612 KANSAS CITY REVIEW OF SCIENCE. 
beat, which is thirty seconds after 12, So that any astronomer or any clock 
maker in any town into which these signals go may easily compare his clock with 
the standard clock of the observatory once each day by simply carrying a watch 
or chronometer to the telegraph offices, taking the precaution to compare his watch 
with his regulator before and after. 
‘« These signals are amply sufficient for all connected with railroads or who 
can readily go to telegraph offices. In order to furnish time to a large city, how- 
ever, it is necesssary to establish some signal which may reach the majority of 
business men in or near their places of business. There are but two methods in 
use which have been found to be practicable and efficient. One is the firing of 
a gun by electricity at some moment previously agreed upon. ‘The Royal obsery- 
atory at Greenwich fires several time guns in this: manner—one very large one at 
Edinburgh, which can be heard for miles around. There are several objections to 
this method which readily suggest themselves. If nothing else, the expense of 
purchasing and the danger of firing a large piece of artillery would prevent the 
adoption of such a plan in most cities. 
‘« The second plan and the one most generally adopted, consists in the instanta- 
neous dropping by means of electricity of a ball attached to a staff placed in the 
most prominent point accessible. The Greenwich Observatory drops a ball at 
Liverpool at one o’clock each day—the ball being so placed as not only to give 
the time to the city but also to the shipping in the harbor. 
‘¢The ball dropped at Kansas City, and which signalizes the first attempt of 
this kind in western cities, is equipped in much the same manner as the one in 
use in New York, the apparatus used in dropping it being simpler and more easily 
managed, and not liable to get out of order. ‘The ball is dropped in the following 
manner: At just five minutes before noon the ball is hoisted into position at the 
top of the staff. It is held in place by a rope attached to an arm and supported 
by an armature of a relay on a local circuit, which is closed in turn by the relay 
in the main office at Kansas City, which is in direct communication with the 
observatory. The closing of the main circuit at noon causes the ball to drop— 
sliding instantly down the staff—the instant when it leaves the top being exact — 
noon. 
‘There is another matter in connection with these time signals to which the 
business men of Kansas City might well give some attention. The observatory 
clock-beats go out over the lines and into the various offices of Kansas City one 
each day, and might be sent more frequently if needed. This is Kansas City 
time, and is as accurate as all the appliances of modern astronomy can make it, 
and its preparation costs time and labor. We are anxious therefore that it should 
benefit as many people as possible. Now these signals which go into Kansas City 
might just as well go into every railroad office of every road running into the city, 
and thus at the same instant the same clock would beat Kansas City time in every 
village of every road centering at Kansas City—from Omaha to Galveston and 
from the Mississippi to Denver. The thought itself is one very flattering to the 
