Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-08-10

surface is heavily enameled and guaranteed
not to be affected by any kind of weather
A Rather Expensive Improvement.
1t will cost at least 81, 500 to pay for the
signs alone, and considerable more to put
them up. The manner of placing them has
not been fully determined. Several plans
are Under consideration. One which will
probably be adopted for many of the street
corners will be contrivance for which the
old and unused lamp posts will be utilized.
A socket is made which fits into the top OF
the post, and the signs, arranged in hollow
square or crossed at right angles, are placed
above in the place OF the lamp globe. At
corners where there are no old posts and
where such an arrangement would be par
ticularly desirable, cheap post will proba-
bly, be erected.
10 put signs at every street intersection
in the city will be big contract 1t has
not yet been determined whether to employ
men to do the work or let it by contract
The great difficulty at many corners will be
to find q place for sign, unless the post
system is adopted, particularly in the East
End, where the majority of dwellings are
set back from the streets and where in many
places there is not even a fence upon which
a sign could be fastened.
An Attempt Tha. Failed.
The last attempt to place appropriate
signs on the streets here was big failure.
A contract was let eight years ago to Sam
uel Tate, then an alderman of the South
side. The signs were somewhat similar in
appearance to those Chief Bigelow intends
to use, but few months after they were
placed the paint scaled off many of them,
leaving only strip of rusty iron. Previ-
ously there had been several efforts to label
streets, but none Of them ever amounted to
much.
Owing to the irregularity of the street
system this city has always been an enigma
to strangers as well as many of her own
citizens It is not unusual to hear the re-
mark that there is only one city in the
country in which it is easier to get lost on
the streets The exception ottenest men,
toned is Boston, but sometimes Bal timore
is given the palm. But as if the irregu-
larity was not confusing enough the city
fathers about II years ago changed the
names of many OF the old streets, adopting
more modern titles and thereby wiping out
some of the historic old names which should
have been preserved.
Washington's Friend and Guide.
Even yet study of the street nomencla-
ture, particularly of the old part of the city,
is highly interesting, and few people know
whence many of the names were obtained
Gist street was named after an Englishman
who settled in this country long before the
Revolutionary War. When George WASH
ington made his first journey to the far
West, as this section was then known, Gist
was his guide and intimate companion
He went back East with Washington and
returned with him on his second trip. Gist
was prominently associated with the early
history of this settlement. His home was a
few miles up the Monongahela river and
his nearest neighbor was Alliquippa, the
queen of large tribe of Indians whose ter
ritory extended from the Youghiogheny
river down to Beaver. Alliquippa street
as well as the station down the river of that
name were named in her memory. WASH
ington offended her on his first trip here by
failing to call on her, but on his second
visit placated her wounded feelings by CIV
ing her presents, one of which was quart
bottle Of good English whisky. Gist and
Washington made a trip down the Allegheny
river in skiff from the mouth of French
creek, where the city of Franklin is now
located, and it is said we're upset and nearly
drowned at Six-mile island, above Sharps-
Point on raft. Gist afterwards published
q book on his experiences with WASH
ington.
Devilliers Knew q Good Thing
Devilliers street took its name from the
French General Devilliers, who was COM
mandant at the French Creek fort when
Washington suggested to the English the
necessity for erecting fort at the Point the
advice was not taken. Devilliers saw the
importance of the position and one day
came down the Allegheny river with an
armed force, surprised the English settlers
and ordered them away. They obeyed, and
be built and occupied Fort DuQuesne, from
which Duquesne way got its name. Cen
eral Forbes, in command of the English
forces, returned here few years later, after
Braddock's disastrous defeat, and recaptured
the fort, which he then named Fort Pitt
Forbes street was named for the English
General and this great city got her name
from the new name Of the tort
Van Braam street took its name from an
German who acted as inter-
prefer for Washington on his second trip to
this place. When Washington was defeated
at Fort Necessity, IL miles from Union
town, Van Braam interpreted the terms of
the surrender, and it was afterward claimed
sold the Father of his Country out for
giving the French good
deal the best of it. Shingiss street was
named after an Indian chief whose territory
extended from Beaver to Tarentum Chat
ham street was SO named in memory of
Lord Chatham, of England, who was
friend of the American colonists and worked
in their interest in Parliament
Half Moon Would Not Accept.
The street known as Jumonville got its
name from a,French captain under General
Devilliers He was a resident of what is
probably now the Fourteenth ward. It Is
said he was an interpreter, and at peace
conference between the French, English
and the Indians, at tempted by bribes to
entice from Washi ngtOn's staff an Indian
chief called Half Moon. Jumonville's
grave is still pointed out on the eastern
slope of Laurel Ridge. Stobo street is SO
named in memory of brave, courageous
soldier, lieutenant in the English army.
At the battle OF Fort Necessity he was
captured by the French and held as host
age at Fort Duquesne for long period.
Dinwiddie is q name applied to that
street formerly known as Skaters lane, then
lane. The name is in memory
of Governor Dinwiddie. who ruled the ter
ritory of which this was part, prior to the
Revolution and known as Virginia. It was
called Lippincott's lane until IL years ago,
that name being given because Of Lippin,
COTS big shovel and saw factory located
where the Lockbart dwellings are now.
Marion and Pride streets both take their
names from Miss Marion Pride, daughter of
. large, owner Of property in the city She