The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1902-08-02
COMMERCIAL VALUE OF QUIET
City 1t IL Greater Than That of
Any other Attraction.

At the beginning of the outing sea-
son, when the inevitable question is:
where shall we go?" the young and
vigorous have variety of possibilities
wherefrom to choose. But nerve
weary seekers after rest-a large and
!. rapidiy-growing~ class confront an
almost insoluble problem, especially il
they must stay near the city, so that
the head of the house may go to his
daily work. Resorts are plentiful, but
New York itself is not more noisy than
most of them, writes John L. Heaton,
in Century. The result is that tired
men who need change to country air,
and who are we'll able to pay. for it.,
often stay and stifie in their deserted
and comfortless city homes, simply be-
cause money cannot buy chance to
rest at night. Perhaps greater num-
Der of women more patiently continue
search for what they never find.
The commercial value of quiet,
brought to the attention of those who
need it, would be greater than that of
any other attraction of nature or So
ciety whose lure is spread in the ad-
vertisements. Fortune awaits the man.
prosperity is ready to smile upon the
community, that will furnish quiet,
and let the world know that it is fur
nished.
i venture to list some Of the more
usual murderers of sleep, with hints
for their suppression:
Dogs. To one who has diffiulty in
sleeping, no experience of a night of
horrors is more maddening than the
barking of dogs. 1t is n nuisance quite
without excuse, and easily abated by
good board of health aided by eff
cient police. As rule, $500 dog
makes less noise than 50-cent one,
and a valueless, half-starved, owner
less vagrant outhowls them both. Pet
dogs that, after complaint, continue
to disturb the peace present aEprob-
lem; but as to the right course there
can be no question. The life of man
or woman--and even the doctors can
not tell how many thousands of human
beings are yearly killed by noise--is
more to be considered than the life of
q pet.
Drunken Roistering.-The curse of
many a village summer resort is the
curse of politics. The need of votes at
election time keep the authorities
from suppressing disorder. In one
village near New York whole
street built up with pretty cottages
is rendered almost uninhabitable be-
cause boisterous characters have the
habit of making it their stamping
ground" Complaint is vain. and thou
sands of dollars worth of taxable
is rendered nearly valueless.
To another cottage resort not far away
d man went last summer with the in |
tent of buying land and building a |
home. The first night he
spent there he was kept awake until |
two a. m. by the maudlin singing and |
laughter of dozen voters with whom |
no officer interfered; and the second |
nights experience was the same. In
his case the money loss by noise to |
he community could be reckoned |
1t great many dollars per hour. The !
cure? 1t is perfectly plain; has been
printed thousand times. Wipe out
party lines in local affairs. Let decent |
citizens unite for common-sense bust
ness administration.
Town Clocks.-To many. clock that |
strikes the hours is pleasant break
n the monotony of occasional wakeful-
less; to those in quest of quiet it is
J relic of barbarism. In any village
here is always illness which is rem
Tered more agonizing by noise, not to /
peak Of unfortunate refugees from
he city who would be glad to make
'restful summer haven.
Steam-whisfles are unnecessary
where everybody owns watch. Rail-
way whistling and bell-ringing may