Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-04-29
INC Dangers Of WHEATON.

T. ONION is seriously exercised as to the
SAFETY of many OF its walls and build
j l. ings. Because of the heavy street
traftic, especially that of the motor We
hlcIes, as well as the tunnellng for the
construction OF underground RAILWAYS. the
buildings and drains in many parts are be-
coming seriously endangered by the vibra-
tons Several collapsing walls have been
traced 10 this cause
{ The wonderful force OF vibration is recog-
/ nized In all its power by few architects
ana builders 1t would amuse them II
! they were told that the most solidly built
/ or their walls would be injured by the con-
tinuous scraping Of a bow across the violin.
. or course, II would take years of playing
! TO loosen masonry and render Iron brittle
| but there are facts on record which show
that such a result has occurred On a first
class battle ship a man may feel the vibra-
tons of a violin though he may not be able
to hear the music 1t is the regularity Of
the vibrations which tell. The player Is
not affected by them for he is a flexible
object and can give way TO motion.
Every one knows that squad of soldiers
or any body OF marching men break step
! In crossing a bridge, no matter what its
size and strength may be, for none could
Withstand the vibrations OF this concerted
action. Even the tread of a dog may
make bridge shake because of the regu-
larity of the vibration, 80 that on many OF
the big suspension bridges dogs are not
allowed unless carried In the arms of their
owners. A suspension bridge sways in the
vibration. and though the first steps Of the
dog have little effect each step being regu-
/ lar and coming with the same frmness,
the swaying Of the bridge gathers momen-
tum with each step.
Y A good illustration OF the power of vibra-
ton can be found at the Greenwich OBJ
servatory. 1t stands on the top Of hill on
whose slopes hundreds OF children play on
fine evenings. Their favorite play Is TO
Join hands at the top and dash headlons
/ to the bottom, where they fall in a heap
I This starts the vibration Of the hill to such
an extent that the scientists OF the OBJ
: servatory are unable 10 carry on their
observations which depend upon the mo-
/ tionless state Of tray SOf mercury The
solid hill is in such a state of tremor that
the vibrations continue till long past mid
night, when the children who have caused
/ II have been asleep for hours.
/ A still more wonderful illustration OF vi
B bration is In the human throat. Sixty Vi
brations per second is the least number
by means OF which a sound can be pro-
duced. This is a sound never used On
speaking, but Is found In mems voices IN
an extremely low register The highest
sound produced by the human voioe-that
, is Il In altissimo-is caused by I,U24 vibra-
lions per second. This. too. is exceptional
being only obtainable in the highly Guilt
waited female or boy voices.
II Is simply the vocal chords which vi
brate. not the throat In the lower notes
the whole length and thickness OF the
vocal chords are used the thin edges Ia
Ing employed for che highest ones. Tim,
, IN speaking for minute or two there Is
SUFFICIENT vibration engendered in tba
throat, we're It's walls OF solid nature in
stead OF soft and flexible. 60 SKATER ana
. destroy a., Every minute We speak the
I vocal chords vibrate from 2O.O0O Ia 40.OU
times
Thera are I'M knssIa "a mnnasteries and