Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-15
THINGS HEARD AND SEEN

Civil Service Commissioner Roosevelt a
prominent member of the diplomatic
corps and distinguished ex-confederate
officer recently went out 'possum hunting.
They brought back eleven Birds" and all
enjoyed the sport hugely. 1t is said to
have been a sight fit for the gods to see
Mr.. Roosevelt Shining up large Mary
land tree, and out on the branch where
the 'possum had sought refuge, in order to
shake him into sight so that he could be-
come a target for his two companions.
The diplomat himself occasionally climbed
aloft in order to give the civil service COM
missioner an opportunity to show his skill
with the gun. 1t is said that in climbing
Mr.. Roosevelt showed as much skill as
when he is trailing a spokesman who has
been violating the civil service law. and
that his aim made the 'possum feel very
much like some of the men he has followed
to the end of law breaking. Some of the
'possums were packed in ice and sent to
England, but whether they became a
toothsome morsel for royalty has not yet
been learned.
They always have a great time out in
Washington state over the name of the
highest mountain, a peak that is visible
for many miles, and is quite plain to the
rival towns of Seattle and Tacoma. Years
ago the mountain was known as Mount
Tacoma. About three years ago the board
of geographic names decided to call 1t
Mount Rainer, in honor of the British eX-
plorer. The people Of Seattle had been
doing so for many years. The name Tacoma
was too much of an "ad.' for their rival.
1t is believed that they were influential in
having the name so fixed by the board.
But the Tacoma people will not have IT
that way. They never mention the noun
tain that II is not called Tacoma, in honor
Of their own city. 1t Ia hard to tell what
the merits Of the controversy are, but the
two cities of Puget Sound will differ about
ahOllt most things.
when Senator Squire introduced memo
rial in the last session to make national
park Of this mountain and the land that
surrounds 1t he divided equally the honor
of the name between Rainer and Tacoma.
In one place 1T would be Rainer and in an
other Tacoma. He could not afford to Of
fend tho people Of either city by surren-
dering wholly to one side or the other In
the controversy. There was a forest re-
serve laid cut including the mountain. It
was to be known as the Mount Rainer re-
serve but so fierce was the opposition of
Tacoma that the name had to be changed
by the Washington delegation in Congress.
The proposition to call 1t Mount Tacoma
reserve met with as great hostility from
Seattle, and finally 1t had to be designated
as the Pacific Forest reserve. Recently
there have been dispatches about the
mountain being in eruption. From Tacoma
it Is asserted that Mount Tacoma is in
eruption" From Seattle the statement
has been that there is no truth in the
report that Mount Rainier is in eruption"
And so it will be to the end of the chapter
between these cities. But the scientists
will hereafter designate it as Mount
Rainier. The mountain being nearer Ia
coma, that city will have more to say
about 1t, and 1t is probable that the gen.
eral public will hear more of Tacoma than
Rainier.
The spelling of the name Of one county
in New York gives some of the inhabit-
ants pain. They say that to spell Ouch
ess D-u-t-c-h-e-s-s is a reflection on their
intelligence They have been writing the
Post Office Department endeavoring to
have NJ. Bissell or some one in authority
direct that hereafter the st. must be
dropped out Of the name Of that particu-
lar county. It is said that when the mat