Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-01
OVER THOUSAND WIRES
HERALDINa' OF THE BEGINNING
OF NEW YEAR.
System by Which Western Union Tele-
graph Company Flashed the In
formation Abroad.

Over a thousand wires Of the Western
Union Telegraph Company flashed simulta-
Deously from this city to all parts of the
United States the exact second which
marked the beginning Of the year 1903 and
the end of 1902. When the time ball at the
United States naval observatory dropped at
exactly II o'clock. seventy-fifth meridian
time, the official signal of midnight at
Washington was clicked in all the princi-
pal cities and towns of the United States,
from the Atlantic to the Pacific coast and
from Porto Rico to Alaska. Again at 1,
2 and o'clock this morning, seventh-ffth
meridian time, the wires clicked In the
central, Rocky mountain and Pacific coast
sections respectively, in announcement OF
the birth of the new year In those locah-
ties.
The time was transmitted from the naval
observatory over the lines of the Western
Union by a special series of time signals
on the same plans as the signals sent out
daily at noon. The system was simple and
accurate, but the arrangements for the
sending Of the message were complicated.
The exact instant was determined at the
naval observatory mechanically, by the
system used there. The delicate instru-
ments employed in the computation OF time
were connected with wires leading directly
into the large repeater on the top floor Of
the Western Union building. from which
the midnight signal was flashed immediate
ly to fifteen points north, south. east and
west All the quads and duplexes were
likewise connected with the observatory.
Repeated Every Half Minute.
The signals began from the observatory
at 11:55 pm, and at that time everything
was prepared in the office of the Western
Union, where the ticks of the big clock at
the observatory could be plainly heard.
Every half minute the ticks ceased for
second. and at the end of every minute
stop of two seconds was made and could
be noticed AS the hands of the clock
pointed to midnight the staff OF operators
ce"sed work for an instant.
Col. Young Of the telegraph company was
in charge and directed the work. Exactly
on the second the ball fell at the observa-
tory, and by the connections already made
the spark of electricity sent it's impulse to
all parts of the country.
Residents Of Washington were apprfsed
Of the exact instant of midnight by the
falling of the time ball on the east pavilion
of the State, War and Navy building. The
ball was hoisted about five minutes before
IL o'clock. and the beam of an electric
searchlight on the east side of the building
was projected upon the ball so that Its fall
could be observed throughout the city.
Echoed on the Streets.
The signal had hardly been given before
there burst upon the previously still night
the shrieks of shrill whistles, the crack Of
firearms and the lusty shouts Of many
young people who were watching eagerly
for the coming of the midnight hour. Tin
horns and cowbells were also conspicuous
in the production of noise, and more than
one sleepy householder was awakened as
the crowds of noisemakers wandered along
the various streets. The roar and din con-
tinued undated for fully six minutes, and
then gradually diminished until only few
occasional struggling shouts broke the still
ness as some bibulous citizen, artificially
happy because of frequent libations. picked
his crooked way in the direction of his res
idence,