New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-10-06
NOISE AND CIVILIZATION.

Is there any good reason why, as we trot along
to keep up with the march of human progress we
should make so much noise about 1t? Is IL an aD-
solute necessity that the advance OF civilization
should be accompanied by an ever-increasing vol
ume Of din? The husbandman In his quiet nome
accustomed only to the Growing or the COCK at
morn and the croaking Of the frog at night, gets
his weekly papers and learns OF the wonderful
things that are being done in every branch OF hu-
man industry; and he may be pardoned II II oc-
ours to him that It's all being done without any
particular fuss But II he gets into any centre
of civilization he is appalled, by the prevalence
OF ear-splitting sounds. He may expect rea-
sonable amount Of the roar OF a great city, ou'
in these DAYS the roar suggests wel-war-
ranted theory that Bedlam has at last broken
loose and can't be corraed. The question ha'u.
rally presents itself, whether mere unaduiteraleu
noise has not been allowed to get the better OF
LIS. while we have been attending to other mat
ters and whether 1t is not about time 10 direct
our energies toward keeping down the uproar
that arises on every hand. Certain 1t Is that IL
the race continues making progress IN 'he "eH'
century ct the rate at which 1t has been al
vancng In the century about to close, ana II the
noise that arises from the operation Increases III
lilo nronortion the human ear will have 10 De
reconstructed on stronger and more resisting
Ines and human nerves will need reinforcement
In one way another.
II anv one has the temerity TO COMBAT the
nroposition that noise is getting the whip hand OF
us so 70 sneak let him rise some morning when
this civ for example, is comparatively quiet and
then note how the noise begins increases, wells
I'D everywhere, until 1t seems as II the worIu
were made for It and nothing else. A muitltuue
OF whistles begin to screech in what appears "
he a neyer-ending contest for supremacy IN inc
realm OF noise The thunder OF monstrou5 TRUCKS
that pour along the thoroughfares plies on the
aoony An army Of leathern-unged huckstels
take nosscssion OF the streets and fill the air With
tnde scrbable and unintelllgible sounds, that are
renaated with undated fervor forty times or
more he fore each house. as II 1t were TO be pre-
suned that the whole population was stone DEAL
Ponderous wagons laden with long metal beams
move slowly along. giving a blood-curdling addi-
t,on 10 the tumult, as beams beat an incessant
tattoo on other beams-altogether the most USE
less noise in the world Get on a cable-car es-
racialIv on an East Side line, and as 1t comes 10
a stop note the fact that all the grinding crunch
inc shrinking noises that have arisen since the
world hogan are concentrated in one mighty ef-
fort to wake up the dead
So the query again presents Itself: Has there'
with the increase Of civilization and the develop
ments in all branches OF human ACTIVITY oeeh
enough attention paid to keeping down and mini
MIXING the resultant sounds? Apparently not.
The man who should do something to save ears
and nerves would be hailed as oenetactor OF
the human race. And those who would win
fame in this line should make start before
Noise has overwhelmed mankind.