The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-08-10

lAlNtl JllItlOI tOilN N'hilN0''N'
rs EFT a NUISANCEl
We commented somewhat, Saturday, on
the sounding Of locomotive whistles be
tween the station and Reyes & Co.'S store,
calling it nuisance, saying that it ought TO
he abatcd, and pointing out the way which,
in our mind, was the proper one in which
10 abatc it, Since then we have had our
doubts raised whether, after all, it was n
nuisance in the proper meaning of the term.
Webster defines a - nuisance to he that
which incommodcs or annoys; that which
is offensive or noxious. Taking this defini-
ton, we are well assured that the screech
Of the whistle between the points named is
II nuisance to us, because hardly a day
or annoys' us and is, also, peculiarly often
slve. We presume the same is true in refer
encc to the business men on the larger part
Of Merchants Row and their customers, as
well as to the hotel keepers and their guests.
How many times have we and others been
interrupted in Il conversation how many
times have persons been compelled to cease
from business how many sick person
has been disturbed and, perhaps, their lives
endangered; how many of the guests at
our hotels haye been deprived of their
sleep; how many persons, who would
otherwise have passed the summer in our
midst, have been driven away; and all by
this undesirable and, as it seems to us,
| unnecessary, noise, no man can tell. That
| to each and every one of these persons, this
whisting is, has been and continues to be
an intolerable nuisance so long as they are
within reach of its sound would seem to adj
NIT of no doubt, but there is doubt about
| it. So, therefore, when we called it a
nuisance or when we shall hereafter do
| so, we wish it distinctly understood that we
were only referring to ourself and to such
individuals as had expressed to us an
opinion upon the subject. 1t is an old and
| true saying that "therc is no accounting for
| tastes and it applies TO this subject Of
railroad whisting as well as to every thing
else.
We confess that our conversion is sudden,
and, being so, we suppose we ought 10 give
the reason for the change of the faith
within us. Having occasion, Saturday, to
refer to some statistics, we took down the
report made by the railroad commissioners
of Massachusetts, in January, 1878. Run
ming our eye over the index we came to the
word "steam whistle" and upon turning to
the reference page, We certainly were never
more amused and surprised than in reading
an account of their trials and tribulations
in cndeavoring to deal with this matter of
whistles. We can only refer to one or
two Of these as forming the basis Of our
change of base. In many cases, the COM
missioners say-in substance, we do not
give their exact language-that they had
tie on certain trains, but no sooner was the
new system fairly at work than they were
deluged with complaints and petitions for
its restoration, coming from all classes of
| l'sN70'h5'lo' bSAsNuot tiNl Atp'Illtu WI IL
as a notice of the proper time for them to
leave their houses" SO it seems that the
whistle is of some use, if we poor mortals,
living, boarding, stopping or doing bus.
ness Oh Merchants Row, do consider ii an
intolerabe nuisance. Another instance of
its use is worse yet. In compliance with O
request, say the commissioners and now
we use their exact language certain
blasts OF the whistle were discontinued in
the very heart of II large city"-just the
case of Rutland it will be seen if we could
have what we ask for, although we do not
yet, but soon hope to, claim to be q large
city-''ihe proprietors of hotel asked to
"haye the practice renewed, as il was
. the agreed signal between the railroad
Z" employees and themselves for them to no.
4" tify their guests that the train was about
:" to start Some Of our Rutland hotc
keepers ought to go to that "large city
and learn /" the propretors of hotels how
to keep one. And so the report goes. Al
one time a community complaining of th,
whistle as Il nuisance, and, when il is abat
ed, asking for its restoration. But we neeC
not refer to the subject any further. There
is no accounting for tastes. We do MOI
know that the whistle is not pleasant music
to the majority of the inhabitants of Rut
land. II so, can we call it nuisance?