The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1866-11-24 00:00:00

DEAN CLOSE AND THE RAILWAY
WHISTLES.

The Dean of Carlisle has published a protest against
the nuisances arising from the smoke and noise from
railway whistles. He tells the citizens of Carlisle that
unless they are prepared to sit down for ever under
the infliction of noise and smoke, "to an extent un-
rivalled by any city of equal importance in England,"
now is the time to speak, when several railway com-
panies are about to apply to Parliament for power to
extend the station. In the deanery. he says, "we
are driven from all the houses facing westward by the
incessant screaming at all times of the day and night,
and the windows must be carefully watched, for if they
are open when a dozen engines are lighting their fires
in the station houses immediately below us the house
is filled with dense black smoke destructive to furni-
ture—in fact, one can hardly breathe it. Were it
merely the stated screech of regular trains passing
through at fixed hours it might be tolerable. but 'hunt-
ing and signalling are recurring continually. Hardly half
an hour day or night is there a calm, except on
the Sabbath day, which we enjoy, thanking the
Sabbathizing propensities of our Scottish neighbours,
who procure a respite more or less, for twenty-four
hours. Sometimes, continues the Dean, "four or five
whistles are going at once—all inventions of some
arch enemy, who devised the most piercing, screeching,
detestable noise that human ingenuity could devise,
and this continues all night, regardless of the weary
and often the sick and suffering, who takes repose in
vain, starting ofttimes from a vain effort of repose
aroused by some new development of discordant, dis-
tressing noise. Yet every one of the locomotives breaks
the law every time it stirs; consuming the worst coal
and making the foulest smoke, when coke ought to
be used: and pouring forth volumes of suffocating
smoke, which by law they ought themselves to con-
sume. Can nothing be done? Will the committees of
the House refuse to listen to us? lam prepared to go
up to London and give evidence, if any defensive com-
ation can be effected.

A CAUTIOUS SCOT.—We ("Stonehaven Journal )
heard of one poor man in a remote district of Kincar-
dineshire who would not appear to have been prepared
by previous reading for the phenomenon of the No-
vember meteors, and who imagined the end of the
world was at hand. Having had occasion to be out of
doors abont one o'clock, when it was at the brightest,
he ran and aroused his nearest neighbour and warned
him to prepare for the dissolution of this material world
and is inhabitants. However, his neighbour appears
to have "taken in a paper,' or by some means had
become acquainted with what was expected, and, after
some explanations, managed to calm his fears to some
extent ; although he was not altogether convinced,
remarking that they had assurance that the world
would not again be destroyed by water, but there was
nothing said about its not being destroyed by fire.
When our friend arose in the morning, everything
around appeared to be much the earns as he left it on
the previous evening, but, not content with this, he
must needs "saddle his beast and ride doun to Stane.
hive and see if it was safe, and if it would be worth
his while gaen doun Wi' his puckle corn on Thursday."