The Brunswick times. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 188?-1900, 1897-04-11
TO PREVENT NOISE.
A SCHEME TO END OR MUFFLE HARSH
SOUNDS IN THE CITIES.

Plans For an Interesting Experiment.
Bells, Whistles, Vehicles and Street
Musicians Come Under the Ban-Iron
Girders Must BE Packed with Burlap.
There are in the city Of New York a
great number of odd societies for the
prevention or promotion Of various odd
things, and soon there is to be an addi-
ton to the list which will endear it to
all those who try to get as much COM
fort out Of city life as can be had.
The new society is to be called the
Society For the Prevention of Noise,
and if its promoters succeed in their
undertaking there is little doubt that
branches of the society will begin oper-
ations in all the big cities of the world.
The organization Of the society is the
result of the sentiments voiced by DIR.
j. II. Girdner Of New York in an arti-
Gle in recent number of The North
American Review entitled 1.-THE Plague
of City Noises. -
The comment caused by this article,
both in America and Europe, is almost
incredible. Columns of editorials on DR..
Girdner's ideas for the prevention of the
nuisance have been published in the
leading English, French, German. Ital-
ian, Spanish and Danish journals, while
the press of America has taken up the
matter most seriously. DIR. Girdner
has received letters from all parts of the
United States thanking him for his adj
vocacy of the abolition of noises, and
0f khe l. i
the society, both by their influence and
their money.
1t is the intention of the promoters of
the society to have introduced in the
New York legislature bill for its in
corporation this spring, and if the char
ter and powers and responsibilities are
conferred upon it by that body it will
endeavor to cooperate in the suppress
sion of noises with the various city de-
partments, and will, in the first place,
make thorough study Of the noises of
New York.
DIR. Girdner argues that nearly all
the noises which aflict the residents of
great city can be done away with,
such as the noises produced by bells,
whistles, clocks, horses and wheeled ve-
hicles, peddlers, beggars, street must
clans, cats, dogs, horns, explosives, and,
added to these, are the noises which
come from the inside of the houses, such
as those made by persons learning to
play musical instruments and training
the voice.
In the first place, the society will use
its influence toward having all the
streets of the city paved with asphalt
The noises made by heavy wagons, such
as those used in drawing iron Orders,
will receive special attention. 1t is nei-
Their a difficult nor expensive matter to
put old sacking or burlap between the
girders, and once it were made viola
ton of the law not to do so this ear
splitting nuisance would be stopped.
The drivers of carts, if compelled to
fasten the body of the carts firmly to
the frame, would soon discover that the
nerve Earring banging of the shafts
would disappear. No more will the
vegetable and fruit mongers bawl the
variety and freshness of their wares
through the town, if the society should
have its way and discordant hand or
gans and out OF tune piano organs will
be suppressed and the rag and bottle
dealer be compelled to conduct his bust
ness with proper regard to the desires of
quiet loving citizens.
The society will be iconoclastic enough
to wish to do away with the changing of
church bells. 1t will, if it has its way,
have cats licensed as we'll as dogs, and
their owners will be compelled to keep
their pets within the house, and woe to
the midnight feline which is found per-
ambulating the streets after the manner
of its kind. twill be promptly impound-
ed.
Fire and ambulance bells will have to
be tolerated, and no method of dispens-
ing with fog horns and steamboat whis-
ties has yet suggested itself. New York
Journal.