New-York tribune., 1885-09-16
"A Study IN DERIVATION.

As the world grows older the world grows wiser
This is as true of tho pride of the Mohawk Valley as
| of the rest OF the globe. Tie pride OF the Mohawk
Valley of course is the other name for Utica-Utica
writ large in donblc-eadcd BREWER. rs it were.
! Ever since she Was founded Utica has cherished
| laudablo and perfectly natural wish TO know what
| her name meant Bat although her scholars have
| been many aud wise no one of them has been able
| TO satisfy her curiosity on this point. At length
| however. the puzzle is solved; whether solved TO
| her entire satisfaction Temains-hke tho belle who
| tarrics late IN the balro TO be seen. Utica IS
| the home of large number of sturdy Welshmen
They resolute men, who laugh at obstacles and
stcrnly decline 10 halt IN any OF their undertaking.
this sdo Of the grand central station of success. II
was one OF these invnciblo souls who proposed 10
himself the task of discovering the signtcatioh oil
Utica.
Ihe Ufa Herald publishes a tersc hut sufficient
account OF tie victory which this gentleman
achieved:
Ar enthusiastic welshman % this city says that
e Utica - Welsh word. lie claims that the frd
white person settle here Hush prnbahy J"nrsJ
and hen he hhd made clraIng arund bi, cabin the
settlers that came later called him Hugh Iyn Gao uingh
people came. they could not pronounce the Welsh words
yery readily. and 80 compromised on Utica
According tothe rule governing In such cases. this
derivation cannot be formally accepted authori
national Association for the Advancement Of
Applied Philology. But II mast lie evident 20 e,ery
intelligent pcrson-oi Welsh extraciion-that the
associations Endorsement s only question of time.
the time wncn its next annual meeting takes place.
Accordingly, the Utica Common Conncil will he
perfectly iustiiablc IT, without waiting for tho
action OF the association. 1t proceeds to give this
enthusiastic Welshman . vote of thanks or better
st II. the freedom Of tho city in gold snnii-box.
Perhaps critics will rise mp IN the Mohawk Valley
who will eudeayor 10 talk down this derivation AS
inconclusiye and IN the nature Of non sfqHiiHr.
But IL Is much 10 doubted If their opposition will
produce any effect upon the masses OF the students
of derivatives. Compromise has been styled the
essence OF statesma Iship II it docs as much IA
tnat for statosmanship. shall philology presume to
sneer at III A famous Englishman insisted tha.
Alexander was passonatry fond OF eggs roasted In
hot ashes. and that consequently when he was
approaching the royal palace about dinner time the
order WAS passed. along all eggs under tho CRATE"
And having insisted upon this. ON EngIishman pro
oeeded 10 90 long step further by claiming that
Alexander the Great was derived from all eggs
under the CRATE many times repeated and changed
a little in the process. Then there was that
abandoned boy-who naturally grew mp to be hung
IN Washington Territory for horse stedng-who
derived prgin from uir a and gin trap-vir0n.
a man trap. Then again. TO take nm extreme a.,
people have been known t0 derive the word hon
orable" with "a small h from Hon with large H.
So il really will not do 20 attempt TO laugh
down this enthusiastic Welshman's derivation of
Utica Hc has proved himself tho man for the
emergency. II Of such stuff that the mao
Columbus was made who caused tho egg TO stand
on end. Let tho Utica Common Council Mt once
order y gold snull-bOx.