davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-01-08

A perfect clock is one that may be
regulated to have a constant rate, not
necessarily one that has no rate, and
a standard clock is never regulated so
long as its rate is reasonably small
The Naval Observatory has four time
pieces, known as Riesler clocks, which
If not perfect are as nearly so as
man has so far been able to make
them.
Three Of these are kept in a vault
where the temperature is practically
constant at "a degrees Fahrenheit.
The clocks are enclosed in very heavy
bell jars from which some air is
pumped. AS the change in tempera-
ture is very small the pressure on the
inside Of the jars remains practically
constant, and this contributes much
to the uniformity of the rate.
The winding of these clocks is per-
formed automatically by an electric
magnetic attachment which functions
automatically about every thirty Sec
onds The total variation in the daily
rate of one Of these perfectly rated
clocks in one year amounted to IS
seconds. With so nearly perfect a
rate the Naval Observatory may be
trusted to tell Uncle Sans citizens
to the exact fraction of a second when
the New Year makes its entrance uDon
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-01-08

earlier English, he became familiar
with much of the classic literature
which was afterwards to exert its in
fuence\on his own style.
He lived with Emerson for two
years before he moved to his famous
cabin near Walden Pond. 1t is said
that his residence in this cabin close
to nature where he attempted to dem
onstrate that men could live without
the luxuries of civilization has been
much misinterpreted; he did how
ever, embark upon this experim emit
to show that men are better for living
simply.
His literary life began with his
diary in 1857 and with poems pub
1ished in the following year. The
only two volumes that he published
were: week on the Concord and
Merrimac Rivers and Walden; the
latter is now regarded as a classic
and in it lies Thoreau's chief claim
to fame.
Many essays and a few poems were
printed by him in the magazines which
have since his death been collected
and published in volumes. His in
tellectual and moral elevation is
plainly evident in his writings which
have gained steady favor with passing
time.
An English Literary: Light, George
Henry Lewes.
In the same year that Thoreau was
born in America, George Henry Lewes
saw light Of day in London, Eng
land. His birth date was April 10,
1917.
Lewes is recognized as writer OF
uncommon attachments and is most
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-01-08

10000 men. These were the days
of Great Britain's subsection of India.
Inventive genius was at a standstill
in 1917; few mechanical contrivances
startled humanity. A steamboat sue
cessfully made trip up the Missis-
sippi to st. Louis. A hydraulic press
was invented. A German, Franz Ca
belsberger, invented system of stem
ography.
Perhaps the most interesting stir
rings were being made in the field
of periodical literature. Magazines
and newspapers were receiving great
impetus at this time all over the
world.
first published; the first daily paper
Of Rio de Janerio was established, the
Diario do Rio; Blackwood's Magazine,
appeared in Edinburg; the Methodist
Magazine, the first Methodist period
Iical, was issued. n
I Two literary works Of Importance,
William Cullen Bryant's, Thanatopsis,
and Moore's Lalla Rookh, appeared.
Cuvier's great study, The Animal
Kingdom, was published in Germany.
A miscellaneous lot OF events oc-
CURED within the year indicative Of
the trend of the times and revealing
the foundation of many of our pres
ent-day institutions. The National
Bank of Philadelphia went into op-
Grafton and the banks of Quebec and
Montreal were first established in
Canada. Both the Ohio and New
York State libraries were founded. An
American Colonization Society was
founded in Washington with Henry
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-01-08

Brussels on February 10. He was
married to Sophia, the daughter of
the King Of Wurttemberg and though
they had two sons. both died un-
married. The decease Of the younger
Prince Alexander, in whom the hopes
of an heir were placed, left the house
of Orange without a direct male sue
cessor. The prospect of a disputed
succession was averted by William
through his marriage with the
Princess Emma. From this union a
daughter Wilhelmina, the present
queen, was born in 1880, and sue
ceeded to the throne Of Holland on
her fathers death November %, 1890.
Aleksei Tolstoi is the most famous
Russian, whose birth date will be cele-
brated within the coming year on Au-
gust "a. Though this Count Tolstoi
was a famous writer he is not to be
confused with the great Count Leo
Tolstoi, known as Russia's universal
genius. Aleksei Tolstoi held high
position at court and distinguished
himself by writing a novel, Prince
Serbrianyi, which presents a vivid
story Of one of the most striking
periods Of Russian history. AS lyric
poet, he ranked with the best Of his
day, being especially successful with
his ballads and popular verses. Sew
eral of his plays have been translated
into English.
Returning to the American notables.
we have the birth Of Frederick Frel-
inghuysen, secretary of State under
President Arthur. occurring on Au-
gust 4, 1917.
Frelinghuysen plays an important
part in the history of this country
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-01-08

Year time-m essage throughout the
world. On that occasion about five
minutes before midnight series of
blush flashes from the top of the
tallest Of the three gigantic towers
browning the Arlington hills marked
the beginning Of the experiment which
the Naval Observatory was making
to notify the world of the birth of the
New Year in the Capital Of the United
States.
This New Year signal covered the
greater part of the North Atlantic
Ocean, extended south to the Gulf Of
caught in Panama and reached as we'll
across the whole continent and be-
yond, as far as the Hawaiian Islands
The Naval Observatory at Washing
ton sends out to all who care to re-
ceive it within a radius of several
thousand miles it's time signals twice
daily. at 5 minutes before noon and
again at 9.55 at night.
This second signal was inaugurated
after the establishment of the power
full radio station at Arlington, as the
carrying power of radio signals is
much greater at night than in the
day time; and they may be heard
then at great distances both upon sea
and on land.
These Hertzian waves sent broad
cast in the ether represent the beats
Of the transmitting clock at the Naval
Observatory. They are free to any
one who wishes to reach out with
antennae and extract enough of their
energy to operate a wave detector.
The war vessel in mid-ocean with it's
perfected apparatus and the Missouri
farm lad with his crude home made
instrument may catch the noon or
the night signal as it is flashed from
Father Time" the sidereal clock at
the Naval Observatory at Washing
ton.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-01-08

Familiarity known through his attach
ments and alliance with George Eliot,
the greatest of English women novel
lists. It is stated that through the in
fuence Of 1ewes, George Eliot was
induced to attempt creative work and
that his constant encouragement and
protecting love gave her sufficient self
reliance to continue her writing.
Lewes began life as clerk In a
commercial house in London but
abandoned it for philosophy and
psychology, to which he devoted two
years in Germany. In 1910 he began
to devote himself to literature and
his first important work was bio
graphical history of philosophy from
Thales to Comte, published in 1847,
which treated philosophy as an ever
renewed attempt to solve the prob
lens that are beyond the reach Of
human faculties. His early books that
brought him fame were a Life Of
Robespierre, Life Of Goethe, Physio1-
ogy of Common Life, and Studies in
Animal Life. His History Of Philos-
ophy and Life of Goethe have been
more widely read than any other
books of those subjects. Through the
former he exerted q wide influence on
thinking men in scientific quarters
and turned them away from the
study OF systems Of speculative phi1os-
ophy as fruitless labor.
Lewes died in November. 1873.
Father OF Wilhelmina OF Holland
Born.
One of the most Hlustrious foreign
births to take place in the year 1917
was that Of William III of the Neither
lands. King William was born at
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-01-08
Events Of a Hundred
Years Ago Which Have
TheirC entennialin19
Few Illustrious Births !
Periodical Literature
Received Its Impetus In
1917.
BY Dora Sinpkins. :

str
SIT is the custom of man to hold in
tender memory. those events Of
the worlds history which have
! been epochal; and to celebrate the
birth Of i1lustrious men whose lives
have made a lasting mark on civiliza-
ton.
I With the greatest OF interest, one
draws back the curtain Of a hundred
years to behold the happenings that
will celebrate their hundredth an
niversary during the New Year of
1917. Such happenings are always
manifold! each New Year, 1t seems,
claims larger percentage Of the sign
posts that have marked the forward
stride Of civilization; 1917 was not
without its red letter. days: famous
men were born during this year and
interesting deeds were accomplished:
the coming twelve months is plenti-
fully supplied with centennial dates.
One of the most interesting births
to be celebrated. and indeed the most
interesting birth on the entire Amer
lean list, is that OF Henry David
Thoreau, the naturalist author.
Thoreau, whose birth occurred on
July II, 1917, was a native of Con-
cord. He belonged to the group of
famous Massachusetts, Eterati which
numbered Emerson as it's leading
light. He was graduate Of Harvard
though 1t was said that he was far
from being a distinguished scholar.
Al close student Of Greek and Of the
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-01-08

- HERE is just one spot in the
Eastern portion of the United
States where it is known to the
- one-hundredth part of second
when the tired Old Year slips silently
its place. And that spot is in the
United States Naval Observatory, on
the outskirts of Washington, D. G.
There the time is given out twice
daily, the year round, for the whole
United States east Of the Rocky Noun
tains. And from there. too, comes
the exact moment of the birth of the
New Year. And now, it seems these
time signals of Uncle Sans are being
interfered within mild fashion-by
the war in Europe.
During the past few years great
developments have been made along
the line of signaling time. and it is
safe to say that ten thousand clocks
are set to correct time daily when the
master clock in the signalling room
at the Naval Observatory sends it's
noon signal flashing across the wires.
Called Off Because OF War.
The evolution of wireless telegraphy
has worked wonders for time accuracy
throughout the world, and the prin-
cipal nations were in the act of MAX
Ing arrangements for across-seas time
signals in the way Of experiments
with flashing "the time" from con-
tinent to continent when the war put
an end to international work along
this line. SO this year the exact mo-
ment Of the birth Of the New Year
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-01-08
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y 2S1weexo d22zNx1G,
Zx21exexcN~2 NElU~NzL5z5

Graduated at Rutgers College in 1896,
he was called to the bar three years
later. Many public Offices came to
him. In 1861 and 1866 he was ap-
pointed Encouragement for the State
of New Jersey; then followed his ap-
pointment and election to the United
States Senate.
While serving in the Senate, he took
a prominent part in the proceedings
to impeach President Johnson and
was chosen by the Republican party
to reply to the last annual message
sent by President Johnson to Con-
gress. Later in 1870, President Grant
appointed Frelinghuysen minister of
England, but he declined the position.
After the close of his senatorial term
he took little part in public affairs
until his appointment by President
Arthur as Secretary of State. He died
on May 20, 1885.
Happenings OF Year, 1917.
War, seemingly ever present was in
existence in 1917. In both hemis-
pheres, skirmages were in progress.
In the United States, General Andrew
Jackson was beginning his first cam
paigns against the Seminoles Of
Florida. These Indians were menac-
ing the frontier settlements Of Georgia
and Alabama. Jackson continued his
war against the disturbers for year,
finally executing two Englishmen who
were found guilty Of melting all the
trouble.
In India, England began her war
with the Pindarees. Plundering
bands from Malwa were suppressed
by Lord Hastings with an army Of
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-01-08
the stage of time
| The fourth of these Riesler sidereal
chronometers of almost faultless &C

The fourth of these Riesler sidereal
chronometers Of almost faultless &C
curacy has its place in the time-signal
room in the Naval Observatory. 1t is
connected by an electrical device with
one Of the similar clocks in the vault.
and automatically records its time.
From this thermometer the time is
taken to correct to the infinitesimal
fraction of second tho great sidereal
clock, Father Time" which stands
very near it in the sending room and
which, when the time comes, places
the signal on the wires when the
switch Is thrown at minutes to noon
and at minutes to 10 o'clock at
night.
Old Gather Time' In Action.
This great transmitting clock is
fitted with electric points on the
hands, which actually place the signal
on the wires when the switch Is
thrown. Each day at minutes be-
fore the designated signal hours. the
electric switch is thrown by the scien-
fist in charge and the contact" clock
is placed in action. This chronome-
ter in tolling off the seconds COM
pletes the circuit with every swing
of the pendulum. sending a spark
across the wire to Arlington, where
it is thrown off into space through
the antennae of the wireless masts.
In the preliminary signalling the
transmitting clock has It's own code.
It is provided with a toothed wheel
on the seconds pinion. The teeth of
this wheel represents seconds, but
there are no teeth for the goth, 55th,
seth, 57th, 5Sth and 59th seconds. AS
the wheel revolves these teeth come in
contact with stud on a spring con-
tact-maker and push the spring aside.
breaking the electrical contact.
These breaks enable one listening
to a sounder to recognize the middle
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-01-08

Clay as its prime mover with the OBJ
ject Of returning slaves to Africa,
which shows that the question of the
negro was beginning to stir the minds
of thoughtful persons at least five dec
AIDES before the Civil War. Missis-
sippi, in the year 1917, became the
twentieth State of this Union. The
gold sovereign was first put into cir
culation by Great Britain in this year
and the London Peace Society was
founded. Junius Brutus Booth. the
father of Edwin Booth. beloved Amer
lean actor. made his first appearance
on the London stage on February IL.
1917. In Germany, things were hap
pening also; a ministry Of education
was founded in Prussia; Hesse ceded
Westphalia to Prussia. In Egypt. the
eminent archalogist, Belzoni, explores
Egyptian temples and opens the pyra-
mid at Cephren. On July 4, the con-
struction of the Erie Canal was be-
gun by breaking ground near Rome.
N. Y.
The death of the illustrious Baroness
de Stael on July IA, 1917 marked the
passing of one of the most interest,"
ing women of history. Her death was
one Of the compelling events of the
year.
In her, history has one of the most
famous of the brilliant French wom-
en-. She was the daughter Of the
famous Jacques Necker. minister OF
finance for Louis XIV. She grew up
in the brilliant salon of her mother
and imbibed much of the intellectual
brilliancy and scientific curiosity of
the men who freouented it. She mar
ried the Baron de Stael, Swedish am
bassador at Paris, with whom she. was
very unhappy, and lived mainly apart
from her husband. Possessing re-
markable gifts for conversation she
drew around her circle Of famous
literary and public men who consti-
tuted one of the most famous salons
Of France. Her salon was hostile to
Napolean and she was banished from
Paris. Then she travelled in Germany
and Italy, finally returning to Paris
after Napolean's fall only to be dis
appointed at the tendencies OF tbs
new monarchy.
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-01-08
ZX@ &zoI0 WI<0eI@5~ S2E[1~2 80
NI0SIA~. %[~~S<~21E

and en- of each minute, especially at
the end Of the last minute of the five,
when there is an interval Of 10 sec
onds with no beat. and this is followed
by the noon or 10 p. M. signal.
So short is the distance between the
Naval Observatory and Arlington that
the signal is sent thus far on its jour-
ney over an ordinary wire and is then
relayed through the great sending ap-.
paratus of the wireless station to al
most every corner of the United
States.
At the time Of the noon signal from
the Naval Observatory all telegraph
lines are cleared for five minutes and
the signal is repeated by wire down
to Key West and from that station&
Is automatically sent out to all ship
in the Gulf of Mexico and in the
Caribbean Sea.
No Fear OF Inaccuracy.
The time consumed between the de-
parture Of the signal by wire from
the Naval Observatory and its receipt
as flashed back from the radio sta
ton at Arlington to the Observatory
radio-receiving room is one-hundredth
part of a second. OF the thousands
who daily receive Uncle Sans time
signal, as it is flashed into the ether
on the stroke Of noon and at the hour
of ten nightly, none need have fear
of inaccuracy, for the velocity Of the
Hertzian waves are such that the time
signal is carried across the continent
and over the sea in less than one-
fortieth of a second.
The time signals as sent out from
the Naval Observatory at Washington
represent Eastern Standard time. Pa
cific Standard time is sent out from
the time station at Mare Island Navy
Yard, while the daily signals from
the new chronometer at the Great
Lakes Training Station give the coun-
try Central Standard TIM
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-01-08
Measuring Time,

The uniform rotation Of the earth
on it's axis is taken as the basis of
measurement of time One usually
thinks Of the sun In connection with
the length of day; but all solar days
that is, the interval Of time between
successive transits of the sun over the
meridian-are not equal, because of
the fact that the earth is travelling
in it's orbit around the sun in such a
manner as to make the latter appear
to be constantly changing it's posi-
tons in the heavens, but not at q
uniform angular rate rs measured on
the celestial equator.
In order to have uniform stand
ard. astronomers have imagined a sun
called the "mean sum-" which travels
at uniform rate making a complete
circuit in the plane of the celestial
equator in the same time that the real
sun makes the circuit in the plane of
the ecliptic. The time which our or
binary clocks are supposed to keep is
that represented by this mean, or
fictitious sun, and, if observations are
made on the sun for time, allowance
must be made for this fact.
Although the rotation of the earth
is really the standard by which time
is taken the stars are usually taken by
astronomers for determining correct
time. 1t does not suffice, however, to
take any stars. Only those stars
whose positions are very accurately
known are used for this purpose.
They are Familiarity known as
o'clock stars and the grounds about
the Naval Observatory are dotted with
small buildings enclosing the instru-
ments which are frequently turned
upon these o'clock stars" Many thou
sands of observations are made each
year to keep the time of the Nation
accurate to within a hundredth Of a
second
The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-01-08
Signaling the Exact Moment Of the Birth of the New
Year From i. S. Naval Observatory : The
Radio Station At Arlington and Its Part
In Ushering In the New Year. =
Copyright, 1916 by The International Syndicate.


will not be flashed round the world
and back again."
For some time previous to the war
the Naval Observatory at Washington
and the observatory at Paris had been
sending signals to each other, using
the Arlington radio station on this side
and the Eiffel Tower abroad in cam
paign to determine the difference Of
longitude between the two places and
the propulsion of radio signals
through space. In one instance the
beats of the Paris time clock, as
transmitted by radio signals, were
compared with the Washington clocks
for some minutes by the method of
condolences.
The Naval Observatory at Washing
ton was the first institution in the
world to have it's time signals regu-
1arly transmitted by radio telegraphy
for the benefit of ships at sea, enab-
ling them to check their chronometers
and thereby better determine their
longitude Before the advent of the
wireless, ships at sea had to wait for
the correction of their chronometers
until they could reach some port and
obtain it from the nearest telegraph
station.
It's First New Year Time-Message.
This cooperation Of the radio sta
ton at Arlington with the United
States Naval Observatory in sending
the time by wireless throughout the
world was inaugurated in April, 1913.
On the eve of that New Year the
Naval Observatory sent its first New
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-02-05

diplomatic intercourse. the President
has expressed his desire to avoid con-
fict with the imperial German gov
ernment.
Ready to Protect Americans.
The President declared in this said
address that if in his judgment an
occasion should arise for further action
in the premises on the part or the gov
ernment of the United States he would
submit the matter to the Congress. and
ask the authority OF Congress to use
such measures as he might deem nee
essary for protection of American sea-
men and people in the prosecution or
their peaceful and legitimate errands
on the high seas.
The Senate approves the action TAX
en- by the President, as set forth in his
address delivered before the Joint ses-
sion of the Congress as stated above"
special appropriation to protect all
government arsenals and munition
plants from aeroplane attack will be
found in the army appropriation bill.
which is about ready for report to the
House. At an executive session of the
House military affairs COMMITTEES to-
day the members agreed to include the
sum of 100000 for anti-aircraft guns
and 100000 for ammunition. The air
craft guns will be placed at the dis
posal of the War Department. to be
used IN guarding the immense quantity
OF stores the government has in arse
nails.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-02-05
INTERNED SHIPS DAMAGED
BY THEIR GERMAN CREWS
Seventeen Merchant Vessels Lying
in Manila Bay Seized by
q. S. Officials.

MANILA, P. l., February 5.-The naval
authorities at 6 o'clock this evening
seized the seventeen merchant vessels
anchored in Manila bay. All the German
crews were removed.
Customs officers. aided by navy experts,
discovered that every one of the seven
teen German ships anchored here had
been extensively damaged.
Naval guards were left on the vessels.
Boats were sent to the German mer-
chantmen, which We're boarded one at a
time The American crews took off the
Germans. who We're landed in the busi-
nes district, which was almost deserted
at that hour. Squads Of American police
met the Germans.
The municipal authorities will care for
the Germans. who are without resources.
The others will 80 free.
American police are guarding the Ger
man consulate.
A dispatch from Manila yesterday said
guards had been placed on the vessels.
In addition to the seventeen merchant
men at Manila there are three German
vessels at Cebu and three at Zamboanga-