What is known as the "new standard time " was adopted by agreement by all the principal railroads of the United States, at 12 o'clock, noon, on November 18, 1883. The system divides the continent into five longitudinal belts and fixes a meridian of time for each belt. These meridians are fifteen degrees of longitude, corresponding to one hour of time, apart. Eastern Maine, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia use the 60th meridian; the Canadas, New England, the Middle States, Virginia and the Carolinas use the 75th meridian, which is that of Philadelphia; the States of the Mississippi Valley, Alabama, Georgia and Florida, and westward, including Texas, Kansas, and the larger part of Nebraska and Dakota, use the 90th meridian, which is that of New Orleans. The Territories to the western border of Arizona and Montana go by the time of the 105th meridian, which is that of Denver; and the Pacific States employ the 120th meridian. The time divisions are known as intercolonial time, eastern time, central time, mountain time and Pacific time. A traveler passing from one time belt to another will find his watch an hour too fast or too slow, according to the direction in which he is going.

All points in any time division" using the time of the meridian must set their time-pieces faster or slower than the time indicated by the sun, according as their position is east or west of the line. This change of system reduced the time standards used by the railroads from fifty-three to five, a great convenience to the railroads and the traveling public. The suggestion leading to the adoption of this new system originated with Professor Abbe of the Signal Bureau at Washington.