Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-03-15
NAMES OF STREETS.
Pittsburg Ransacked Creation When
Doing Its Christening.
HONORS FOR LOCAL CELEBRITIES.
The Hard Fighters and the Noble Indians
all Taken Care Of
HOW OTHER TITLES ORIGINATED
WRITTEN FOR THE pIsPArcH.I

| WRITTEN FOR THE DIsPATCH.I
"How do places, streets and things gel
their names?" is question often asked but
rarely answered. By some curious sort
of juggling, localities come by names SEEM
ingly as little fitted to them as a "hand-me-
down" suit of clothes would be to an Apollo.
In London this is particularly noticeable.
There are thoroughfares having the oldest
of titles, which are or were derived from an
incident in the history of the old town, and
although probably applicable enough at the
time OF their origin, seem most outrageously
inappropriate now. Coming nearer home,
the names of some the oldest streets in Pitts
burg seem to have been given with some at
tention to the fitness of things, as for in
stance, we have in the neigborhood of the
Point where the nucleus of our city was To-
Gated, such names as Duquesne and Block
house ways and Redoubt alley. The second
and third have reference to remains of the old
Notifications once situated in that neighbor-
hood, while the first commentaries the fort
which the French Captain Contrecoeur
erected on the unfinished foundations left
by Captain Trent, of the British Colonial
army, at the same place.
Named After Old Warriors.
But aside from these instances there are
few streets named after local events or char
acters. OF the few, Grant street is called
after Colonel Grant. the silly Highlander,
who, undeterred by Braddock's fate, thought
to defeat the entire French and Indian
force at Fort Duquesne with his small regi-
ment. His force was nlassacred to man.
| Forbes avenue is also fitting, as it comes
from General John Forbes, who overthrew
the French power in this vicinity and gave
| the TOWN its name-PitIsburg.
Shiugiss street in the Sixth ward is also
we'll named, as the old Delaware Indian
chieftain, who lived at McKee's Rocks, is
closely identified with the early history of
tbe city. Governor Dinwiddie, of Vir-
| ginia, took such an interest in this place
| that he sent a number of expeditions to it,;
at first to locate here, and afterward when
| the French were in possession, to expel
them, so it is mis- just desert that the Elev-
enth ward should name street after him,
even if his later career was not the most
honorable.
The Girty Family Immortalized.
The same ward also immortalizes that
famous renegade Simon Girty by street
bearing his surname. The whole family, of
most notorious, were well-known in this
vicinity, and Simon's connection with the
Indians dates from the time he was prac-
tically drummed out of the militia, while
serving at Fort Pitt, on account of his Tory
sentiments. The best of the brothers, Tom,
also located at place close at hand, still
known to us as Girty's Run, and many OF
his descendants are now living in this city.
The Thirteenth ward names street after
Captain Jumonville, once an officer at Fort
Duquesne who was sent against Washing
ton and defeated and killed in that indi-
yidual's first battle, near Fort Necessity, on
May %. 1854. Allequippa street, in the
same district, comes from the celebrated In
dian Queen. Boquet, in the Fourteenth,
is worthily bestowed in honor of the gallant
Swiss officer whose name is so familiar in
the annals of Fort Pitt and its wars against
the French and Indians.
Names Prominent in Early History.
Colonel Croghan, well known in border
history hereabouts, is remembered by a
street in the same ward, as is also Sir Peter
Halket, the brave British officer who fell in
the battle OF Braddock's field. The COM
manding officer of the latter affair is honored
by the Twenty-second ward. Thomas Milf
fin, the Pennsylvania statesman, alter
whom a county and numerous townships
and boroughs are named in this State, is also
brought to memory by street in the Six
teenth ward. General Irvine, commandant
at Fort Pitt in 1884, is not forgotten, having
his name affixed to street in the Twenty
third ward, and Kilbuck, noted Indian
title in this locality, is remem bered in the
same section. CHARTERS, the rascally Indian
trader once located on the creek bearing his
NAME has also a street named after him in
the Thirty-sixth ward.
This is about all the early celebrities who
are remembered by street Names with the
exception of those prominent citizens hon
ored in this way, but whose reputation
pre-eminently local as is, is of no moment
to US.
Historical Names That are Lost.
A number of the most famous historical
names were wiped out when the cross streets,
from Liberty to Duquesne way were
changed to numbers, some years ago.
Among those thus obliterated were Hand
street, after General Hand, now Ninth
street; ST. Clair, after General Arthur ST.
Clair, now Sixth street; Wayne, after Mad
Anthony" now Tenth street; O'Hara, Pitt,
Irvine and a number of others.
Only very few American patriots are
remembered by street names: Washington,
Decatur, Moultrie, La Fayette and Dear
of famous borderers, such as Boone, Brady
and Crawford have received some attention,
but the Indian chietains with whom they
warred are shown greater favor. Pontiac, |
Tecumseh and Blaekhawk keep company
with leaders of like renown from other sec
tionS and times such as Cohaset, Monte |
yuma, Osceola, Hiawatha and even Cubba-
you-quit gets there in the wonderfully |
named Thirteenth ward. Exactly q Indian |
tribes are honored of which the Thirteenth |
ward has five namely: Cherokee, Dakota,
Delaware, Shawnee and Wvandotte, but |
the Thirty-ffth ward displays the most en-
thusiasm in this respect by having Sioux |
alley, running from Pawnee street to Ponca |
alley. What paradise for the hostiles.
Honor for the Explorers.
The discoverers and explorers Of this
country also come in for consideration; |
Columbus. Vespucius, Cabot, De Soto, La |
Sale and Balboa being mentioned, and |
even the birthplace of the first-named, |
Genoa, is honored by the Eighteenth ward. |
The Nineteenth ward takes the palm for |
patriotism-it mas not only Bunker's Hill |
aud Breeds Hill street, but also Dear
born and a Farragut. all of which it seasons
with little Conestoga, as being suggestive
of the State.
American statesmen are not forgotten, II |
streets being named from among them.
Four are named after Presidents. Even the
Chatham, Cromwell, Golden and Derby will
testify, and the Twenty-third goes
all the way back to the third
Richard of that country, whom it resur-
reefs as Gloster. The States of the Union
are represented by Dakota Florida Georoia