Idaho semi-weekly world., 1891-02-13
THE USE OF WHISTLES.
THE PART THEY PLAY IN THE LIFE
OF A CITY.

The street Car Driver Can't Get Along
without His whistle-Letter Carrier
and Policeman-The Engineers whis-
tle--In Factory Towns-Tugs.
Few people stop to think of the impor
tant part played by whisters and whis-
ting in the daily life of great city like
New York Yet If all the whistlers and
whistles that add to the din of the city
during single twenty four hours could
be gotten together, say in Union square,
and made to blow a simultaneous blast,
the uproar would probably be 30 great
that IL would deafen tor life any man who
chanced to be within a block of the place.
Among some of the lesser whistlers, in
point of noise made are the drivers Of the
street cars and the postmen yet many
precious moments are saved by the use Of
whistles by these individuals A heavy
truck gets on the car track and the pas.
sengers grow impatient MS the car craws
along in consequence Then the whistle
gets in It's work and its shrill peal re-
minds the driver Of the heavy wagon that
he is violating a city ordinance and he
pulls off tho track, and the car bowls
along once more
] Without whistle" said car driver
TO the reporter. we couldn't get along at
all in the crowded parts of the city. where
the noise is so great that drivers Of heavy
wagons cant hear our bell We buy the
whistle ourselves. and pay about half a
dollar for IL whistle with a good shrill
tone is needed for our business
LETTER CARRIER AND POLICEMAN
Il don't know how | could ever cover
my route. said letter carrier without
my whistle 1t blow ii at an interval of
every few houses and the people hear it
and are ready for me- 80 | don't have to
wait moment after ringing tho bell
People are always looking for letters and
anxious TO get them If | was peddler
or book agent and known by my whistle,
would never blow It, for every one would
hide in the cellar
In some cities the policemen summon
assistance by tho aid of whistles, but in
New York they aro only used by some
policemen ON street crossings for arresting
the progress Of reckless drivers The
bicyclist too, always has his whistle at
handy place, so he may warn the pedes
trian Of the approach OF his silent steed
Then there are the butcher. the baker,
and the candlestick maker who. In making
then rounds of apartment houses. always
whistle up, TO announce their arrival pre-.
paratory to taking orders through the
tubo
BEFORE the advent Of air brakes railroad
engineers used to use their engine whistles
more frequently than they do at present
aud the familiar "toot" of the engine
meant put on tho brakes" while the
quick double 'toot toot" of the whistl,
was followed by rafting Of the brakes
a8 they were let OIL with jerk Toda,
the whistles dc service principally al
crossings whore they attract ones atten
tlon to the familiar legend Look out fol
the engine while the bell rings Asid,
from its practical use there arc many
stories told of the locomotive whistl,
serving US bearer Of tidings of love ans
comfort Some engineers have a regular
system OF signals arranged with thei
families by which they can send a mes
sage when their engine passes near th,
homo OF the loved ones One engineer Il
Connecticut whose wife lived near tn,
track on n certain part of his route. whicl
he reached every night about II o'clock
was IN the habit of whistiing good nigh
message TO his loving wife as he passe,
his house. She would be watching for th
familiar greeting. and when its welcom
sound reached he ears she would place
lighted lamp in her bedroom window, 81
that her lord might know that all wa
well with her The custom became know
TO the regular passengers on the train
and they, too. would watch eagerly for TIN
light to appear
WAITING IN VAIN
At last there came a nipht when tn
engineers wife waited lougingy for tn
familiar sound, but waited in vain TIL
fond heart which suggested that odd wa,
of giving token of his love was stiled for
ever and the hand that had so offer
pulled the cord that opened the steau
valve was clutched in death The engi
neer had been killed in the Meadow Brool
disaster lie died however as only brav
men die at his post OF duty having re
fused to leap from the engine and whe
death overlook him his hand was still d
tho throttle
Few people pursue the art of whistlln
with "a view OF making 1t means OF earu
Ing living yet there are quite II numbe
OF professional whistlers who make goo
pay by displaying their proficiency
whistlers on the variety stage Some q
these people show wonderful skin In I'M
tating the notes of different birds
There are n number OF superstition
connected with whistling The small DO
whistles at night 10 keep his courage uE
many men whistle for lack OF thought
sailors whistle for favoring breeze !
speed them on their way Whistling girl
always attract attention.
That whistling is useful accomplish
ment every one must admit who has see
q horse car pass him by because he eoul
not whistle loud enough to attract tn
drivers attention Perhaps the whistl
that attracts the most general attention
the factory whistle. which calls thousand
of people from their beds to resume theI
daily toll In some factory towns th
working people who do not carry watches
depend more upon the whistles for tbei
knowledge of the time Of day than upo
the public clocks All New Workers., to,
are familiar with the whistle of the tugs
ferry boats, AID steam craft that max
their way through the various waters AZ
jaeent to the city On a foggy day th
noise amounts almost to a pandemoniuu
and the mouruful sounds are always sus