The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-10-24
The Steam Whistle Nuisance.

Our article on this subject few days ago
has called out very general and warm ex-
preston of interest and has begun an agita-
Ction which we hope will, in time, effect an
shatAnnant of the nuisance. 1t appears that
residents on both sides of the city are VIC
Tins and gentleman living on Beering St.
informs us that the steam whistle solo re-
ported by "Danforth Street, as occurring
near the Maine Central Depot is rivaled by
the efforts of the locomotive on the p. & R.
Railroad, which stands upon the track whis-
Ting Justify to awaken some slumberous and
tardy engineer or employee at about o'clock
in the morning. Our informant says he has
repeatedly, after being aroused, entertained
himself by counting the excruciating shrieks
of this tortured monster and has frequently
gone as high as twenty-seven times, with an
indefinite number which may have occurred
before he was sufficiently awakened to enter
upon his mathematical exercise. This, of
course, is simply an abuse, which will be in
stantly corrected by railway managers now
that attention has been called to it.
The real cause of complaint, however, goes
deeper and can be removed only by the COM
plete abolition of the whistle. The evil eff
fects OF the use of steam whistles are very
great. Probably more accidents occur and
more injury to person and property ensue
from horses frightened by the whistle alone,
in the course of year, than could possibly
occur from want of its use. A much graver
injury results from its effects on human
IF
clans report that it Is almost impossible to
cure certain classes of disease where the pa
tient is within hearing of this nerve-distracts
ing noise. All kinds of nervous ailments are
originated and aggravated By residence near
anyo our railway lines, which now so thor
oughly surround the city as to render escape
almost impossible, and several instances are
reported where our citizens have been compel
led to move from their homes to places other
wise less desirable solely from inability to recov-
er from nervous disease in such neighborhood.
1t seems clear that very grave harm results
from its use and demonstration has already
been made that it may be discontinued with
out Inconvenience. The Boston and Albany
road has ceased to use the whistle and the
Boston Advertiser which has long waged Wig
orous w ar on the nuisance reports that the
change works admirably, that there is no in
crease of accidents on the road and that real
estate along the line has already increased to
an amount equal to the entire ualue of the
road.
The change, then, is feasible and we ear
mostly urge the managers of our railways to
look into the matter and devise the means of
relief to us. No action on their part would
be more heartily applauded by the people and
that railway management which displays a
progressive spirit and desire to benefit the
public sufficiently great to institute the re-
form will be greeted by popular approval
such as will amply compensate for the sacri-
flee of any prejudice in favor of this means
of announcing the approach of trains orawak-
ening sluggish employees.
Mr. Samuel Weller relates a touching
anecdote of man who killed himself in
support of the principle that "crumpets acos
wholesome" We hope our railway mana
gers will not persist in killing their neighoors
in support of the principle that "whistles are
indispensable.