The New Automatic Time Transmitter For The M. C. R. R.

The followlng s taken froni :i recent issue ot'the Post and Tribune, and gives in detail au explanation of the vorUing of a "circuit breaker" at the astronomioal observatory In this city, briefly referred to last week In our local columns : There will be snt to the obseivatory at Ann Arbor on Monday, to be ittached to the iïreat regulator therein, an Instrument which will hereafter play au Important part In the Michigan Central systein, nul will prob.ibly be introduced on other and pOHlblyal) nülway Unes in the United St;ites. The instrument is called an automatlc circuit breaker, and is the Iiivcntlon of Mr. Alva T. HUI, bead watchmaker tor Megan Roeum & Wright, the wcll-known Detroit jewelers. The "circuit breaker " is rnclowd in a luiiidsonie case, about the size of a inusic-box, willi a glass front, throujfb which the worklngl of the meolianism eau be aeen. The purpose of the inventor was to devise gome mcans whereby at a given hour aitronomleal time eould be automatieally transinitted to all railroad Itiitioill on the liucs of the great Central road. Tbls object lias been aebleved by Mr. Hlll. At 8:58 a. Bi. I standard üme.llie circuit breaker soca off iu tbc observatory at Ajin Arbor. At that Instant, no Itlftttei' what business is going over the Central epmpany'a wirea, tlie operator it every tètegraph station in tbe gystem liears teu ilols, wliicli signify " Attention!" lnstantly following tiiis ure pelledont in the Morse alplia bei thewoid "Walt ¦ minute," which in turn are followed by tbe word "Time" once repeated. The Instrument In the Ann Arbor observatory now strikes single secouds for one minute, and" then aouble secondi for tbe next minute, ereiy tick being simultaneously repeated at every point on the line?. At the elose of the second minute" k'1 Is heard- 9 o'elock- the broken circuit Is restored by the Instrument at Ann Arbor ceaalng to opérate, and regular business proceede as usual. When an operator hearshis instrument recordlng the ten dots signit'ying "attention," bc gets ready to carefolly note the face of the clook. When " 9 k " sounds be notes the slightest variance, if any, ín the doek, and immediately corrects it. Tbus, f the hand mücates 9:03 a. m. the operator knows that the clock is three minutes fast and he turns it back. The regulator at Ann Arbor will thus furnisli the correct tune without the possibility of error in traiü-mission. The regulator, in turn, is cometed by frequent astronom ical observations made by l'rof. Mark W. Harrington and bis able assistant, Prof. Schaeberle. In tbe new Central depot in this city the timo will be automática! ly struek on a large gong at tbe instant It is transmittcd along the lines. The Btfiklag of the gong informs all railroad craploywitbin hearing distnnce of the correct time, and they eau adjust thelr watches aceordlngly. A smaller gong Mas been placed (n the store ofRoelitu & Wrlght, thle city, enabllng tbem to adjust thelr regulators daily, thus insuring correct astronoinical time for tbcir own use and that of the local public. The "circuit breaker " is a very handsome and perfect piece of niechanism. The side whieh beats the time requires winding but once in three years. Railroad men will ful ly appreciate the importance of Mr. HU1'8 invenüon, as very much - and sonietimes human Ufe - dependa apon the correctness of the timepieces of a railroad."