Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1903-10-26
FIRST TIME TABLE
ORIGINATOR WAS DECLARED TO
BE INSANE
Invention Of IncaicuIabIe Value to
Modern Times at One Time Derided
Its Worth Proved Only by Practi.
cal Application.

In these days of modern methods,
manners and means the wonld-5s
traveller consults the guide book"
and is soon in possession of all the
necessary information about the roll
ing palace that will quickly bear LIN
from Maine to California or other do
sired points. Tracing his route over
..one road or over several different rail
roads, 1t is all the same; the little
book tells him when he can start. how
long he must wait at connecting
points, and practically the eAact h5ur
'~of his arrival. What convenience!
And yet, not SO yar, 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 AssoeiAc
ton OF Local Freight Agents assem-
hled 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
OF the line, great loss OF time was ex-
perlenced in the movement of trains
In opposite directions. Up to this
time trains had siding stations; the
fiji st train reaching one of them had
TO wait until the train from an op-
fn
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-
eEt of the road, whose genius eeuatec
the time table but it was vigorously
opposed by fellow officials. who claim
ed he wanted to make a dangerous
innovation in railroad operation al
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 suggestion
could only have its birth in an affect
ed mind. He carried the matter to
President Gordon, urging him to veto
the proposed attempt TO run trains ''on
MOI hut Il;
his grave apprehension regarding the
sanity of the superintendent and de-
clined to interfere.
Suffice ii to say, the first practical
application OF the time table. or
schedule book, as Ii 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 1889. 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 othtt rail