Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-05-15
BROKEN WINDOWS
AND NOCTURNAL NOISE
DISTURB UPTOWNERS
West Indiana Avenue Resi-
dents Allege Conditions
That Make Life Miser-
able, and One Complains
of Vigorous Language.
Severe Blasts Keep Babies
Awake and Housewives Are
in Despair Over Clouds of
Dust That Defy Efforts to
Keep Dwellings Clean

Baseball. iitney cars. high cost Of living
and other timely topics aren't receiving
much attention these days among folks
who live on West Indiana avenue, be-
tween Reese and Fairhill streets. The
one big topic in every household in that
vicinity Is to ascertain whose window
was broken
At the nelghborhood grocer, drug store
and little candy shops the women gather
every morning. Sometimes they gather
IN the evening II all depends how soon
the housework is finished. Once a large
sized audience has been gathered the
popular question is asked. And the ques-
tion always contains exactly six words.
Here is the popular six-word question:
was your window broken last nlght7'
Ever since work was started in con-
structing new sewers in the neighbor-
hood dozens of windows and mantel-
pieces have been shattered. Ths usually
occurs following powerful blasts. The
severe shocks accompanying the blasts
have required rent payers to keep the
glaciers busy. The glaciers confirm the
statements of the residents. But there is
another complaint. Those who live
around West Indiana avenue refer to
the last complaint as Complaint No q.
BLASTS KEEP BABIES AWAKE.
"Complaint No Q" Is that women. men,
children and infants recently delivered
by the etork into West Indiana avenue
can't sleep peacefully at night. The con-
tention of the complainants Is that the
terrific blasts, which take place often
until II o'clock at night, keep them
awake.
The construction OF the sewers Is being
done by the Keystone State Construction
Company, with which State Senator
James P. McNichol is said to be con-
nected. The company insists that they
q are not to be blamed. They declare that
every time window is broken they arc
always prepared to pay the expenses or
putting in another window pane. The
company also points to the specification
In the contract. A clause in the speclfica-
ton says that work should be done night
as well az day.
However, residents on West Indiana
avenue insist that there must be less
noise and less blasting at night Many OF
the residents recently signed a petition
The idea of getting up petition was In
augurated by Mrs Harold Asquith. of 52d
West Indiana avenue. The petition bear
ing about 20 names was recently sent to
the Department of Public Works
NOISE SOMETHING AWFUL"
1--WE all realize that a public improve
ment is being made" said Mrs. Asquith
at her home today.
But the noise caused by the blasting
at night is something awful We are
aroused from our sleep at night. And the
dust gets into our rooms. To keep the
dust out It is necessary to keep the win
dows closed tight. Just imagine keeping
the windows closed with this fine wealth
err believe they ought TO stop blasting
at night and let us sleep. Many windows
have been broken in the neighborhood
caused by the conclusion 1t Is awful.
''Once I complained to a watchman
and he told me that they were going to
do things as they d. pleased Can you
imagine a man using such language to
taxpayer? On another occasion l COM
planned to one of the political leaders in
the ward. He simply smiled"
j. T. Phister, representing the Key
stone State Construction Company, who
is in charge of the work on West In
diana avenue, said:
CONTRACTOR DEFENDS woRKMEN.
I'VE are doing everything possible to
get along up in this section in a nice.
harmonious way with the residents We |
are not responsible for the breaking of
windows. The windows are often broken |
owing to the concussion which follows |
blast. We are always glad TO install |
new window in place of one which |
has been broken. Whenever a complaint |
comes to me always make an inves-
tigation. AS for the remarks about a |
workman who told Mrs, Asquith that he |
would do what he pleased. l would be |
glad to be informed who the workman |
was
"All our workmen are polite. We |
realize that we shall be in the neigh
borhood for few months. Naturally we |
want to get along with everybody. We
can't very we'll stop working at night.
The specifications call for night work.
just now we are expecting two carloads
of smokeless coal. which we will use In
the hope OF keeping smoke from stain