The evening world., 1905-12-28
WOMAN s WAR ON
HARBOR WHISTLES
Wealthy Mrs. Isaac L. Rice Is
Fighting the footing
Nuisance.
CAN'T SLEEP AT NIGHT.
She Has Mustered Much Support
and viii Garry Matter to
Washington.
BY Aloe ROHE.

That Is, II Mrs, Julia B. Rice, wife
Of Millionaire Isaac l.. Rice, wins In
her single-handed fight 10 abolish the
unceasing shrieking OF whistles on the
North River at night
Mrs Rices husband Is a promoter,
He financed the Holland Submarine
Boat Company and originally obtained
the rights to Msrconrs wireless tele-
graph uystem for this country and
projected a number Of stations to COM
pee with cables, such as the cable
from Tampa to Key West
Not only Is Mrs, Rice fighting TO have
the noises suppressed In the tmme-
dlate vicinity Of her own home, but
her efforts are being made TO help the
sufferers wIo are Tortured by the
pacicst OF the whistles in the neighbor-
hoed od all the waters surrounding
Manhattan Island.
Especially has Mrs, Rice exercised
hswsdf TO save the inmates OF the hos
pitals situated within hearing distance
Of the tugboats whistles, and In her
campaign which reached climax al
q taeeting in the law Offices OF the
Custom House yesterday afternoon
she had the oo-opena ton a the heads
OF all the hospitals in New YORK. as
well as other prominent men A petl-
ton, with the names OF l,l5O west
sider, 10 IN evidence among Mrs
Rices eampaign documents Many
more would have been adied had not
the law depar ment OF the Custom
House notified Mrs. Rioe that her list
was representative.
The night this wealthy woman, whose
home is one Of the handsomest on
Riverside Drive, Is making Is inperes
ting N that 1t represents all classes oi
people.
The West End Club representative
visited the Health Department year
ago," said Mrs RICE az her nome TO-
day TO an Evening World reporter
but nothing was accomplished Whe'I
We returned from Europe In August
bound that the nuisance Of the tusDoat
whistles had become worse Instead o.
better Sleep was impossible. My chA'
dren would leave ther bed at O'Clock
m the morning and creep down into
ohelr studio 10 model in clay or draw
and paint SIMPLY because they could
NOT sleep Ore night tried Sleeping IN
the cellar because was on the verge
Of nervous collapse, BAN these hideops
noises penetrated even there
May Have to Leave,
-We have had patent arrangements
10 introduce air into our sleeping apart
ments in order to sleep with the win
dowt closed. but II Is OF no avail.
cannot beai to think OF giving up our
home, but unless these terrible and I'M
necessary noises are suppressed we will
have b. leave.
1T Is not the necessary signalling
that | am protesting against, 1t Is the
unceasing footing and whistling OF these
tugbolts for Absolutely unnecessary
reasons
Il have Investigated the matter thor
oughly and l have statistics enough to
establish every point"
Mrs. Rice brought forth piles Of type
written statements, many OF them from
scow captains, tugboat captains, steam
boat inspectors. watchers and assistants
OF her own, who have compiled compre-
honive statistics for this mllionaires
wife, who is trying TO stop the toot'
ing Of tugboat whistles.
II have hired law students from Col.
umbla TO come to my house and count
the toots OF these Whistles" said Mrs,
Rice. on the night OF Dec. % c. C,
Cooper watched from 10 P. NJ. to 7
A. NJ. In that time he marked down
every toot he. could and registered 3,ll9
distinct toots, although he confessed
there were mapy other toots he was un.
able to mark down, sQn Dec, Vernon
6. Clark registered 1858 toots.
Much Red Tape.
II have had my night watchman
register these whistles and | have had
a corps Of assistants getting material,
My struggle has been almost hopelessly
Involved in red tape which | consider
u do anything when federal waters are
concerned
First OF all, In my attempt to rezu-
late these terrible noises appealed to
the Board Of Health, / have a splendid
letter here from DR.. Hermann NJ
Biggs, In which he admits the nuisance
is unbearalble and states that he has
received numerous COMPLAINTS from
nurses and medical STATS OF hospitals
The Board OF Health has submitted the
question OF jurisdiction to the Corpora
tion Counsel"
From the Board OF Health Mrs Rice
went 10 the Dock Copmissioners, Next
she appealed to the Warden of the
Port, next the Collectors Office was
consulted, and then Commissioner Nc
Adoo was appealed TO- Then Francis
&. Hamilton head OF the Law Depart
ment Of the Custom House. was visited.
Whistle to sweethearts.
"All have gained so far Is the prom
ise of Mr.. Hamilton to investigate,
and his suggestion that l bring six
witnesses and my statistics to Wash
ingtOn.
"After have everything In shape
and presented TO the Federal repre-
sentatives II seems 80. unnecessary for
ire 10 take six other complalnants 70