, 1873-01-24
THE sTEAM-WH!sTLE NUISANCE.

10 the Editor Of The Chtcago Tribune:
B1R: The annexed extract from tho annual re-
port Of the Massachusetts Railroad Commission
era relates to matter which concerns the COM
fort OF every citizen Of Chicago whose residence
ia within hearing distance OF ! railroad:
TIE STEAM wu1ETLE
Tho Commissioners discuss the question OF the
Of the steam whistle at como length concluding ns
| follows:
The use OF the whistle is in very great degree
unnecessary. The law as it stands does not in any
case compel tho ringing Of the locomotive bell being
sufficient to relieve the corporation from liability foz
now chiefly used for three purposes: q
Viking On the traeF. @ To notify sateFcepera, as
men or depot employees Of the approach OF train
and l to direct the application Of brakes In almost
Ill Of these casos there improved appliances which
should supersec the Of crude and unreliable
sdgnai. As regards gatemea, tiagnen and depot en-
ployea, the approach Of train be mach
tatnly indicated 10 them BY the Of automatic
electric alarm. This can be ndo to strike when the
locomotive is within any given distance, and tho alarm
can be continued long is decued necessary.
roads IN the country md upon two # least in Mass
Ut least three-fourths Of tho whis.lo signals
now heard in the most populons neigh
Of the whistle as means OF Directing tho application
1oosening Of brakes As regards passenger trains
this practice ought now to be- sud coon will be, super
seded. It may safely be said that, where It is nc.
sounded wanoniy W engineers in defiance Of ali resu
latou ns means Of expressing imp.tcuce or rs it
were Of eco1ding dilatory e1opIoycswhere not used
tions themselves most willing to punish when re-
ported to he.u it is used In nine cut Of ten for
SO long Is locomotives move At speed through crowded
nGhborhooda, sharp and distinct dangeraKnala must
Occasionally 9 5 be grsn: M It nnot DO hoped as the ne
Thousands Of sufferers in Chicsgo will rccog-
nizo what is meant b. using the steam whistle
"as means Of expressing inpatience, or, as it
were, OF scolding dilRtory employees" and will
rejoice to socuro such testimony Us the above Of
its utter needlcssness. 1t is only because tho
indignation Of the multitude cannot be COM
bined, and every ono feels that his individual
oeo nns9co is roisan has Seea that tho 1as @
blocks in the bcst residence portions
OF Chicago being roueed, night after night,
from their sleep, By the internal, protracted,
some engineer is endeavoring to rouse switch
man who is sloeping upon his post, or to mako
known to those in charge OF tho freight-train
which delays him that he is in hurry to 60 to
bed.
It is bad enough that those who are in health
should be subjected to such an inflic!ion. but
the evil in their case is trifling IN comparison
with the suffering and danger to those who ere
Hlck, and whose recovery may be dependent up
on rhs sarSso oF 81 2si sleep
nifty has attained Is indicated by tho refinement
OF its provisions for tho physicalhealth aud com
fort Of the inhabitants, and wc arc very rendy to
pronounce them barbarons in proportion Is wo
find them inEonsih1e to evils to which they have
become accustomed. but which are intolerablo to
n more refined taste. Tho peasant who sleeps
under the same roof With lis pigs aud cattle
eneers at tho fashdiousnesR which is offended at
the manure heap boEide his door. Is 1t not In
consistent with ths character Of refinement to
which Chicago aspircs, that such nuisance as
the one under discussion. which NC are assured
is needless, should be longer tolerated?
If all who suffer from it would express tho in
dignation, for which no other mode OF relief is
apparent it might, at least, serve to show the ex-
tent Of the evil, and, perhaps, lead to measures
for it's abatement. g.
CHICAGO. Jan. n 1873.