The New York herald., 1878-07-04
NOISY RAPID TRANSIT.


PoLIiAK ELEVATED RAILROAD AND MAKES
SOME ExPERiMENrs-rHE NOISE TO BE
ABATED.
Tho passengers In certain OF the afternoon trains on
the Metropolitan Elevated Railroad yesterday wsro
NOS little mystined at the strange and apparently
eccentric conduct Of q young man who occu-
pied inc last seat in lhe
object OF curiosity was plainly dressed in
clothes not remarkable Tor oitncr good NJ
ting properties .nueness Of texture. His hat
was large strawone, closely resembling the style In
vogue in the days OF Queen Annc Its broad brim par
italy hid his face, and gave him The appearance Of
swarthy Mexican auxious to conceal his identity. Hc
sat aionc by the side OF open window, and
invariably on tho approach of train Or the
other track he doned his hat, thrust his
head OF 1.-The window and watched long
and earnestly. Then he would resume his seat pu
on his hat ana turn 10 welt dressed gen leman Sit
ting near by with note book IN hand, and whisper
something, and Immediately it was recorded ,Agaih.
tho strange young man would place both hands his
ears tightly, though the noise Of the shocked
him, and holding between bis teeth a small piece OF
wood resting on tho window sill, sit for short time
In meditation, aher which he would again
more went down his whispered utteranees Another
Of his eccentric acts = curious toying with tho
crown OF his straw hat When tho train It's
highest speed he held It lightly in hand. while
with tho other he gently pressed the crown. few
moro whispered words TO tho with the note book
and the straago individual was dong some other act
equally curious The passengers looked on mystthed
WHO rsfr
The young man did not bear the appearance CT
luna;ic His features were bold aud prominent, and
thpra n of I'm nuL n snhn
him that lily agreed with his apparently meaningless
acts Nobody seemed 10 know who he was or what
trying 10 nnd Out, except his companion with
the note book some Of the brakcmcn rhe latter
looked respectfully on, ana occasionally, when
something in reply, whcn was invariably followed
by exclamation from he passenger OF ''You don't
SUB So Young man. wn Ss
curiosity. kept at Ills strange work. Now It was
small piece OF paper which he held between his nn-
gers In the shape OF diaphragm, the vibrations of
waich he anxiousy watched. Again his the
window sill AMI the little note book recording
his observations; and SO u was continued first from
Rector street to Fity-ninth again from Fiitynint
TO Rector, aud once more tho entlre length Of the
road; Tue strange young man was Professor Thomas
with the note book was his assistant from
Menlo Park, Mr. Charles 8 BAtcheler. The
nary observations with regard 70 the new
work tor which the diroc.srs or the road have
deaeniug noise caused BY tho in their transit
over the structure HIS eccentric acts were scientific
noise at different parts Of the road and
undcr difrcrcut circumstances Tne lille piece
Of wood which ne held between ms teeth
tions produced by tho passage Oft Tram, dissocae
by reasou oi his hanas closing his oars, with all
trancous sounds. The experiment with tho crown of
his straw hat gave them IN another forin ana
After having gone over the entre length Ct the
Professor Edison and his assistant aghted nuoe
some experiments on the sidewalk. They placed
their. ears 10 tho Iron piilarg the trans
overhead whirled past Thov held their hands the
std ri An Al Iel tha
tent Of the jar communicated through tho intcrvcn
ing earth. They held up an empty barrel under the
and et tho vibrations clused by the passing
train and did many other similar acts.
CAUSES or TUE SOUNDS.
Tho preliminary observations Ovcr, HERALD
porter questioned the Professor as 10 the probable
result his work. ut Is little too early Tor 10
on oy ,se matter. nna that there are msSas 10y ot
for the oudness OF tho noise. Up TO
rate oil speed there ~ comparatively very little, but
the speed increases the uese also increases. In
other words. the iaster you 20 the more vibrations
per second you cause"
go what do you mainly attribute the noise 2" asked
the writer.
''One OF tho greatest sources is the mmering of
mental Knocks On each JOIN. 4ssaio, between each
OF pillars thore forty guys which, far tho
rSeas Tney vsrsso very rapidly and Sc. the rSs. c
the structure vibrating. This source oil the sound
be easily rsmed,ed, ana at only nominal expense
The vibrations OF ihe main girdefs also iorm con-
siderable percentage of tho volume OF sound have
also noticed IN number OF places that tho rails 90
beng OF whito pine and very resonant, add TO 1t .
vibrations There is some little noise also caused by
tho grinding OF the n,nIe OF the wheels against tho
side ol the rails The sounds arc all 'clanx' souDdsD
A CONSIDERABLE REMEDY.
"Do you see the ccrr TO any material reduction
OF the noiss ~ asked The reporter sst Ha
'.0h, yes" answered the Professor. ''From my
obscrvaiions thus lar should say IL bs reduced
at least fy per cent That Is matter that viii be
regulated Oy the engineers after we get at the germ
oil the different causes, but 1t is somewhat premature
the matter at tnIs carly stage" The Pro-
lessor added. "Ali expected to do rs 10 investi
gate the acoustic properties Of the road and point out
The csuses The remedy will then be ortnc0miug."
The next experiment by Professor Ellison will be
made with Instrument, Ia tho style OF the pho
uogfap constr uction OF whch he has already
given in his laboratory It's purpose Will be to
record the vibrations produced oy all the causes re-
ferred TO and many others as may subsequently be
discovered. The greatest we'll smallest noise
will be accurately recorded.
"How about the smoke and sparks nuisanceP-
asked the writer
fbat is somewhat out Of lne," replied the Pro-
lessor As compared with tho noise u is OF secondary
importance Let US first get rid OF thc noise. After
that IL aoate the otbcr evils" Professor
mis- tnred down to the ferry
catch tho tram tor Mcnlo Park The next expert.
mt viii be made tv-morrow. ta