The Midnight Musician of Second and James
A classic Seattle neighborhood dispute over a disruptive neighbor and his relentless cornet playing.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
The residents of that portion of the city bordering on Second and James streets are in a state of insurrection, the trouble, as nearly as could be learned, relates to a musical manner. Some individual recently moved into the neighborhood, bringing with him a mania for his cornet, which he persists in tooting at all hours of the day and night. The irritation of his victims is but natural. Serious trouble is anticipated.
“The irritation of his victims is but natural. Serious trouble is anticipated.”
More than a century before the modern era of noise complaints and gentrification-fueled neighborhood tensions, Seattle residents were already struggling with the friction of urban density. This brief, wry report captures the timeless frustration of living in close quarters with an inconsiderate neighbor.
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