, 1888-09-09
VARIOUS NEEDLESS NOISES.
Annoyances That Might We'll Be Avoided
Laws in Berlin and Paris.

Laws in Berlin and Paris.
Among the injurious influences of city
life is incessant noise; and it is because
it is continuous, not because of its in
~tensity, that it produces injury to the
nervous system as surely as the steady
dropping of water wears away the hardest
stone. This smile is apt, because not
before there has been considerable wear is
1t ~perceptible, and then, too often, repair
Is impossible; the best that can be done
is to prevent further mischief. There is
a popular theory that one becomes used
to the steady rattle of poorly made wagons
over unevenly paved roadways, but ex-
periments AVE shown that this idea is
altogether wrong. Being satisfied that
the thousand noises of the street are
harmful, there has been much study to
discover ways for their prevention.
In the course of these researches the
uselessness of many noises, ~purposely
made, has been fully demonstrated. Such,
for instance, as the ringing of milkmen's
bells $50 long a custom in New York that
it is hard work to convince the milkmen
or their customers of it's needlessnessl,
the jingling of bells on the street cars,
the Changing of church bells, the blowing
of steam whistles on locomotives n fac
tories, have in various places been found
entirely unnecessary and nave been abol-
lohCu. LII DOobOh VIC SoCdpS bOllc VI lIlCoc
an~noyances, but the absurd custom of
hanging bells on the poles Of the street
cars is still kept up, and, of course, will
be until the law requiring it is repealed
The bells nave been taken from the street
cars in Munich, and if another example is
needed to show their real uselessness
there is the fact that we do without them
on Sundays according to law, weekly
presented to us for imitation through the
remainder of the week.
Abroad, where they manage some things
better than we. they have made con-
siderable progress in the prevention of
harm from noises that are possibly I'M
avoidable. In Berlin heavy laden carts
are not permitted on certain streets, and
on others must always walk. A similar
law exists in Paris where, moreover, drays
laden with rafting objects (ron rods or
rails, timber, chains, barrels for a few
~examples) must nave their loads so Sc
cured that motion is impossible.
But leaving the street n entering the
railway car, h house or the Office, let
us see If there are not many harmful
noises which are within the power of the
individual to stop. To slam the door, on
entering or leaving, was long incontro-
vertible evidence of a mans vulgarity of
nature. Then there came into use e host
of automatic contrivances to close the
door after those needless fellows who
would leave 1t open though Boreas
clustered his hardest, and doors were
slammed more than ever. Year of tor
ture passed before mans ingenuity pro-
duced the pneumatic devices by the use
of which doors are automatically and
noiselessly closed, and slamming is i'm
possible. There still remain to annoy
and to fret many small noises about the
house, the office and the car. The
thoughtful avoid making them. The
thoughtless must be brought within
range of public opinion, and if not mind
full of rebuke must be subjected to a
social boycott.-Boston Transcript.