The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-05-17
MIR. BISSELL'S REFORM
RADICAL CHANGE IN THE MANNER
OF NAMING POsTOFFICES.
Double and TripIe-BarreIed Names
Tabooed-War tn De Made ON the
"Junctions," "CrOssroads," Etc.

Correspondence OF the Journal.
WASHINGTON, May 1.-THE Postof-
fee Department has recently adopted a
ruling that viii probably have a marked
eject on the nomenclature Of the towns
and cries of this country. The Postmaster
general Is hereafter to be the arbitrary
GOV er whose tastes must be consulted In
selecting names for towns that come into
beng after this date. 1t is true he only
has the power TO pass upon the name Of
the postofice that shall be established at
that place, but as in almost every case
the name of the town Is the same as that
Of the postofice 1t viii be seen that he
practically decides upon the name of the
town, although only empowered to deal
with postofhce matters involved. Mr.. Bis
sell early in his administration decided
that there were altogether too many post
Offices in the country with double-barreled
names. and his animosity was especially
reused by the fact that there were many
postoffices with three and even four-word
names. He consequently decided to make
a change in the direction OF simplicity, and
issued the following order:
To remove q cause OF annoyance to the
department and injury to the postal service
In the selection OF names for newly-estab-
lished postoffices, IL is hereby ordered that
from this date only short names or names
Of one word will be accepted. There may
be exceptions where the name selected is
historical or has become local by long
usage, but the department reserves the
right IN such cases 10 make exception or
aot as II sees proper. Names of postoffices
viii only be changed for reasons satisfac-
department usually sends to those applying
Tor the establishment OF a new office the
In selecting names for postofices the
name or village in which the office is to be
located may be adopted If it is a short one,
and II such name is in no way similar to
that OF any established office In
the State: Where it is pro
road station the name of the station may
be selected II a short one. unless there is
ALREADY g a b pos s3afe i 8r w 1hG fame or > sipi nn
take the name selected for the new post
North. south" or West to the name
Of a PSstofics Is objectionable as is also
Corner Greek FCrosSs Roads DE
pot.'' '%iIil," Hotel" Hollow" juno
. iSaii~t Mil .po Mound pr -Fssks' "IRbIs Plains.
River. Run" Ridge" Store" sta
ton" Springs Town." Vale" Val
ley" or Village" and all other p~redexes
or additions TO such pretixes or additions
are liable to lead 10 confuse and delay in
the transmission OF the mails.
POSTAL GUIDE TOO BULKY.
The result OF this order will certainly be
In the direction of greater originality in the
selection of names for new postofices, al
though that was not the object OF the
Postmaster-general in issuing the order.
With the three and four-word names now
in vogue the Postal Guide is becoming so
unwieldy that in q short time, IL the addi-
tons to IL continue in the same proportion
that has been maintained for some time
past. a radical change will have to be made
I'm its makeup. In shortening the words
used IN the body Of the work IL Is hoped
In the matter of new offices established I'm
sparsely-settled sections where a little VIII
Is located In the inevitable country store
the effect OF these new rulings viii not be
felt These offices are usually. established
to AFFORD mail facilities to a class of peo-
pie whose necessities outweigh other con-
siderations, and who care but little what
Department. so they get. their mail. In
nine case out of ten they
ASK aRrown9s Cross sn ROADS os'0H 1Jimson's store
Fiddler Creek Junction" or some similar
name arising from the insignifcance OF the
group OF clustered dwellings that have
never been considered worthy n name not
bestowed, simply TO designate the location
of the place. In many cases the nearness
CT the place TO some well-known city has
much 10 do with the selection of a name
bur- or West washington" a we'll
known case OF TIL - Is found in Florida,
where there Is Z tmpa, Port Tampa
and Port lamp city" In the future.
under the recent ruling. such combinations
viii be Impossible.
Several cases have come before the de-
partment recently. however. where the es-
tablishmen: OF an office has been asked,
not In some sparsely settled village or city
suburb. but In a town that has sprung
MlnerVa-like into being fully developer
with many streets lined with newly built
houses, and all the evidences OF municipal
power and yigor. In such cases the de-
partmeut is subjected to severe pressure
from the builders OF the town who
by which they want the new
town 70 be known y case OF this
sort recently came before Mr.. Maxwell
and Is yet undecided. Up in York
State" on the banks Of Niagara river, a
town has been buils according to the latest
and most modern ideas Of how a town
should be built. with textbook sewerage
systems. scientific sanitary arrangements
Gad what the rea-eState agent invariably
terms all modern improvements" Ii is
supposed TO be an almost perfect model OF
what the nineteenth century city should
DC. It's engineers have tapped the nearby
river for almost insxhaustble water power
and have built a connection with the big
tunnel that is being constructed at Niagara
Falls. The projectors of this city desire 10
have II called THE Model City" but here
they come In contact with the recently
issued order or the department.. Under no
circumstances would the definite article be
allowed 10 form part Of the name. but even
department. In order 10 help out the appll-
cants for the establishment Of the office
the department officials have suggested
sModeIOpolis." "ModeIectra," "Modeiurb-
en-" "Eiecfropoiis" and many others as
weird ana uncanny. a certain. English bish-