The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1896-12-15
A LOST DAY.
EXPLANATION OF 4 SOMEWHAT
FULFILLING MATTER.
a Line In the Pacific Ocean Where II
is Sunday on One Side and
-ionday on the
Other.
TEE lost day in the Pacific is

the Pacifc Ocean, on one side OF
which 1t Is Sunday AID on the other
side Monday.
1t Is right at this spot that a man
going around the world one way
gains day, While going the other wsy
he loses day out OF his life. Every
ship crossing this line marks It's log
book one day ahead or one day behind,
according to the direction in Which It
is going.
Right o2 this parallel Of Longitude
IT would be dificult Tor n mau 70 know
what day Of the week it was, if, in.
deed, time would rot altogether close
Tor him. Ecre IS the only place on
earth where Time may be said to stand
SIM, and where the ordinary calendar
ceases TO have any significance.
In brief. the reason for this lost iny
or line is that "a day" is an arbitrary
division o. time, based upon one ris
ing and setting OF the sun. and which
itself Is caused by SINGLE revolution
OF the earth. When You travel around
the wor against the sun YOU gain q
Gay, and when you eEcircle the earth
with the suu you lose day. For
practical purposes OF navigation and
accurate measurement OF time the
astronomers have agreed to drop this
extra day into the middle os the Pa
ciic.
Were man to travel over the
earth's surface from East to West as
rapidly rs the earth revolves, starting
at high noon, the sun would remain
Immediately overhead TO him for the
twenty four hours. There would have
been no sunrise or sunset for him that
day.
So far Is the registry OF the sun was
concerned, he would have been still
enjoying the noon hour, while all
other men on the cart were return
ing to their afternoon labors, going to
their homes after tie labors of the
day, going TO the theatre in the even
ing, retiring to bed and to sleep, rising
IN the morning and beginning the
next day'o labors and again Going TO
lunch at neon. During the course OF
his long noon hour the calendar would
have done It's work, however.
Let this traveller start at noon on
this same journey and go as slowly as
lie wIll-1OO years in making the CIR
cuit-he will have by those slow de-
erces tilched from the calendar one
iulI day and no more. He Will have
seen the sun rise and set not SO many
times by one as the man who has 1e-
manned stationGry upon the earth's
surface.
When he turns and moves with the
Same rate OF speed in the opposite
direction to which it moves 1t will
take him inst as long to cover the dis
lance bock to bis starting point. Int
hls relation to the sun. which counts
of the periods OF time, will be reluar,--
ably altered. He viii enter the shadow
OF the earth in half the time that ne
would II he remained and allowed the
ordinary revolution OF lbe big globe
to carry him out OF SIGHT oil tile sun.
lie Will pass through the shadow OF
the earth in half the time that he
would u ho remained still and will
emerge into the sunlight again with
what had been the under eide of the
earth to him when DE started That
Is To say, Ie viii have seen q day and
% night moon TO uoonl whiio the earth
had made only half its revolution, and
be was only huff way round
Ito viii arrive at his starting point
90 noon of the second day, according
TO IBIS own experience, having passed
twice through The shndow OF tho
gar D. night NhiIc the folks at home
h'i ngn' so hnt once. He Will Lays
gained Gay upon ihem aud upon the
,"i'"."t' put That tho isuth degree OF
'out''N 'a bh' N,tu called ia 20 got him
s'I''-H'' iHHt ls iho explanation of
" gaming OF dhy ln travelling the
"'iIu round from west 10 ca.t-thc
why 'nt worn ltcli is gong and 10
iu''''I' nos I'" long The traveller en-
P'"y' I'D me Journey be sees The sun
I'-' 'u' 'et once o'iener thnn The man
WIN" stays 90 home, although there is
u' !''''ns OF 'i' heavens O. announce
IT,
Here SIS another illustration Of The
lost day. Imagine train of cars
twcntyfour miles long ou circular
iraoF, Che .o.i clr Iaur ju.t il 'front.'
GO Tho engine tl0f is, tIo train nak
lug circle.
The tram .'atts tomovc pt % ratc oI
,r,,,d tEat "I.l bring tbe engine bock