The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-01-11
Celebrations ARE TUg
NOISY IN HONOLULU

The F'riera-stransers u EF0r1oI14Iu
are impressed uzravorahly with the
earesessress oe the authorities fg4 per-
hitting free Use OF arscraezers on %
many occasions II many mainland
cities the Fou9th Of Jug . the sta-
gle occasion on WHICH ahtGaren are al
lowed 90 mafna themselves. endaugsr
property ard tvespasz upon the 4uie=
q the. community by Burning rsvdsr
Hftfsout restraint since TIE great
eaiIses there Have rendered signal pub
lie zervaee By publishing an July 5
the casualties resulting from this dan
geroas practise. 3 strpng pubile op1n-
ion has been oeilt N against the
Noisy Fourth. which. bids fair in time
to Do away with the nuisance, Many
families where there are esglIs7resa
make a practise Of seeking quiet
country farra OF osfTsr out OF the way
place on our natienas Birthday IN
order TO safeguard their little ones
The attention u physicians and other
wards the nuisance OF avnisfl4bEe noise
III cities It has beer f0ana thar ring
ing 3s bells, blowing Of steam whistles
cries og street hsawEers. footing OF
horns and the Ike IN cities acts d.
reetly and most dfsastr1uslg upon the
health of the community. Ever the
robust, though unaware. Of It, are af-I
feceed the nervous tone being lower
ed By the continual noise OF city life
while the weak and the sick sufTes
aftentiraes most keenly The results
Of tF3s investigation have revealed
suef startling facts that a concerted
movement IS on foot IN many cities
TO do away entirely with all unneces-
sary noise. Steam whistles on fac-f
tories. needless use Of sirens and vgfIfs-
ties on steamboats, arg Being SUPPRESS
ed. Street noises are being reduced 10
a minimum and ali in the cause Of
good health IN cur climate useless
public u0ise is even more Objectionable
than on the mainland. One reason for
this IS the outdoor life we lead tt
IS impossible 80 shut out disagreeabie
noises in Honolulu. Another and very
Important consideration is the nerve
tension produced by our climate. /
While it is true that for the nerve
tired no better resting place can be
found than these islands. II is also
true that except for those who rest.
and especially FOR strenuous workers,
this climate IL far more depressing
than the more Braclng air
of the mainland. IT there IS one more
striking phenomenon here than any
.
per observable among rs all in. Hawaii. I
Nerves are kept on the strain IN a
manner very different from that OBJ
ssrvabIe in. q climate with greater
Noise. avoidabIe, useless
noise is far more Of nuisance In Ho~
noIulu than IN New York. Yet here
drecrackers seem freely permitted on
Christmas, New Years Day, Chinese
Eegg Years week and other special
occasions in addition TO the Fourth Of
July Christmas Eve is noisy and ruaai-
TO the limit. On New Years Eve not
only IS pandernonfum suffered TO break
loose at midnight, but the outrage OF
a screechfug steam whistle blown for
nigh onto half an hour is permitted
within full hearing distance Of
Queens, Chinese and Japanese hospi-I
tails. We have heard OF one very crit
.eaI case in Queens Hospital where a.
lady was compelled to- De- removed at
the risk of life to the suburbs after a
sewers surgical operation because Of
the useless Noise permitted by our
Board of Health at Christmas time.
IN another case the blowing Of the
Iaif hour whistle at midnight New
Years is known by us TO have robbed
sufferers from overtaxed nerves Of
needed rest and 10 have definitely aug
nented their suffering. Cities are
places where men in order to bel
thoughtful and nr0therfy must often
make sacrifices. It is the prerogatfvs{
If a Board of Health frequently to in
iicate what these sacrifices must BE-
nhe friend commeuds to the Board
Il HEALTH this matter OF needless
lOise. There are altogether zoo many
'ells and steam whistles Disturbing tf1eI
Iuiet OF orr city. Fireworks are perl
nitted with too great latitude Lett
Yes ar%