The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1870-06-17
THE SEMI-CESTExNlAL OF IxpIANApo-


the commissioners appointed for. that
purpose. Then. where now stands ON,
Of the most thriving and enteyprising
eit'es OF The continent. WAS wilderness
almost, inhabited by struggling Indians
much has happened. but little. perhaps,
ot more astonishing effect than The sure
ana steady growth OF this city. until IL
stands upon Its fiftieth anniversary one
oi the prominent business centers Of the
country. II is asource Of regret that the
proposed celebration Of the semi -centen-
NAL was allowed 10 fall through, a. the
occasion is one upon which our citizens
should meet and congratulate one anotli-
Ter upon the great prosperity Of the city.
AS matter that may prove interesting
to many, we publish below an account OF
the origin Of the name Indianapolis.
which We clip from the Cincinnati Com
mercial, aud which is from the pen OF
our gifted towns-wornan. Miss Laura
iseain. Speaking of the proposed cele-
bratlon Of the anniversary. she saws:
In anticipation Of the event. I have
been at some pains TO look up the history
|of Indianapolis. In respect 10 the name
l am informed that the Hon. Jeremiah
Sullivan, who served with distinction as
Supreme Judge OF Indiana, conferred
the name Of Indianapolis upon the seat
OF Government. lie was n member Of
the Legislature Of this State at the ses-
sion Of l62O-2l, when the act appointing
Commissioner TO lay OIL a town on the
site selected Tor the permanent seat of
government was passed. In his own
words, In respect to .Na ld ~
THE NAME OF INDIAN ApoLIs,
|" i have very distinct recollection of
the great diversity OF opinion that pre-
vailed as to the name by which the new
town should receive Legislative baptism.
The bill, if remember Alright was re-
ported by Judge Polk, aud was in the
main, very acceptable A blank Of course,
was left for the name of the town that
was to became the seat of government.
and during the two OF three davs We
spent in endeavoring 10 fill the blank
there was in the debate some sharpness
|and much amusement" -
''Gcneral Marston g. Clark, of Wash
|ington county, proposed .'Tccumseh"
las the name, and very earnestly insisted
upon its adoption. When il failed no
suggested other Indian names which I
have forgotten. They, also, we're re-
jected. A member proposed "Suwar-
row." which met with no favor. Other
names were proposed, discussed, laugh
ed at and voted down, and the House,
without coming to any agreement, ad-
journcd until the next day. There were
many amusing things said. but my re-
mcmbrancc of them is not sufficiently
distinct to state them with accuracy. a
had gone to Corydon with the in
tention OF proposing indianapolis as
the name Of the town, and on the even
ing Of the adjournment above mention-
led, or the next morning, suggested to
Mr.. Samuel Merrill, the representative
from. Switzerland county, tho name l
proposed. He at once adoptcd il and
said he would support il. We, together,
called on Governor Jennings, who had
been witness of the amusing proceed
|ings Of the day previous. and told him
what conclusion wo had come TO, and
asked him what he thought of the name.
lie gave us TO understand that he favor
led IL, and that he would not hesitate to
$50 express himself. When the House
met and went into convention on the
bill, moved TO fill the blank with In
'dianapolis. The name created quite a
laugh. Mr.. Merrill, however, seconded
the motion. We discussed the matter
fully; gave our reasons in support. Of
the proposition; the members coiiyersed
with each other Informally in regard to
liz, and the name gradually commended
itself to the committee, and was accep-
ted. The principal reason given in "a
vor Of adopting the name proposed, to-
wit: that its Greek termination would
indicate to all the world the locality Of
the town, wns, l am sure, the reason
that over-came opposition 10 the name.
The town was finally named Indianap-
|olis, with but little, ii any opposition
Now fifty years, the population Of In
|dianaplis numbers sixty thousand souls,
|and Judge Sullivan is almost the only
Surviving member Of that General As
|sembly. At the ripe age Of three score
and ten, having accomplished the sum
total Of Useful and happy lifc,he should
make q journey hithcr 10 see once moro
the full grown city for which he stood
sponsor IN Its legislative baptism.
G a Young lady being told BY a
friend that silk dresses were very much
v orIl, replied that she knew il, for hers
had two or three holes in IL