The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1904-01-21
STANDARD TINE.
How the Ch ange from Solar Time
Was Effected In Baltimore
Twenty Years Ago.

Previous to November Is, 1883, there
had been as many different kinds Of
time in the United States as there were
cities, towns and villages, and it was nee.
essary for traveller in those days to be
moving his watch backward and for
ward as he progressed over the country.
Railroads, in their attempt to use some
special time throughout their systems,
reached or left town ahead or behind
the scheduled time. according to the To-
cal standards.
The new system finally adopted was
simple one, and has proved most success
full. says the Baltimore News. Previous
ly each town or city based Its local time
upon mean sun time. but the new system
abolished this, and, dividing the country
into certain districts, parallel Of longi-
tude being the boundaries, adopted -
standard time for all the territory with
in the prescribed boundaries the mean
sun time for the central degree Of longi-
tude.
After this system had been worked out
and approved by the United States gov
ernment officials, 1t was decided to put
1t into operation on November 1S, which
was Sunday, and on the same day the
railroads Of the country put into effect
new winter schedules. Plans for inaug-
uration Of the new system Of time caused
much excitement everywhere, as it
meant that all watches and clocks would
have to be changed, and that many peo-
pie were going to lose several minutes
out of their lives, while many more were
| going to gain several minutes.
In Baltimore the proposed change
caused much interest, as local time here
was six minutes and % seconds faster
| than the seventy-fifth meridian time.
and all clocks and watches had to be set
back that much. Lieut.. Commander
Thomas Perry, United States navy, who
| had figured out Baltimore time, found
that the Washington monument here
was situated at longitude Is degrees 36
minutes and So seconds west Of Green
wich, England, where the calculation OF
the worlds longitude begins, and that
sun time here was Ave hours six minutes
1 and % seconds behind Greenwich time
With the corrections under the present
system. Baltimore time is exactly i've
hours slower than Greenwich time.
1t was arranged for the convenience
of Baltimoreans that the new Official
time should be struck OF at noon by
big Sam" the bell In the city hall tower
and should also be sent out over the fire
alarm telegraph and struck of by tht
bells on the engine houses Throughout
the city. As usual, the city hall clocl
was out of order, and big Sam" refused
to work, so Mr.. A. Lehman, to whom hat
been delegated the job, used sledg'
hammer to make big Sam" toll the new
time. He depended upon his watch, ant
started to work five seconds too soon.
Chief Charles J. McAleese received til
accurate time by telegraph from Wash
ington, and sent out over the fire alarm
telegraph, and the bells all over the cit.
notified the people that it was time Il
Jump their watches and clocks six min
utes and % seconds ahead. The nev
time was generally in use in homes ol
Sunday afternoon, and went into effec
in business houses the next day. Rail
roads adopted it at noon.
For a few days the use Of the ney
time created some confusion, few peo
que refusing to adopt it, but finally
came into general use, and in the year
since Baltimoreans have entirely forgot
ten the day that was six minutes an
% seconds short Of "a hours. In Wash
ington, however. because of the attorne
! generals ruling that only congress coul
change the time, 1t was several weeks be
!, fore the new time became standard.
One of the great disadvantages unde
! the old system was the difference in tim
between nearby cities. Philadelphi
= time, for instance, was five minutes fas
er than Baltimore time, and New Yor
:, time was nearly 101z minutes faster.
Lighter Than Cork.
In spite of the formidable rivalry
e the feather, the cork has hitherto hel
}. the foremost place among the psel