The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-19
BURGLAR ALARMS ON A SPREE
NOBODY BUT DIR. LEDERLE COULD
HUSH EAST TENTH STREET.
Says tho Policeman. Why They Must 90
Until They Run DOwn--Says the Health
Commissioner, They Must Stop or
They'll He Ripped On-They stop.

SSyB inc FOHCeman, why HWY "uS' wv
Until They Run DOwn--Says the Health
Commissioner, They Must Stop or
They'll He Ripped On-They stop
After about all of the dozen or more
burglar alarms in East Tenth street, be-
tween Broadway and University place
had gone on changing toot last evening,
and all the babies on the block had set
up a wall in response, the people who live
around there got fine object lesson in
the way Health Commissioner Lederle
dispatches official business after hours
There are few residences Of old New
Workers. and several business houses on
the block, Nearly all of the latter and
few of the former are fitted with burglar
alarms, which are perched on the front
of the buildings. Whether the alarms had
received an overdose Of electricity or had
become superheated has yet to be e1-
planned, but shortly after 7 o'clock last
evening one Of them. No. 81, started up
and changed away as If there were regi-
ment of burglars on every floor After it
had been changing away for half an hour
an elderly matron OF rather majestic ap-
pearance and snow white hair, who is said
: to have recently arrived from up the State.
swept out on her porch, and, calling pass
ing policeman, said
Officer, I'm told that wretched noise
comes from burglar alarm. Why do you
not arrest the burglars and thus relieve
us Of the distressing annoyance?'
"That's only bluff, ma am. said the cop.
looking bored. 'They amt no burglars;
them things just go off when they like an
the only thing to do is to let EN- run down.
DO you mean to say that we must endure
this abomination all the EVENING"" asked
the matron.
AN the EVENING"" exclaimed the police
The ma jcstic-looking matron from up
the State had hardly finished protesting
that she would return to the country in the
morning, even if she had not picked out all
her shirt waists, when two or three more
Of the gongs began to clnng accompanl-
The additional changing moved few cats
in the areas to extemporize.
This was followed by the fortissmo
soprano con modo of even the fashionable
babies whose cribs were within earshot.
The wall of the infants seemed to excite
the sympathy of the other alarms that
weren't. working and soon there was bunch
of sound echoing through the block that
should have made the spirit Of Wagner
green with envy.
The pOlcernen assembled from nelRnDol-
ing beats, but the only satisfaction anybody
got from them was that they had reported
the offending gongs to the Mercer street
station. Finally, Just as many of the resi-
dents were about to seek accommodations
for the night in the insane pavilion at
untoward noises came under the super
vision of the Department of Health. DR.:
Ledere was called up at his house and
informed Of the situation.
"Ill attend to it at once. said the Com
missioner. an send police telegram
to have the gonRs stopped or ripped on
Just whether the Commissioner sent the
telegram was not learned, but in less than
half an hour after he had got the telephone
message every gong in the block had been
stilled, and even the lady on shopping
posture and was moved to remark that
Health Commissioners are really wonderful
men,"