The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-04-08
Unnecessary City Noises.

RE- there noises in the city which be dis
"A pensed with and would their abolition con-
duce to the health Of the citizen and the CROWN
of the city,
B There is campaign on against city noises ~
the east which is in it's infancy and which IS rum
ming the gauntlet Of the sneers Of those who are
against fads of all kinds. This to be expected.
The campaign against city dirt ran the same gamut
and the campaign against smoke is enjoying the
same sort Of an experience. The raid on noises IS
considered to be more squeamsh than tnat
against dirt or smoke and hence must expect to be
treated with the loudest kind of scorn
The medical profession is at the front IN tins
movement, of course, it was IN the other t"o'
and is bearing the brunt Of the effort to shout IT
down The medical profession is, however, quite
tenacious of it's and does not propose to be
shut off in it's protest against city noises. 1T IS
we'll within it's knowledge and its province when II
objects to them from medical standpoint. In
city of 100000 population there are two or tnree
thousand people i'll every day. They are not an
at the point Of death, but they esunder medical
attendance and 1t is notorious fact that great
part of the depleted energies OF these untortunaes
is absorbed in resisting city noises which are not
necessary This is the first branch OF the medical
argument. .s....E ...y ..@a II
The second is that the noises of cities tend to
deprecate the real estate values of the cities This
is consideration which will appeal to the very
people who make the most fun OF the campaign
against noises Districts which might be good resi-
dence property are being deserted every year IN all
our Cities by those who afford to get out, on
account Of the noises. The rich make suburban
places and pay their taxes outside of the city IN
which they make their money. The well-to-do give
themselves an occasional rest by having two homes
one in the CITY and one in the country. Only the
poorer classes who cannot afford two homes, are
left and they turn what was once tine residence
property into regions which rent merely from
month to month-and this all real estate men con
slider to be the worst kind Of Investment Tor the
owner of real property.
The antinoise campaign seeks to eliminate merely
unnecessary noises. The blowing Of factory whistles
is one Of these Nowadays nobody is called to hi
work in factory by whistle. He goes by tn
clock The best evidence of this is the fact tina
the Minneapolis -four mills, working three shifts
day, with 1000 or 5000 men employed, have NJ
whistles. The big department stores manage to &c
their numerous employees started on the work o
the day without whistle, and they instruct then
to quit by means of a gong, which is heard onl
within the store. Why then, is it necessary to bo'
a factory whistle at all? And why should a loco
motive to call the attention of a trainman twent
or thirty rods distant, blow whistle which can b
heard four miles distant? Why do the streetcal
in Minneapolis ring up fares with machine whlc
shakes the car to it's foundations, while other ca
companies use little indicators carried by the col
ductor? -. ..,. rr:,
All these inquiries come under the head % Al
there unnecessary city noises?" And if so, WI
are they tolerated?