Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1903-10-20
FIRST TIME TABLE
ORIGINATOR WAS DECLARED TO
BE INSANE,
Invention Of incalculabIe Value to
Modern Times at One Time Derided
Its Worth Proved Only by Practi.
cal Application


Its Worth Proved Only by Practi.
cal Application.
In these days OF modern methods.
manners and means the would-be
traveller consults the guide book"
and is soon in possession of all tho
necessary information about the rorl-
ing palace that will quickly bear Lin
from Maine to California or other de-
sired points. Tracing his route over
one road or over several different rail-
roads, it is all the same: the little
long he must wait at connecting
points, and practically the exact hour
OF his arrival. What convenience!
And yet, not SO very many years ago,
1t was unheard of. The history OF the
railroad time table was given in an
interesting address recently delivered
to members Of the American Associa-
tion of Local Freight Agents assem-
bled in the city Of Savannah Among
the speakers was D. G. Purse. presi-
dent of the Board of Trade of that
city, and he treated the subject in
the following attractive manner:
1t was during the constructive
period of the Central Railroad of
Georgia, in 1889, that a point was
reached when, because of the length
1of the line, great loss of time was ex-
in opposite directions. Up to this
time trains had siding stations; the
fl st train reaching one of them had
to wait until the train from an op-
pos1te direction pulled in, no matter
how many hours of delay resulted.
such delays causing great annoyance
and embarrassment to both passen-
gers and shippers, as we'll as railroad
companies.
The remedy, which seems simple
as we look back at it. was proposed
by Thomas Purse, first superintend-
ent Of the road, whose genius equated
the time table. but it was vigorously
opposed by fellow officials, who claim
ed he wanted to make dangerous
innovation in railroad operation at
the risk of both life and property.
Loring o. Reynolds, chief engineer
in the construction Of the Central
Railroad, characterized the suggestion
as an attempt ito run railroad on
paper, and seriously expressed the
apprehension that overwork and ex-
cessive anxiety had unbalanced Mr..
Purses intellect as such a suggestion
could only have its birth in an affect
@I 10 ;~I no
President Gordon, urging him to veto
the proposed attempt to run trains ''on
paper" but Gordon did not share in
his grave apprehension regarding the
sanity of the superintendent and de-
clined to interfere.
Suffice it to say, the first practical
application Of the time table, or
schedule book, as it was then desig-
mated was in every way successful,
and thus belongs to the Central Rail
road the credit of being the first rail
road in the world to operate its
trains by an eQuated time table.
In the summer of the same year,
1889, Supt. Purse made tour OF the
northern and eastern states to study
their advance in railroad construction
and operation, and reported on his
return that his own railroad was in
advance of all others in progressive
methods Of operation.
Shortly after his return home in
the fall of 1899, Supt Purse introduc-
ed bell cords on trains and in the
winter of the same year he introduced
stoves into his coaches for the com
fort of his passengers. in both in
stances in advance OF the employment
of bell lines and stoves by other rail.
roads.
Strange Effect of Poison.
Five years ago, Wnile on visit 70