Evening star., 1909-07-11
NIGHT. MADE H|DE0US
Police PowerIess to Stop Many
Late-Hour Noises.
OTHER SOUNDS MUST BE
And Some Should Be Borne and Not
Complained Of.
POISON BUTTON WILL KILL CAT
But That Is Against Law, Although
Culprit Must Be Caught, and
Concerts Are Not Under Ban.

playing after midnight brings the per-
former within the class of persons who
should be deprived of their liberty or
fined the police have not had occasion
TO deal with any late musically inclined
individuals.
They have had to listen to many tales
of suffering caused by late noises. how
ever. and make explanations 10 satisfy
the sufferers. Such complaints always
increase during the heated period, when
windows are left open, and it is some
times difficult to get much needed rest
without being troubled by late noises
Maj. Sylvester has found it necessary
from time to time to call the attention
Of members of the police force to noises
which are calculated to cause annoy
ances. The police have been instructed
to make arrests in cases where warnings
receive no attention.
Capt. Hollinberger. in command of the
first precinct says no order has been
issued which is intended to prevent per-
sons in restaurants from using hammers
or other instruments for the purpose of
breaking crab shells after 10 o'clock. 1t
may be that neigh borS of some restaurant
keepers object to such noises. but they
have not made complaint to him.
Other Sorts of Sounds.
There are numerous other noises that
have been complained about recently,
however. Much time has been devoted
by the police to efforts to bring about a
satisfactory condition.
Only few days ago" said a police
| official, "a resident of the city complained
about noises caused by automobiles being
taken into a garage at late hours. So
serious did the complaint seem that / de-
tailed members of my command to make
an investigation.
Several nights were spent about the
garage. The only noise made was that
resulting from machinery in motion.
Had 1t appeared that the men handling
the machines were unduly boisterous,'
the official added. II would have had
the case in court. But ] cannot see how
an automobile is going to be moved with
out the use of the machinery. And l so
reported
1t Is not an uncommon thing for COM
plants to be made against automobile
owners and their chauffeurs, the police
say, and in many of the cases there is
reason. It's case of Crouch in
other cases. although it is not until the
other side has been heard from that the
real conditions are known.
Work on Railways.
Night work on street railways seems to
have caused some restlessness and annoy
ance and resulted in an appeal to the
police. Much such work is being done
in the city at this time. and at points
where heavy switches and curves have
to be put in it is almost absolutely neces-
sary that it be done at night.
"And,'' said police official, "such
work is usually done in a single night,
trf
think that they are the only ones to be
considered.
ITO do such work in the day would
necessitate suspension of traffic for one
or more hours and inconvenience thou
sands of passengers. Doing it at night
avoids such wholesale inconvenience
And still there are individuals who think
1t ought not to be permitted
The street sweeper working through the
long hours Of the night during the sum-
mer also comes in for his share of CEN
sure. To have the driver of one Of the
machines come along at o'clock in the
morning. urging his team to stop or to
move faster, the police say, is considered
Objectionable enough by some persons to
cause them to complain.
Persons who complain against the
street sweeper, the police say. seldom
realize that the work done at night pre-
vents the more serious nuisance which
would have to be endured in the daytime
Let the sweepers be used during the
day. one of the police desk sergeants re-
marked, land there would be loud COM
plants from all des. There are some
people. however. who do not seem to ap-
preciate when they are doing we'll
Should the drivers make unnecessary
noises they would be treated the same as
others and arrested
Unlawful to Poison Cats, But
Growing roosters. cackling hens and
barking dogs, the police state, are COM
planned against almost every day. But
the most serious complaints seem to be
against cats. They are the complaints
about which the police can do practically
nothing.
Cats will make noises There is no
law, however, against such conduct.
And they will disturb neighbors' gardens
and do other damage. But the police are
powerless to act
Il have known many persons to take
the law in their own hands," said a po-
liceman, in cases where cats are con-
cerned. A few poison buttons dropped
about the premises where cats congre-
gate accomplish more in one night than
the entire police department could ac-
complish in months.
THAT is violation of law, however
But violators have TO be caught before
they can be punished"