The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-02-12
WONDERFUL TOPEKA INVENTION
1.-THE Dial That Almost Speaks the
Time'' Proving a Success.

H. S. Montgomery, General Watch
Inspector, for the Santa Fe System, as
sumed the task of solving the problem
of preventing, if possible, the misread-
ing of time. He has given the question
Of watch and clock dials much thought.
His long study of the question was
crowned with success because the name
Montgomery is now being advertised
in connection with his Safety Numeri-
cal Dial'' the country over, by nearly
all American watch factories. The dial
Mr.. Montgomery has invented shows Ill
plain figures each minute from 81 to
1907 in such a perfect and legible man
ner that a mistake is now impossible.
The Santa Fe System adopted Mr.
Montgomery's dial as a Standard and
since such adoption it has been placed
upon every clock on the system, and is
being rapidly placed upon the watches
of employees whose duties in any way
effect the operation of trains. In the
past two weeks Mr.. Montgomery's as
sistants have fitted a great many Of
these dials to the watches of Engineers
and Conductors. All of the Local In
spectors are provided with the dials
and most of the watch factories are
fitting their product at the factory,
whenever the dial is specified by the
trade in their orders for watch move
ments.
Inquiries for the dial are being re-
ceived from all parts of the world and
the orders for the dials are not coming
from the railroad men of the country
alone. The field for this important in
vention is unlimited for reasons too
numerous to mention. 1t is the only
watch or clock dial ever invented which
teaches the public to read the time from
timepieceS correctly, always so many
minutes after the hour and never of or
to. A child is very readily taught to
tell time with this new dial, while
such task was formerly a hard one.
The minute hand with this dial, points
to the figures which give the minute or
minutes, and no figuring or counting
notcheS' as a Santa Fe Engineer put it
while discussing the merits of the dial
For example: At two minutes before
twelve o'clock. the minute hand plainly
points to the proper time: 11:58.
Mr.. Montgomery has received much
interesting correspondence from rail-
road men and the general public in con-
nection with his invention and the COM
mon remark from railroad men who
have the dial fitted to their watches is,
1t is one of the most valuable tools in
the railway employees kit
The Elgin National Watch Company
has started great advertising cam
paign for the dial and railroad pubIfca-
tons are now carrying full page adver-
tisements ALI grades of Is and IS size
railroad movements are now supplied
with the Montgomery Safety Numeri-
cal Dial'' direct from the Elgin factory.
A travelling representative of one Of
| the watch factories while in Topeka on
Monday advised Mr.. Montgomery that
| his orders had been for three out IF
/ five to be fitted with the Montgomery
Dial.''
The travelling salesman of another
company was in Topeka on Tuesday
| and informed Mr.. Montgomery he
started on his present trip at New Or
leans and worked to Kansas City, and
| that the majority of his orders were for
| the Safety Dial" Inasmuch as all the
| territory covered by that traveller is off
| the Santa Fe System it shows that the
public generally, as well as the railway
employees Of the country, appreciate its
merits and are demanding the dial
The product of the Elgin, Hamilton
Wa1tham, Illinois, Rockford or Hamp-
den Companies can now be had
from any f1rst-class dealer, fitted with
this splendid Dial.