New-York tribune., 1908-12-04
ANT[-NOISE CRUSADE
". d. HOWELLaS PROTESTS.
annoyed by Motor Boats, He Shrs
Up Washington Officials.
IFrom The Tribune Bureau. ]

TFrom The Tribune Bureau
Washington. Dec S--Nilliam Dean Howells has
written to the Department of Commerce and La Dor.
protesting against the 'chug-chugging of power
propelled fishing boats the PiscataQua River
and Portsmouth Harbor. and asking the aUthori-
ties to put stop to the nuisance. He assures
them that the Legislature of Maine has already
taken steps TO abate the noises of which he COM
plains, and expresses the hope that the laWma
of New Hampshire will follow suit. II they do
not. he says the action of the Maine Legislature
will be of avail for the noisy boats will stay
on the New Hampshire side of the river ano con
tinue their nerve racking performances
Mr.. Howellss letter. innocent and unproTocative 2
as It would seem, has filled the officials OF the de-
partment. especially those Of the steamboat in
spection service and bureau of navigation, with
genuine distress. It has a subject they
thought was dead and buried two years ago. ard
the prospect of another chapter Ike that written
when the Society for the Prevention of Unneces-
sary Noises storned the national capital in 1905
is enough to make the bravest quail
Mr. HowelIs is of the vice-presdents OF the
society. Of which Mrs. Isaac L. Rice is the NOV
ing spirit and the fact that he has interested him
self in the suppression of motor boat noises is
guarantee that large and influential following is
taking up the crusade
"A letter has been written to Mr.. Howells.' said
a high Official of the Department of Commerce and
Labor to-day, promising him that will do all
in our power to abate the noises OF which he
plains But he was told that the federal govern
ment was not alI-powerful boatowners, and
that unless they violated some OF the laws relating
10 interstate commerce the chances were that the
racket made by the exhausts OF the little boats
would continue in spite of all efforts. We
stop unnecessary whstling in the harbors-in fact,
since the Society for the Prevention OF Unnecessary
Noises made its crusade two years ago We have
stopped good many. But If we started out to reg
uate every little launch in every river and inlet
and along every coast of the United States
would be kept pretty busy. The Treasury of the
United States would not be able to the force of
men required for the work. Take IN New York
harbor alone During the rush hours there
forty-four ferryboats in the waters of the North
River. crossing and recrossing entering and IeAv-
ing their slips. At the same time there IA
tugs dodging in and out, and hundreds upon hun
dreds Of other power-propelled craft OF every kind
and description. Do you think IL would be poss BILE
for to hire enough watch them all?
When 1t comes to noise producing, why don't they
get after the railroad locomotives? One engine
q railroad will make hundred times much
noise steamboat. yet haven't heard any OF
the societies getting after them. Neither have 1
heard them jumping the noisy honks OF the au-
tomob biles.
AS an example of the complaints we have re-
ceiEed. might cite the OF man at Long
Branch. who complained of the noises made by
the fishing boats several miles from his home. He
said that unless they abated he would be
obliged to move away from the resort Yet ne
could stand the booming OF the surf right under
his own windows-a noise louder ten thousand
times than the distant chugginE Of the gasOere
boats of the fishing fleet"
II Mr.. Howels other protestants against the
gasolene boats should request official legal light
the department would send them the opinion that
Herbert Knox Smith. at that time Deputy Com
missioner of Corpora tiOns. but chief OF the
bureau. wrote the subject of whistles
SO long he his whistle" wrote Mr..
Smith. in accordance with prescribed signals and
times, the relation of his boat to other boats
comes under the provision of the statute. lie is
obeyins the law; If At other times when the
ation OF his boat to other boats is not involved.
he chooses in eKuberance of spirits for any
other reason TO blow his whistle. the federal gov
srlment has no jurisdiction over him whatsoever.
The same law would apply to the sounds Of motor
boats r-tr~-