Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-06-06
TO STOP. THE NOISE.
Municipal Art Society to Make an
 Effort at Quieting City.

Hartford, June 6.-At a meeting Of the Municipal Art society in the office of John M Holcombe, the president of the society, Wednesday noise was the topic of discussion The anti-noise movement in New York and other cities was discussed. The Rev, L. D. Patton of the Hartford theological seminary in a letter to Henry Robinson Buck presented a motion covering the anti-noise cru sade and the local society will get in communication with other cities and see what they have done along these lines, before taking any def mite steps. The general opinion at the meeting was that it would be possible to lessen to great degree some of the apparently unnecessary racket in the city arising from a variety of causes.
 MT Paton's letter is as follows:
 Hartford. Conn, May 29, 1908. Mir. Henry Robinson Buck, Hartford,
 Conn.
 .Mr Dear. Mr Buck: Tn looking over the outline of work of the Municipal Art society that you have sent me, it seems to me that the departments of civic activity are well represented with single ex- ception. No committee Is provided to look after the regulation of city noises. There is committee which aims to suppress objeetionables street fixtures, advertisements and other objec's offensive to the eye. Objec- tionable odors are already attended to by the board of health, but there Is no committee either in the city government or in the Municipal Art society, so far as am aware, that pays attention to the regulation of city noises and the suppression of unnecessary racket. doubt wheth- CT there is even state or city legisla- tion on he subject. Yet in all large places there is constant tendency for noises to multiply unnecessarily, and unless something is done to check them, life in such city be- comes a burden in comparison with life in. other places where such mat ters are regulated.
 The ringing of bells, blowing of whistles. carrying of noisy me als through the streets, the unnecessary footing of automobiles, barking of dogs. and similar matters are sue cessfully regulated in other cities. with great advantage to the health and comfort of the citizens and with decided pecuniary advantage to such municipalities, because they are thus made more desirable places of residence. It seems 10 me that t would be well 10 add a committee that should have the consideration of this subject. and I for one should be glad to serve on such commit tee and would be willing to do all in my power to look the subject up and see what has been done elsewhere and what might he profitably a. tempted here. I think 1t would be we. If a lawyer and physician could Ae other members of the com mittee, Vas they would give the va riety of points of view from which the subject might be considered.
 Yours truly,
 LEWIS B. PATTON.
 An effort will be made to get the fudkleT HI SHhpS TUT lue duyUulucu meeting June Is. The talk showed that in New York there is fine for carrying loose iron on the street and for the unnecessary blowing of trcI- ley whistles. and sounding of gongs. Locomotive whistles come under the ban except In emergencies. Congress has passed bill prohibiting the un- necessary use of whistles in harbors of the United States. and quiet areas have been provided for hospitals in some cities. Tn Cleveland. Ohio. fac tory whistles can only be used for fire alarms. Street pianos and gut ter bands may be investigated as to the dividing line between melody and noise.
 It was voted in connectionwith the municipal amusement schedule for the coming year to Invite Lee F. Hammer. field secretary of the Play ground Association Of America to give a talk before the society at a future date.