The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-06-26
footing mrs. RICE TO SLEEP
HUDSON RIVER WHISTLES DEFY
TREASURY ORDER.

NN
ing, Apparently at the Lady Even Said
That q Siren PartOok In the Last Con.
cert-Deoision on Complaints Delayed.
An impromptu steamboat whistle rom
cert which has been going OF at intervals
the past nine nights helps the hot weather
to WOO slumher 10 the residents OF Riverside
Drive near Eighty ninth street. Villa julia
the home Of Mrs. Isaac l.. Rice, the presi-
dent OF the Society for the Suppression OF
Unnecessary Noise. Is here, overlooking
the Hudson. II Is suspected that the sere-
nades are for Mrs. Rice's benefit, as she
recently got a Treasury order f%orbidding
superfuous footing.
The most elaborate demonstration OF the
steam song cycle was given on Tuesday
morning between the hours Of 2 and 4
O'Clock. Evidently the matinee was par
ticipated in by a selected octet Of whistles,
The bass solos were taken by q deep throated
chime whistle that sounded well Qualified
for a JOB as foghorn on the new Adriatio,
According to those who peered out OF the
windows it vas rugged On an ~oceangoing
tug and stood well back to the Jersey shore
TO utilize the echo effect. But the star
Soloist OF the company was q thin, high
pitched siren, which il is declared possessed
a range OF two octaves at least. This in
strument at first seemed content at getting
In occasional ~obligato, but finally COX the
centre of the stage and did nothing but show
oil how it could run up and down the scale
for ten minute stretches without taxing
breath.
First there was a duet OF FIVE outlandish
shrieks, apparently from two tugs towing
a string Of brick scows. Appreciation OF
this performance was shown by a large
steamer standing high in the water and
heading down stream slowly which sounded
ito h0ayU nhiDnn uhiaflaa in Gta Noaf RI
fashion. Then a good sized freighter
which was loafing about the West Seventy
ninth street dock Joined the bass singer
which had just opened up from the Jersey
side. The siren lost no time getting on the
job and the ensemble was augmented by
three boats which closely resemble the
tenders of the Norwegian warship Harald
Haarfarge and the Dutch cruiser Gelderland.
To add variety the large downturned steam
boat flashed its searchlight toward River
side Drive, and it is said squarely spotted
Mrs. Rice's bedroom window.
The indiscriminate wall dwindled down
to the steel lunged Jersey bass which wal
attempting a tune suspiciously like Tam
many Not seeming to get away with the
tune the big fellow quit after only about
three-quarters Of an hours work.
Dwellers on that coast are pretty warm
about the disturbance. There are several
cases up now before the Steamboat In
spectors, the decisions on which are pending.
One OF the complaints was drawn up Dy u
watcher employed by the anti-noise society
against the steamboat Primrose. Mrs Rice
when seen at her home last night said:
THE noise last night worse than any
other? Possibly a little, but not much.
They have been keeping this thing going
for the last nine nights. Now | do hope
that the local inspectors will give US some
sort OF a decision on our test cases, 1t is
not for us along Riverside Drive that it
matters, but out Of humane consideration
for the thousands OF poor sufferers in the
great hospitals along the East River l hope
to a decision soon.
True, the amended rules lave done a
wondrous good already; that Is to say,
before they were adopted a matter Of
5000 whistle toots in a single night was a
common thing. Nothing like that now, but
the moral effect of our not being able to
get a decision in the cases we AVE made
in is being shown and the footing
increases proportionately.
Il could make any number of complaints
boat pilots who whistle uselessly along
the Hudson in this vicinity right along,
but / don't care to prosecute persons that
could i'll afford TO suffer financially or pos
sibly lose their employment. However.
those that disturb the hospitals ought to
suffer.
An example Of what great cooperation
we are getting or the other hand is shown
by the assistance of Mr.. Eugene F.. Moran,
who has instructed his pilots to do no un-
whistling. They are obeying
beautifully.
There is no doubt in my mind that these
whistling demonstrations are for
my benefit. I'm sorry personal animosity
enters into the matter. / bear no officials
or pilots i'll will. In many cases am deeply
grateful for courtesy upon their part. My
idea is as president of this society to do
! am able to suppress unnecessary
noise in the interest Of the sick and suffer-
inc