The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-02-11
CITY NOISES.
Some Suggestions About Them.

british Medical Journal
OF course it is impossible to obtain the
quiet of country life even in such a sound
proof chamber as Carlyle constructed at
Chelsea; but II any serious effort was made
to minimize as much as possible the noises
Of great city, 1t would be found that many
Of them could be so reduced as to be but
little harmful Anyone who has once had
the misfortune to be III 10 bed In hotel
close to railroad junction will find that the
shrieks Of the diabolleal whistles aud the
Out-rushing steam will haunt his memory to
the end Of life. Some whistlIng Is probably
necessary; 1t Is difficult, however, to refrain
from the belief that the drivers ievel In the
hide0us sounds they produce, and wreak
their vengeance upon society which keeps
them from their nights Tepase by determin-
ing that while they are at work nobody with
In earshot shall sleep. Then there are fac
tories which employ some fearsome steam
horn or devil" which helps with many
other products Of advanced civilization 10
make night and early morning hldeOus.
Il was pointed out at a meeting recently
held that whistles OF lower pitch and more
harmonious tones could be employed to pro-
duce sounds pleasant rather than otherwise.
IL Is certain that continental railways are
more considerate than our own. In many
parts horn Of not uDpleaslng sound largely
does the work OF our whistles, and IL always
seems TO US that trains are started with less
roar and fury on French and German rail
ways than upon our own.
Church bells are gross offenders against
the peace Of Christian folk. and in England
seem more calculated to lrritate the sinner
than soothe and invite the wOrshipper. We
are not a musical nation In spite Of our i'm
mense pretence In this direction, and our
modern eampanoloey Is perhaps tho most in
tolerable In Christend0m. The chimes at
Antwerp or Salzbnrg, for example, will Of
fend only the most sensitive ear, buL clam
orOus little bell, rung from steeple Mt early
morning and evening time, with frequent
tinklings throughout the day, seems an In
strumeut carefully designed 70 worry all the
dWellers within Its range. In an age when
every room has It's clock, and every adult his
watch, this constant Dell-ringing seems un-
necessary.
1t should be within the power Of our eOur-
ty councils and municipal authorities TO deal
sharply with persons Who create disturbance
at night by shouting, screaming and singing.
For the weary and hard-worked citizen
these discOrdant sounds are bard enough
TO bear, for the sick aud restless they
are intolerable. The hours OF rest are
none too long; by $3.50 or Z the milk
mans whoop Is heard; the rattle OF his
cans and his foot on the area step an
nounce that the days work has begun. Then
the light sleeper has no further chance, for
the newS00ys. the 1tinerant dealer IN coal
and the postman's imperative rat-tat stimu-
late him 60 attack the business Of the day,
even II the aggrieved tone Of the maIins-bell
In the tower OF the neighboring church has
not already called him TO prayer. Our plea
Is for less noise In all this. Any dlscOrdant
and loud sounds not absolutely necessary
should be prevented.
When tram cars were first introduced into
LONDON an urgent protest against the use Of
bells on the harness on Sunday stopped the
nuisance. III the irritating jingle be really
necessary as a precaution against accident,
the oells could at least be made more musl-
car as II Is, IL would seem that every adj
vance In our civilization Is accompanied by a
noise OF which the days Of barbarism knew
nothing. The slow and almost insensible In
nuenee OF noise on the nervous system tends
to wear and break 1t down. Neuralgia, stlu-
ulant craving. restlessness and Oyer-aleIt-
ness OF purposeless character commonly
known as "fdgets," are some OF the eElIs
directly caused by IL, and this 70 sueh gsllng an
tent that the average Lond0neI NV, Hms.oe ~,
amidst It's noise and hustle often nndS ~ y,
q difficulty In sleeping In the country because because
OF its .'desdlv calm. This Is the measure
OF the lninrIousness Of the noises OF city NE