The Hawaiian gazette., 1891-04-28
AMERICANISMS.
FancifuI Names of Leading
Cities of the Union, and the
Principal Geographical
Mechanics of the
United States.

:. Academic City r" is a name often
applied to Worcester, Massachusetts,
in allusion to the number and high
standing of its scholastic institu-
tons: another name applied to this
city is Heart of the Common
wealth for the reason that it is
nearly in the center of the State, and
is influential in social and political
matters
Achilles of Rivers " is name
applied to the Columbia River, the
largest American stream that enters
the Pacific Like the ancient hero,
its vulnerable part is at its heel, for
the bar at its mouth is sometimes
dangerous TO vessels. Sharon
Springs, a fashionable resort about
sixty miles from Albany, N Y, is
termed the American Baden
Baden" it has several medicinal
springs, and near is Howe's Cave,
which is one of the most remarkable
caverns known.
Hudson River is the American
Rhine," and stands unrivalled
among American rivers for pictur
esque and magnificent scenery"
Anthony's Nose" is popular
name for the extremity of hill
called the Hips, meaning rock or
cliff, on the right bank of the Mo-
hawk River IN New York. The name
is also applied to a jutting rocky
headland, projecting from the south
side of Breakneck Hill, on the east
bank of the Hudson, at the norther-
ly entrance to the Highlands, about
fifty seven miles from New York.
Boston has several nicknames, the
most appropriate being the Athens
of America" this name being given
because the city is celebrated as
center of literature and learning.
The appellation, Hub of the Uni
verse;" applied to Boston, originated
with Dr. o. w. Holmes in "The Au-
tocrat of the Breakfast Table," the
expression occurring as follows:
boston State-house is the hub of
the solar system. You couldn't pry
that out of Boston man if you had
the tire of all creation Strengthened
out for crow bar" This city is
also known as the "City of Notions"
large amounts of small articles of all
descriptions being manufactured
there, and as the Puritan City," a
name referring to It's founders, and
supposed characteristics of its mod
ern inhabitants.
Banded Peak is another name
for Mount Hesperus, a peak of the
San Juan Mountains in Southern
Colorado 1t is composed of layers
of volcanic rocks, and at distance
the mountain side looks banded or
streaked. A rock near Newport, r.
l., is known as Berkeley's Seat"
being a favorite resort of Bishop
Berkeley of colonial times.
Bleeding Kansas" Kansas was
so called because much of the san
culinary encounters of the anti
slavery agitation preceding the Re
bellion took place within its borders.
Hannibal, Missouri, being built on
rising ground on the bank of the
Mississippi, is known as the Bluff
City"
Oakland, Cal, is sometimes re-
ferred to as the Brooklyn of San
Francisco, it being, like its Eastern
namesake, city of homes.
Brooklyn, n. Y, has been called
the Bed Chamber of New York;"
also the "City of Churches" be-
cause of the many churches it con-
tains in proportion to its size and
population. although other cities
contain larger proportion OF
churches.
Philadelphia Is sometimes called
the "City of Brotherly Love-" on
account Of the meaning Of the name
in Greek; it is also called the
Quaker City," because of its
Quaker origin, and the "City of
Homes, because of the large num-
Der of private dwellings and the al
most total absence of tenement
houses. Many Of the streets Of New
Haven, Conn, are shaded by hand
some elm trees, which gave rise to
the names Elm City" or " City Of
Elms," SO often used in connection
with this city. The " City of Mag
Difcent Distances " is Washington,
d. c.; the plan of this city
was designed by an architect
named L'Enfant, who anticipated
great metropolis; its area is nearly
eleven square miles, and the streets,
at right angles, are of am
pie width. Nashville, Tenn, on &C
count of the quarries of fine lime
stone In the vicinity, and which
furnish materials for many of its
buildings, is denominated the " City
of Rocks"
Iron City," "City of Smoke" and
" Smoky City" are terms applied to
Pittsburg, Pa, in allusion to its
many furnaces, rolling-mills, and
foundries. Bituminous coal was
formerly used, which caused dense
canopy of smoke to hang over the
city. The statement Is now made |
that natural gas has almost, if not
entirely, done away with the use of
coal, and consequently the city is
now free from smoke. Lowell, Mass,
mora mills for the manu-