The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-03-07
NAMES OF AMERICAN TOWNS.
Mr. David Dudley Field Objects to Troy,
Utica, Syracuse and You Bet.

Mr. David Dudley Field Objects to Troy,
Utica, Syracuse and You Bet.
New York Sun.
Mr.. David Dudley Field lectured before the
Geographical Society in Chickering Hall, last
evening, on The Nomenclature of Cities and
Towns in the United States" He read a list OF
names which he found in a railway guide, and
which, he said, would naturally be supposed TO
have been selected by a half civilized people.
Think, he said, how unhappy must be the inhab-
itants of such villages as You Bet, Pop Corn,
Wild Cat, Cut Shin, Big Coon, Toad Vine, Black
Jack, Skunk Lake, Buzzard Roost, Cat Creek,
Dirt Town, Doctor Town, jug Tavern, Cow Skin
and Cut Off.
Mr.. Field criticised the classical names Of
towns in this State. He called Troy, Utica, and
Syracuse grievously misnamed cities. There
were Indian names enough at hand, sprung FROM
the soil, spoken for ages by the aboriginal in-
habitants, but these were cast aside for names
as much out of place as the sculptures of the
museum. who" he asked, "has not been
moved by the pathos of Red Jacket exclaiming
that the tears fell from his eyes as the drops OF
rain fall from the tops of the trees of Oneida
Substitute Utica for Oneida in this passage and
note the loss of poetic charm. The man who
tackled all the classical names in New York to
tho places now burdened by them was q
pedantic surveyor-general of the last century,
who probably took the names at random out OF a
classical dictionary"
<O W JIG bdSh " AI&ib6 al AAeANC
for every ~postoffice in the country, Mr.. Field
said he would not like the task, but if he under
took it he would not follow the example of q late
Assistant Postmaster general, who named 800
postofices after himself. Mr.. Field recon-
mended, as first choice, the aboriginal Indian
name, as both significant and musical. II no
name, could be found, then take a prominent
local object, such as a mount, valley, field or
river. The founders name with town added
might do at a pinch. But by all means eschew
willie at the end of a name. 1t was French,
and did not fit our names. What could be
more dreadful than McGrawviile, yet we have
one, and it has a seat of learning. Musical
names might be inverted. Elberon, at Long
Branch. is an instance. The owner of the site
was l.. b. Brown, out of which Elberon was
formed.
What we wanted was a name pleasant to hear.
Rather than take a name from the old world,
put together any mellifiuous syllables. From a
few euphonious ~syllables and endless combina-
ton might be made, Out of the names Alta.
niaha, Cayuga, Monongahela, Susquehanna, and
Pensacola, which might have twenty s~yllahles,
a storehouse of names might be obtained-as
Altama, Altayuga, Altahela. or Cayuhela.
To the question whether Objectionable names
Of towns may not be got rid of, Mr.. Field sn-
swered, yes. Why not enlarge the statute au-
therizing supervisors to divide a town and make
new ones! The voters of a town could be au-
thorized to change it's name with the consent Of
the county supervisors, taking care that the
same name should not be bestowed on two diff
ferent places. Would that we could change
New York to Manhattan.