The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-03-19
THE BOARD OF ELEVEN
Not an Assassination Clan, but q
COrrect-Spelling Bureau.
President Harrison Originated the Idea
and 1t Turns Out a Good Thing for
United States Geography.

WASHINGTON, March 1S.-There exists
In Washington q board of eleven persons,
representing various executive departments
and bureaus, charged with the duty of set
Ting questions of disputed geographic
names for official use. This board was con-
stituted by President Harrison in Septem-
Der. 1890. Several government bureaus make
maps. and before this board was consti-
tuted, and TO some extent since, names of
the same geographic feature would be diff
ferently spelled by the different bureaus.
For example, Boring sea would be spelled
by one bureau or department 'Behring''
and by another Boring" This board was
constituted TO bring about uniformity In
such matters In government publications.
The public has manifested great interest
in the work of the board, and though not
required to do so, has accepted it's de-
cisions. At the last regular monthly meet
ing of the board about thirty cases were
decided. Some of these are of minor i'm
%portance, while others are of a more gen.
eral character. The following are selected
as examples of the decision:
Au Sable chasm, in the Adirondack re-
gion, the board decided upon Ausable. I'm
accordance with the ~well-know tendency
to consolidate double names, Beach Ridge
is the name Of a postoffice In Niagara coun-
", New York. The railroad station where
this postoffice is located Is called Halls
Station, and the board rejected the latter
and adopted Beach Ridge. Buda Pest, the
capital of Hungary, the board decided to
spell as one word. and TO omit the final n"
Bull Run, a postoffice in Northumberland
county, Pennsylvania, replaces the post
office name Mandate. Cheesequake creek,
in New Jersey, is the name adopted for a
stream sometimes called Cheese and some
times Cheesequake. That branch of the
Columbia river which was named after
the explorer, Capt. William Clark, of Lewis
and Clark'S expedition, is called Clark, not
Clarke. The strait in Washington sound
over which there was a boundary dispute
some twenty years ago, and which has been
variously called Canal de Haro and Haro
adopted Canal de Haro. A lake in north
western Montana, Missoula county, has
been variously called Terrys lake. McDon-
aid lake and Nilth Whae Tque. The board
adopted Mcdonald lake. A bay on the
coast of Texas, variously called Mesquite,
Mesquit, MESQUITE. etc, IS &C called lee t by the
river variously called POlopel, Polevers,
etc. the board agreed to call Pallopels.
Pokamoonshine peak, in the Adirondack
region, is so spelled by the board, this form
replacing other modes of spelling it; For
a river near Bridgeport, Conn, the board
which forms the boundary between Vancou-
yer island and the islands off the coast Of
the State of Washington the board decides
to call Rosario strait. Sabattus, the name
of postofice, railway station and small
mountain in Maine, is the form adopted
by the board, replacing various other modes
OF spelling 1t. For a stream in Delaware,
variously called Jones river, the board
adopted st. Jones river. this form having
been incorporated in the laws of Delaware.
Duck creek. in Delaware, has now become
Smyrna river. in accordance with the law.
The town Of Winchester, Connecticut, con-
tainS a village sometimes called Winchester
Corner. The board dropped the ending Cen
ter and uses the name of Winchester only
for the village. On the southern coast of
Massachusetts are four little anchorages
or bights known as holes. These are
known as Holiness Hole. Woods's Hole,
Quick's Hole and Robinson's Hole. Now
Holiness Hole some years ago was changed
to the more attractive name of Vineyard
Haven, a very suitable name, it being a
snug anchorage on the north coast of Mar
tha's Vineyard. Robinson's Hole and
Quick's Hole are still so called. The viii
lage which has grown up near Woods's
Hole some years since was changed to
Woods's Holl, for the anchorage, however,
the board adheres TO the form Woods's
Hole