The New York herald., 1878-07-07
ABATING THE NOISE.
pEnrIous EXPERIMENTS ny PROFESSOR Il

hDA lAS0 II L NOloG.
PEEIIous EXPERIMENTS NJ PROFESSOR eds
SON ON THE NJ TaoPoLITAN RAILWAY.
Tho investigation OF the acoustic properties the
Metropolitan Elevated Railroad was continued yester-
day by Professor Edison. He rode over the entire
length of the road several and took copious
notes Of the the noiss different poias
OF the structure He also several trips over the
Greenwich Street Elevated Railroad and compared
the sounds HIS researches OF FRIDAY night
OF interesting character. Shortly
after midnight and whe the trains were still run-
ning the professor and hts assistant Mr. BatcheloE
ascended tho at the Foureenth street sta
ton and proceeded 10 walk along the track. The
station master entered protest. saying that It
exceedingly dangerous; but soon word came from the
supsrint that Professor Edison was 10 be the
judge OF the danger aud that hs TO have full and
FREQ access to every part of the structure Thus
privileged mon of science ared their psrous
walk keeping close 10 the guard and
fully watching for approaching trains. soon one
came laundering along, and tho investigators bur-
I,edy let themselves to tho trestlework, from
which position iney couued the vibrations produced
by tho passing OF the train. The Professor partieu.
Iariy noted loeseness tho rails In many places
he could insert his nuger between them and the ties
on which they rested. To the Jarr,ng produced 10
consequence he set down several per cent OF the
NOISE. tho VIBRATIONS OF tho guys were prolon;ed
quito an apprecable time alter tho passage OF the
train.
SCIENTIFIC AGILITY.
With an agility that e!icled he admiration Of group
ocurosity seeking yap,ins who stood below Watching
thar nts the scientists swung themselves
to the other track and there orouchsd u .
place. they TOOK OF tho rumblinc and eang
ing OF the trains passing over head Mex, they exper
mcnted on the vibrations produced the floor and
frame work OF the station ana again they took obscr
vatons al the base OF tho pillars Tnese and mum.
cruus other experiments tried various parts
OF the road
Speaking on the subject OF his investigations TO
HERALD reporter last evening Professor Edison said
rhe percentage OF the sound caused by vibrations
the guys can be easily remedied and At trinng ex
pense All necessary TO dcaden u will be the ,n-
sert'cn of small block OF wood between
break The sound on ;hs prineple tha. The
clssping by the hand OF the strings OF p,anoforte
stops the vibrations. So the otncr sources OF
tho ueise arc concerned am not prepared 10 speak
until after get At all the causes by means OF the dou
bio phonautograph which ~ now being prepared"
THE SOUND TO BE ASALyzEn.
Tho ncxt serics OF investgstions will be made with
this instr BY Professor Edison expects
to tell, TO tho m,nu,est roe, tho vibratons pro-
duced by each sourc" OF the sound and anayze
prepared TO make his report to the directors and en-.
Rineers OF the road giving the necessary suggestions
@ ior tho remedies 20 DO ADOPTED. Professor Edison
cessiuliy grapplcd with and reduced degree that
ne w ,oS,, cause 70 rcsos soSs
roady he cannot at present say bnt proposes to pro-
coed with the work with all possible speed.
| A SIMPLE SUGGESTION
very simple. Inexpensive ard apparently effective
plan OF removing all causes OF complaint regarding
the notee Is proposed by Professor John Simpson OF
this city II consists In tho placing OF pads
len felt under the bearings on tho rirders Of
CON plete insulation OF the track from the rssonsnt
iron work. The columns and girdsrs that support II.
win the noiso be desdsned by this pnn
to very low rolling sound no. disaRreeabIo
safe operation OF the ROAD, but tho vibra,ory
jarring tnat is transmitted from the rails to the col
utnns and ground and thence 10 the houses, will bs
| stopped. slight noise Is necessary TO safety. II
| tho movement of trims was absolutely noissless
great DAGGER would attend no work OF repairing tho
road and the crossing tho tracks By employees The
cost Of the PAD plan will b: very small. beng es,-
mated at about $1,000 per mile for tie double track.
LOCAL SENSATION AFFECTING The PAR
oSLY-prsrrScrIoS BETWEEN SOUND AND
PRODUCES IT.
| To THE EDIroE rHg HERsLp:--
With your permission would ko to occupy ~.
| Ito space In your generous columns that may offer
my argument against very prevalent theory in ref
crepce to sound and that Is that 10 travels This
theory has not only becn accepted by tho unearned,
but also by scientists and acousticians who arc
| sdercd authority on tho subject With due regard
for tho convictions OF all honest thinkers, cannot
refrain from denouncing the theory as erroneous
| void OF anv foundation whatever. Sound canno
travel IL being local sensation and ITS dwelling place
the That II is produced by forcc heartily believe
aud that that force a series of air waves strkina
against tho tympanum OF the ear, and that tho pis
waves are produced by any sudden shocg or concus.
sion gwen TO tho air, also ibdorse. But that tho
sound omanaes from the place who're the shock
and then travels In the MR. looks neither piaus
bic logical We correctly In formed that II
by force that are made conscious OF the different
| sensations produced upon tho body. By system of
nerves extending from the BRAIN to every part
| OF the body We arc made sensible OF all OK
| ternai forces brought TO bear upon II, whether
they be that of ieeng, secin. hearing. tasting or
| smelling. H. Tor Instance, was To prick my hand
with needle, the ncrvo extending from tho injgrcd
part would convey to the the force of in.
truding needle and tho brain wouii u. once become
sensible injury. The fofcc OF the needle ~ouid
cease with tho depth that It's point entered tho
| flesh, but would continue along tho nerve loading
from the wound to the brain, thereby cau-iog the
ncrvo to yield or wtch under tbe snock or orec Of
the needle brought TO bear upon H.
sense of any pain ~ effected III the samo man.
ner as Is also that OF any pleasant extern.i Iceng
The senses OF tasting smelling seeing aud hearing
affected on precisely tho same prinripIe The tongue
beng composed largely OF nervous membrane, and
therefore sensitive, capable OF transmitting
through the nerves 20 the brain tho effect OF tn,
chemical action o whatever food u comes IN conac.
with. Wncn lost hts taste ~ Is because OF (,
coating over the tongue. winch prevents the TOO
coming In contact With tho nervous m.mornne an
the scquence Is tho seusibiy, To dcerec - da
sroycd the failiug 10 rcspond to the force q
| the chemical action OF the food upon them. Tn
sense OF smelling IN accounted tor On tho same pfnoi
pie as that OF taste The nerves extending rom n
mucous membrane oi tho nose convey 10 the brhii
the force o tho contact OF minute particles OF odorou
matter. think have SAID enough to illustrate tn
principle upon which 40 are made sensible OF sound
Right here will ssk my readers to Ist sound IN it
proper roIationship TO ihe BRAN. Dono, get as n,
needle was to the .ntn, nor ss the food, tn,
odor, but m the sensation produced by those agen.
cics. AcousticiAns must agree with mo that sound
cannot be analyzed That beng tho case, the very
nature Of Il thon OF the fact that u Dc
nothing else than a sensation To hold the theory
that scrsatioo, feeling, can exist at distance
from tho body IL erroneous 10 the extreme
" NJ.