Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-12

| There are eight main sources and
seventy subsidiary sources OF the noises
Cnat go to make the bedlam that Is the
greatest city of the world, according TO
the report of the Noise Abatement Com
mission Of the Department of Health OF
the City Of New York, which has Just
been made public.
The main headings are traffic, trans
portation, building operations, homes:
streets river and harbor, collections and
deliveries and miscellaneous.
Under traflc, automobiles, trucks,
buses and motor cycles are charged
with contributing to the city. roar
through their horns, brakes, cut-outs,
gears, defective mufaers, exhaust
loads, sirens. bells and doormen's
whistles. Trolley cars, trains, the sub
way and the elevated are the trans
portation sources Of noise which comes
from their turnstiles, brakes, rafting
wheels and bodies, defective switches
and joints, wheel impacts, whistles:
bells, steam and other exhausts and
shifting cars.
In building operations there are .pneu-
matte drills and riveters, exhausts
from steam and gasoline hoists and
shovels, pile drivers, blasting. loading
| and unloading, shouting and compressors
| to add to the din, while from the homes
Of almost seven millions Of people comes
an incredible volume Of noise from
loud speakers, pianos, monographs and
other musical instruments, wild par
ties and barking dogs and yowling cats.
| Classed as street noises are those
from radio and music stores, from ped
dlers and loiterers, and from garages
and taxi stands. From the river ano
harbor are heard whistles, bells AND
sirens, motor exhaustS and horns.
Ash, garbage, milk, newspaper, 1000
mail and express collection or deliveries
| join in the assault on eardrums ano
nerves, while classed as miscellaneous
/ are the sounds from airplanes, factories
restaurants and amusement halls.
| Nothing Is said in the report about
Tom Thumb golf courses, the cheers
with which transatlantic aviators, polar
| explorers and Bobby Jones are well
coined and the crashes and groans when
the bottom falls out of the stock mar
ket, but 1t may be assumed the COM
mission will take them up in Q supple
mentary investigation.
Progress In Abatement.
Some progress In practical noise
abatement already has been made
through the activities Of the commits
sion, says the report. At conference
on river and harbor noise, attended by
representatives Of the principal steam
ship and railroad companies, the New
York Tow Boat Exchange, and Federal
and municipal officials, the cooperation
Of all companies connected with ship
ping was pledged to diminish the din
from such sources.
Men in charge Of fleets Of motor
trucks agreed to have the promiscuous
blowing Of horns stopped and drivers OF
mail wagons have been instructed by
the postmaster to keep cut-outs closed
and to use their warning signals only
to prevent accidents. The INTERIOR
ough Rapid Transit Co. promised that
1t would tackle the noisy turnstile
problem and has been installing noise
less turnstiles throughout its system
The Manhattan Transit Co. followed
suit.
The health commissioner and the po-
lice have been given authority to con-
troll the indiscriminate use Of loud
speakers, and concerted campaign has
been started by engineers and technical
men to develop the production of less
noisy machinery and vehicles. On the
whole the commission and DR.. Shirley