The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-01-24
WINDOW-PANE SMASHES.
Various Ways In Which the Glass
Is Broken.
Drunken Men. Stroet Arabs, Awkward
Dudes and Unsophisticntcd Country
men Play Havoc with Expen-
sivo Lights.

Viz Pun Pooc VI inuenn1fy1nB owners or
window glasses in case of accidental
breakage, caused IN interesting in
vestigation as to the proportionate
number OF glasses broken during the
year, and the causes usually assigned
for the smush-up. Animals and men,
women and children all assist in cnus-
ing the organization of this novel
branch of business, but the encourage
ment which tho above mentioned give
to tho enterprise sinks into insignifi-
canoe when compared with the whole
sale brcalsago caused by drunken indi-
viduals-
1t Is estimated TINT the annual losses
on window pancs in this city, says the
Louisville Courier-Journal, amount to
not less than four thousand dollars, and
that IN average OF two out Of every one
hundred glasses put In arc broken.
Every one tries to be careful, and every
precaution Is used to prevent the win
dow-pane disaster, but it still continues
that skylights arc broken, display win
dows and showcases are smashed and
platc-glaSS entrances kicked in, but in
most cases no one can tell who does it,
or how 1t is done. Several firms who
make 1t their business to fit glasses and
repair broken windows were seen, and,
without exception, they each stated that
not one out of a hundred culprits was
ever discovered A man staggers, the
glass is shattered, but the author of the
crash is seldom caught. The country
man walks through the mirror, the
street Arab continues to use powders
and the bashful lover to bow through
the platc-glass window, but none are
held responsible for the accident.
A few instances have lately como out
in which the culprits were caught, md
in order to impress them with sense of
their carclcssncss, they were arrested
and charged with house-brcalsing.
These cases were, however, dismissed,
as it was discovered in court that the
charge Of breaking was not adj
vanced for the good of the public or the
individual, but was placed against the
offenders in order to secure the felony
feefor the nrrcsting officers.
The window pane disaster seldom
arises to the dignity of misfortune,
except when n plate-glnss store window
or an engraved glass entrance is sacri-
feed to awkwardness or drunkenness.
my set of books" said one glass-fittcr,
is u register of drunken ness, and when
am sent for to repair window, in
nine cases out of ten can guess tho
cause. Strange as it may seem there is
more brcakage in saloons and fashiona-
bio residences than in any other class
of buildings" The most destructive Gle
ment to window pnncs and glassware in
general exists in beer, whisky and wine.
Statistics show that at least onc-half of
the brcal1age is due to this cause. In
most cases plate glass sheets which arc
usually found in saloons are broken by
thrown bottles and glasses. The drunk
en- assailant generally misses his aim,
and tho mirror or window is sacrificed
to his rage.
Next in order to spirits and their in
flucnccs Is the small boy. OF tho
small boy species, the school-boy
plays a significant part with his
airguns and base-balls, but his CT
fort to break every thing within his
reach is surpassed by the street Arabs,
the newsboy and the bootblack. When
not busy they are engaged in throwing
stones, or shooting 'slugs" ut English
sparrows. One-fourth of the damage
to glassware is attributed to the small
boy, with q slight assistance from the
small girl.
Wind and thunder often strip the win
dows Of their glass, or shatter them to
pieces. Glass doors and open skylights
are the usual victims OF the wind Ice
and snow add their aid, and often cause
the most graceful men and women to
capsize, and land in show window.
The electric cars arc not an insignificant
cause, for horses have lately been
known to pass through highly pol
ishcd plate, or dcmolish an expensive
showcase to avoid this blind power.
Many glasses are broken through the
awkwar!ncss Of employees. while wash
ing or neutrality-suspicious. Some serious
losses have been reported during the
past year of porter Il stcp-laddcr, or
both falling through Il glass front. If
the loss is charged to the porter, he
feels that he has amply paid for it in
the bruises sustained in the fall, and re-
signs his situation. A not unfrcqucnt
cause of the window-panc tragedy,
and ono which might come under the
head OF Spirits" is the enragcd hus-
band, who comes home tipsy or else has
forgotten his night key. When his vito
refuses to be aroused, ho takes his
palace by storm, and afterwards pays
the cost OF his war.
One of the strangcst cases reported
during the past GEAR was that of q
countrymna who shot at stuffed
panther i'll display window Another
one reported was farmer who stopped
to sec dummy make speech in q toy
shop window. The dummy continued
to point Mt him, and finally. becoming
cnraced Mt thus hninor r,oirntnd ont no