The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-09-06


Mrs Hobart Brooks. of 40 A Street
northeast recently complained to the
Commissioners OF being annoyed by scis-
sors grinders and others ringing bells at
an early hour in the morning and of buck
sters crying their wares.
The street noises" she writes ARE
becoming so nearly unbearable that ! am
going TO call your attention to them, be-
lieying that you will do something to
stop them. Every day there are fresh
cases of nervous prcstration. many of
which | believe can be traced to the un-
necessary and almost constant noises
under the front windows of our city
houses. Scissors grinders and umbrella
rae nders. even one or two delivery wag-
ors, carry bells from Eve to eight inches
in diameter. hung upon a wire or spring,
making the bell ring constantly.
Il have known Two of these bells to
be in our block at the same time. and
a huckster shouting berries in stentorian
tones. These scissors grinders and buck
sters PASS cur house frequently as early
as $50 in the morning. They always
waken everybody in the front of the house
Just one hour earlier than they want to
be. These bells are nuisance so great
that I wonder it has existed so long where
progressive people live.
Il wrote Major Sylvester about II year
ago but there has not been, apparently,
a sound less. These bells can easily be
heard for two blocks and are calculated
TO make even phlegmatic women nervous
wrecks Consider the effect upon women
who sit at their open front windows ard
sew from morning until evening as a
means of livelihood ] really believe that
if the Commissioners will look into the
matter they viii have these noises STOP
ped at least the bells, for they are the
worst nuisance"
The letter Of Mrs Brooks was referred
by the Commissioners to the Police De-
partment for investigation and report,
and Major Sylvester issued an order 10
Lieutenant Daley of the Ninth precinct.
to have his bicycle and other men put a
stop to the ringing of bells and to take
steps TO make case and take ii into
the Police Court.
In reporting back TO the Superintendent
Lieutenant Daley stated that police
man in citizens dress was detailed In
the neighborhood of $40 A Street north
east during the early hours of the day,
and two arrests were made. one a scis-
sors grinder and the other an umbrella
member. Both were charged with yiolat-
ing the Police Regulations and the COM
plants were presented TO the court, and
the personal bond Of each was taken
not to violate the law again. Instruc-
tions have been given the policemen on
duty TO warn all scissors grinders and
umbrella members not to sound their
bells.
The Superintendent in transmitting the
report of Lieutenant Daley to the Com
missioners stated that the cause Of the
complaint has been removed, and the
Commissioners yesterday approved the
report and issued an order that the COM
plainant be informed in accordance
herewith.
w. F. Hummer and others, owners OF
property IN square 965, recently sent pc
tition 10 the Commissioners relative TO the
Improvement OF the alley in said square
The petition embodies a request that the
grade Of the alley be so fixed that 1t will
drain to the centre OF the alley into
catch basin TO be located there, instead of
having the grade raised sufficiently 70
drain into Tenth Street. which the petit
titlonars affirm would greatly damage more
than half of the property in the square.
The petition states that $he signers
thereof are well aware that what they ask
Is not according TO the practice of the En-
gineer Department, but they think that ii
is is a case where an exception should be
made They say they are anxious to have
the alley paved, but would like the i'm