Box 12, Folder 4: American Railroad Time 1872

The time has now arrived when the necessities of the business of the country require the establishment in the United States, of one uniform standard time, which I propose to call

AMERICAN RAIL-ROAD TIME.

The necessity for such uniform standard of time, which shall be the same all over the country, especially for the safety of rail-road transit, is sufficiently apparent.

The time now used in running trains necessarily differs from the local time of every station, except one. The adoption of this American Standard Uniform time would not, therefore, introduce any new source of inconvenience to the people; but on the contrary, being universal, publicly known, and everywhere the same, it would be very soon be found much more convenient for all concerned.

Clocks in hotels and other public spaces, could be supplied with additional hands pointing to Rail Road Time, without any change in their construction; the difference between it and local time at any place being always the same.

The United States signal service weather reports are not made at one uniform absolute time throughout the country, and this service would be greatly facilitated by the general adoption of the proposed standard time.

For numerous very important reasons, I propose that this American Rail Road-Time shall be that of the ninetieth degree of west longitude. Among these reasons may be mentioned the following: (1.) It is an even quarter of the globe from the now almost universally adopted prime meridan. (2.) It differs from the Greenwich time, now used by all English-speaking navigators and astronomers, just six hours; and, therefore, Greenwich and American time can be compared with but little trouble and liability to error. (3.) It would be another recognition on the part of the American people of the Greenwich prime meridan, and thus add to the probability of its being generally adopted, as it should be, by all civilized nations. (4) It is the meridian of the Mississippi river, very nearly central to the continent, and runs where soon will be the center of business and population. (5.) This time will be especially convenient for all railroads crossing, or running near that river, and for a number of large cities on or near its banks, including St. Paul, Milwaukee, Chicago, St. Louis, Memphis, and New Orleans.

To supply this time, an observatory fully provided with suitable instruments should be established at some convenient point, exactly upon the meridian of ninety degrees. Such an observatory need not be a very expensive one.

All rail-road companies in the United States should ultimately be required to run their trains by this uniform standard time; but at first the time might be adopted only by those companies that can use it with the greatest convenience; its utility will cause it be be extended to other roads, and ultimately to all.

If two, three or more of the leading roads, crossing the Mississippi river, should unite in the establishment of the proposed observatory, the expense for each road would be inconsiderable, while the benefits to these and other roads, and to the public would be very great.

Until such observatory is prepared to furnish this standard time, it might be supplied from any well appointed existing observatory like that in charge of Prof. T.H. Safford, at Chicago.

It is not improbable that the general government might hereafter find it within the scope of its duties, for the benefit of commerce, to establish and support one or more observatories on the ninetieth degree of longitude as here proposed.

I. A. LAPHAM.

MILWAUKEE, WIS, Dec. 10th 1872.

List

Porter

The time has now arrived when the necessities of the business of the country require the establishment in the United States, of one uniform standard time, which I propose to call

AMERICAN RAIL-ROAD TIME.

The necessity for such uniform standard of time, which shall be the same all over the country, especially for the safety of rail-road transit, is sufficiently apparent.

The time now used in running trains necessarily differs from the local time of every station, except one. The adoption of this American Standard Uniform time would not, therefore, introduce any new source of inconvenience to the people; but on the contrary, being universal, publicly known, and everywhere the same, it would be very soon be found much more convenient for all concerned.

Clocks in hotels and other public spaces, could be supplied with additional hands pointing to Rail Road Time, without any change in their construction; the difference between it and local time at any place being always the same.

The United States signal service weather reports are not made at one uniform absolute time throughout the country, and this service would be greatly facilitated by the general adoption of the proposed standard time.

For numerous very important reasons, I propose that this American Rail Road-Time shall be that of the ninetieth degree of west longitude. Among these reasons may be mentioned the following: (1.) It is an even quarter of the globe from the now almost universally adopted prime meridan. (2.) It differs from the Greenwich time, now used by all English-speaking navigators and astronomers, just six hours; and, therefore, Greenwich and American time can be compared with but little trouble and liability to error. (3.) It would be another recognition on the part of the American people of the Greenwich prime meridan, and thus add to the probability of its being generally adopted, as it should be, by all civilized nations. (4) It is the meridian of the Mississippi river, very nearly central to the continent, and runs where soon will be the center of business and population. (5.) This time will be especially convenient for all railroads crossing, or running near that river, and for a number of large cities on or near its banks, including St. Paul, Milwaukee, Chicago, St. Louis, Memphis, and New Orleans.

To supply this time, an observatory fully provided with suitable instruments should be established at some convenient point, exactly upon the meridian of ninety degrees. Such an observatory need not be a very expensive one.

All rail-road companies in the United States should ultimately be required to run their trains by this uniform standard time; but at first the time might be adopted only by those companies that can use it with the greatest convenience; its utility will soon cause it be be extended to other roads, and ultimately to all.

If two, three or more of the leading roads, crossing the Mississippi river, should unite in the establishment of the proposed observatory, the expense for each road would be inconsiderable, while the benefits to these and other roads, and to the public would be very great.

Until such observatory is prepared to furnish this standard time, it might be supplied from any well appointed existing observatory like that in charge of Prof. T.H. SAFFORD, at Chicago.

It is not improbably that the general government might hereafter find it within the scope of its duties, for the benefit of commerce, to establish and support one or more observatories on the ninetieth degree of longitude as here proposed.

I. A. LAPHAM.

MILWAUKEE, WIS, Dec. 10th, 1872.

This circular sent in December 1872 to the followng persons

Alexr Mitchell, Prest. Mil & St P. Washinton S. S. Merrell, Gen. Man. Mil & St P - Milw. E. B. Greenleaf Gen Man Mil & N. Mil Thos Allen. Pres. Cairs & Fullon - St Louis Mo. E. G. Barney G. S. Blue Mountain Rr. Patona Ala. G. W. R. Bayley G. S. N.O. Mob & Texas N. Orleans La A. H. Baldwin S. West Wis Tomah Wis E. H. Brown G.S. Mem. Carthage & NW Carthage Ms. W. G. Broughton G. S. St L. Allon & T.H - St. Louis Geo H. Burrows G. S. Toledo W. & W Toledo O E.P. Bewell G.S. Min V. & Western Quincy Ill R. R. Cable Pres & G.S. Rockford R L & St L Rock Island Ill Horace F Clark Pres. Un. Pacific - N York City. R. Colquhoun S. Miss Cert Wales Valley, Miss E.F. Drake Pres. St P. & Sioix C St Paul J.P. Farley Pr. & St Dubuque & S.W. Dubuque

L. J. Fleming G.S. Mobile & Ohio Mobile Ala E. D. Frost G.S. No & J. N. R. R. N. Orleans John Givin G.S. Desmoin Valley Keokuk Iowa Wm Greene G.S. Burl. Cedar R & M Cedar Rapids Iowa Wm R Hamilton Pres. Peoria & R. I. Peoria Ill C. Harris S. Wis Central Menasha Wis R Harris G.S. C. B. & Q Chicago Asa Horr Dubuque Iowa W. C. Van Horne G.S. St L. K & Northen St Louis R. F. Hosford G.S. Burl. & S Western Burlington Iowa J. H. Howe G.M. C & N W Chicago D. M. Kelley S. Green B & Lake P. Green Bay Wis James F. Kelsey S. Peoria P & J Pekin Ill A. S. Livermore Genl Sup. Memp & L Rock Little Rock Ark O. S. Lyford G.S. Hannibal & St J. Hannibal Mo C. W. Mead G.M. North Pacific Brainard Min R. H. G. Minty G.S. L.N.A. & Ch New Albany Ind A. Mitchell G.S. Ill Cent Chicago J. C. McMullin G.S. Ch. & Alton Chicago G. W. Norris G.S. Spring & Ill S. Eastern Springfield, Ill D. A. Olin G.M. w. Union Racin Wis O. S. Pease G.S. Ind & St L St Louis Mo E. F. Raworth G.S. Vicks I & Mer Vicksburg Miss H. Riddle G.S. Ch. R J & Pacific Chicago E. L. Ryder G.S. Ohio & Miss Cincinnati O E. Q. Sewall S. St P & Pacific St Paul T. E. Sickle G.S. Un. Pacif Omaha John E Simpson G.S. St L. Van J H & Ind Indianapolis B. E. Smith Prest In & Bloon W Columbus O. Ch C. Smith S. Sheb. & Fall Lac Sheboygan Wis C. W. Smith G.M. Dav. & St P Urbana Ill Arthur W. Soper G.S. St L & Iron M. St Louis Leland Stanford Pres. Cent. Pac. Sacramento Cal R. S. Stevens G.M. Miss Kan. & Texas Sedalia Mo A. A. Talmage G.S. Mo. & Pac St Louis A. N. Town G.S. Centr Pacif Sacramento Cal E. F. Winslow P & G. M. St L. & S Eastern St Louis John F. Tracy Pres. Ch & NW Chicago