Prior to the 19th century, time was a local matter. Each town set a public clock to noon when the sun was at its highest point. Towns close together could be on different times. This system worked well enough, until the railroads arrived. Travelers found schedules confusing, since each stop followed a different local time. It was often hard to know exactly when a train would arrive or depart. The problem was solved in 1883, when the United States adopted the four time zones we know today.
Railroads emphasized the importance of staying on time. Travelers wanted to reach their destinations on time. Businesses depended on railroads to deliver goods on time. The post office expected mail to arrive on time. Railroads took pride in their ability to keep schedules.
But the push to stay on time sometimes had dire consequences. In late January of 1910, a terrible accident occurred near Mandan. The train had been delayed, and the engineer was desperately trying to make up lost time. Known as a “double-header,” a second engine had been added for extra power. The train was running at top speed when it hit a broken rail. The two engines and the mail car left the tracks but remained upright. The remaining cars rolled onto their sides and came to rest in the snow. The train was full of passengers. Sixty-five people were injured, and it was considered miraculous that no one was killed.
On this date in 1910, newspapers also reported another costly accident on the Northern Pacific. As a wheat train approached the depot at McKenzie, one car dropped to the track and spread the rails. That car derailed, followed by all the cars behind it. Wheat spilled across the prairie. The track in front of the depot was torn out, and the platform was wrecked.
In addition to the lost cargo, two rail crews needed seventy-two hours to repair the damage and get trains moving again. Sometimes, the effort to stay on time led to long delays.
Dakota Datebook written by Dr. Carole Butcher
Sources:
- Bismarck Daily Tribune. “Bad Freight Wreck at M’Kenzie.” Bismarck ND. 1/28/1910. Page 5.
- Dickinson Press. “Sixty-Five Injured.” Dickinson ND. 1/22/1910. Page 1.
- Thought Company. “The History and Use of Time Zones.” https://www.thoughtco.com/what-are-time-zones-1435358Accessed 1/5/2025.
