Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1905-09-15
Tie Steam Whistle Should 60.

N'N 'iO'So VIC SouiHAoiut HlauC W COu'
vaie3cing patients who suffer from the
continuous ear-splitting blasts from
steamboats,, mills and factories, every
morning, before many people have yet
completed their dozy.nap which con-
sti'utes the cap.sheaf OF a nights rest
to those in the best Of health. Physi-
Clans unite, it says, in the statement
that these ear-piercing blasts, project
ed suddenly upon delicate orgsniAa-
ton probably enervated by disease,
may cause serious injury to patients
suffering from nervous disorders Incl
dent to most illness
The custom of beginning a regular
system Of signals for departure Of
steamers, half an hour before starting,
is as ineffective OF results as it is sense
less. Railroads leave on time, and
nobody gets left. with only the con-
ductprs MONOTONE admonition "All-a-
board at the moment OF starting.
Portland may be an old fogy, in some
things, as is suggested by Seattle. but
she is far ahead in this matter. Many
years ago, an ordinance restrained
steamboat whistling to single blast
of thirty seconds, five minutes before
departure, which was thought to be
ample time for anybody to get aboard
who had really made up his mind to
60 by that boat. 1t has operated we'll
though not entirely eliminating the
evil, il allows the late sleeper to turn
over for another na5 without fear OF
rude Weakening by the same whistle a
few moments later. A further stipula-
ton should have prescribed in size of
the whistles used, and substituted
something that did not project a
volume of sound the size of a barn.
door, or better still have abolished the
sleep. destroying, profanity invoking
device, by RELOCATING it to obscurity as
a means for whistling up possible pat
rons.
1t is infinitely worse than the bray
of the jackass, which An inferior court
has refused to suppress solely on the
plea that it is necessary for the health,
convenience and comfort of the animal,
but no such contention will lie when
whole city.full of steam whistles are
turned loose ct practically the same
time to raise pandemonium on
Earth, and there is some cause for
hope that the decision will be rushed
to a higher court for reversal.
What is the use for . steam.whistle
anyway, unless it be to drive cattle
from the track too large to be run
overf What good is subserved by the
prolonged blast to notify the public
that the half.a-dozen Cor half hun.
dred, it may beg employees have gone
to work in some mill or factoryf If
anything 10 needed besides the cheerful
bur OF machinery to give an assurance
that the hum Of industry has really
begun, why not adopt some instru.
ment of mellow, harmonious tone, in
stead OF a sound protector that strikes
the ear with sledge hammer force?
The P.-I. closes its excellent sug-
gestions as follows:
When Seattle was a mi ling, hamlet,
with but one small industry, the mill
whistle answered the purpose of a vii
lage clock. 1t marked the beginning of
the days business for all of the inhabi.
tants, the noon hour and the time for
quitting work at night. At least twice q
day it's sound was a welcome one to a
very large share Of the population of the
city-at noon time and night. Now
however, Seattle is a trifle past the
milling hamlet stage. There are thou
sands of other noise nuisances which
cannot be effectually suppressed and
they give as much of strain on the
nervous system as the ordinary constitu-
ton is fitted to bear. The mill and fac
tory whistle answers no purpose which
cannot be met as effectively by some
noiseless device. Timepieces are fairly
common and the mill whistle is no
longer the sole dependence of the people
OF the city to ascertain the hour. The
rivalry between the engineers of the
various plants 10 see which one can
blow his whistle the loujest and keep
il up the longest should have been fairly
settled by this time. They have had
many years in which to determine the
| matter, and the remainder of the popula-
ton OF the city is entitled to q rest.
There is certain amount of whistling
which must be endured. The danger
signals of the locomotives along the
water front are probably necessary
evil. The signal whistles of vessels
actually under way in the harbor are
prescribed by law. But the long-drawn
blasts of the factory and mill whistles
the internal chorus which banishes slum.
Der in the early hours of the morning
and adds an additional terror to. in
somnla, have no warrant save usage
and outworn tradition.
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IT seems that while the Portsmouth