly
after II was recognized by the city in or
der to accommodate their patrons, ana
will probably accept whatever change Is
made bv the business men and houses
and will regulate their clocks IN accord
ance. Nothing. however, has yet been
done. as the matter will necessarily
be acted upon and any change Will have
TO be authorized by the directors. The
hotels. post office, express and railroad
Offices will in any event retain the present
standard. The courts which have never
recognized the standard. will hold TO the
old time and also the United states Gov
eminent offices.
Among the leading merchants and large
business houses the present system Is
regarded satisfactory, and the change,
they claim. VIII result in serious neon
yenience TO them. Their time now cor
responds with post Office and railroad
time. and is recognized by their custom
ers and employees. Standard time has
almost universally been adopted by citI-
zens in their homes and by the working
people. and change viii result IN lneon-
venience in keeping one time Tor market
hours and shopping and another time fer
dinner or meals to correspond with tue
time in use ut the offices and places OF
business or shops, as the case may be.
In event the business houses go back
to the old time. which will be done unless
the CITY decides to retain the present
standard. the Cotton Exchange and Board
of Trade Will probably follow suit. The
answer in nearly every place to the IN
quirv rs to what was thought OF the ac-
ton of Council was. in substance, that II
was considered unwise. One gentleman,
prominent Bay street merchant, who
was vigorously opposed TO the new stan
dard at the time it was adopted, said ;
i was opposed to any change
at the outset. | failed to see
any benefit TO he derived from
change. but, now that it Eas been made
| am in favor of maintaining the new
standard. | do not believe il awiSe move
on the part of the city TO 20 back now.
This change will create disastrous con-
fusion. and. with two standards recog-
nized. serious complications will arise.
There were really two standards be-
fore the new time was adopted re-
marked the reporter, ''since Central Rail-
road time differed from city time"
Eyes: but the time recognized by all
business men i'm the city was sun
time. Now the hotels and post
office and express office, and q
large number of business houses
will use one standard and the rest of the
city viii be run by another. There was
little or no difficulty then, but now, un
less there is uniform time, there VIII be
difficulty.
The reporter called ut the telegraph
offices. There the same trouble will arise
| again that existed after the new standard
was adopted by the companies and before
| 1t was adopted by the city. The filing 81
! kilograms. II was stated, caused no little
misunderstanding then. and there viii be
the same difficulty and annoyance after
Saturday that existed during the time in
/ tervening between the adoption of the
standard by the company and its adoption
| by the city.
Capt. r. G. Fleming, Superintendent
Of the Savannah, Florida and Western
Railway. on being asked what he thought
Of the action Of the Council, replied that
! the paragraph which appeared a few days
ago in the MORNING News to the effect
! that the question of a return to the old
/ time would be brought to the attention OF
Council, partly prepared him to anticl-
pate a discussion Of the subject
by the Aldermen; but he was
not expecting that they would place Sa-
vannah, a progressive city. alongside with
one town in the State OF Maine, which OF
all the municipal corporations in the
country had alone refused to recognize
standard time. He said the return TO the
old time must. however. have been deter
mined upon after careful consideration
of the interests of the citizens, but
that the Savannah, Florida and
| Western Railway would adhere tC
| the new standard; that since the
| adoption Of that time by the company
! all the employees had commenced work al
I $3.50 in the morning, and that he had heard
| of no complaints of any kind, and he be
| lieved none would be made. He was at q
| loss to understand why employers could
not obtain as much labor from their en-
plOyes under the new standard as under
| the old. and that after reading the MORN.
! ING NEWS report Of the proceedings Of
| Council. he was not only surprised, but
with due Difference to the feelings and in
| telligence of the Board Of Alnermen, he
/ was greatly disappointed at their action,
1T is very easy" said Capt. Fleming
Ito resolve that time shall he regulated
either BY the new or the old standard
but il is not 81 easy TO satisfy the travel
ing public with conflicting standards
The Board Of Aldermen Is composed OF
business men. but their legislation on the
time standard is not in eOnsOnanee with
the spirit Of the age"
THE HUssARS IN ARMS.
-. NIL 81 r-sDaoesnr asf Nf~I,t