The Portland daily press., 1898-03-03
lFrom tne washington ost.l

(From the Washington ost.)
Names of countries, counties, towns, etc.
are monuments of public sentiment or relics
of aboriginal civilization. Thus nomenola-
tire S most interesting as indicating the
different influences, racial, religious, etc.,
that have been nationally or locally promi-
nent at various eras.
In America the dispossessed Indian in
habitants have perpetuated their memory
in the designations of many lakes, rivers,
states and cities. Geographical districts
have frequently been named for the largest
river found within their boundaries, and
these often bore already names anciently be-
slowed by the red men. For instance, Ala
hama was called from its principal water
course. and that was christened with Mus
eogee word signifying "Here we rest
II is claimed by many, notably Nine.
BlavatsIzy, who cited number OF authori-
ties in support of her opinion, that the
name America itself as not given in
h onor of the gentleman historically known
as Americas Yespuccius, for his name is
proven to have been Albericus, but was real
~ survival of ancient Indian word.
Perhaps more multitudinous than any
other form of appellation is that of distin-
gushing places By names of great men,
statesmen, soldiers, foreign monarchs, and
even local celebrities. Neatly all cities
ending in vile, burg, or borough, town, or
its Greek equivalent, rolls, are Of this char
acter, and commemorate in the prefix the
honored name of an individual. Such are
Pittsburg, Lynchburg, Jacksonville, Knox
Vile, &c.
Again, nomenclature has been dominated
by local typographical features OF incidents,
or even sometimes by personal taste, regard
less of special aptness.
In the early colonial days classical ten
dency prevailed, illustrated in New York,
for instance by such names as Syracuse,
Ithaca, and Troy.
After the American War of Independence
the love of liberty wasEso deeply implanted
in the breasts of the people that they SYM
! affixed with other nations in such strug
giles. This state of public sentiment is nomi-
nally recorded in different parts of the
United States. In 1776 three men established
/. camp in Kentucky, where nearly year
after the occurrence, they heard of the fight
at Lexington, MAJ. Fired with enthusiasm
thew christened the site Of their camp Lex
lngton. Ypsilanti, Mich, bears the name
of that Greek General who distinguished
himself in the war of 1926. Simon Bolivar,
the Washington OF South America, has given
his name to a number of counties, as has
also the Polish hero, Kosciusko. The inter-
est felt in Poland's struggle is furthermore
demonstrated by the number of towns called
Warsaw.
States, in common with people, receive
nicknames. and their inhabitants are also
known by facetious appellations. The term
Empire State, bestowed upon New York
because Washington spoke of it as the tthen)
seat of the empire, is familiar to all. Its
denizens are as proud to be called knfcker-
bockers as New Workers; but, unfortunately,
the people of other sections do not always
rejoice in such complimentary designations.
The towns of New York have generally
been named in compliment to individuals
or from classical sources, as above cited.
The Indian influence crops up here and
there also, as in the case of Poughkeepsie,
A word derived from the Iroquois originally
Apokeep-sink. meaning pleasant harbor.
Maine, was so called in honor of Henrietta
Maria, wife of Charles l., whose patrimonial
estate as Princess of France was the French
province Maine. As is common in the New
England States, the old Puritan spirit mani
tests itself in the nomenclature. Take as
illustration Bangor, christened by the Rev.
Seth Noble, from the well-known Psalm
tune of that name. Salem, Mass, is said
to be taken from Hebrew word, meaning
sshouse OF the habitation of peace con-
traction of Jerusalem. 1t was adopted from
Psalms lxxyi, 2, because of the peaceful set
Element of disputes between the old and
new patentees, which had grown into a
dangerous farce" For much the same
reason Concord, N. H., was so called.
Such names amusingly suggest the grave
New England fathers, whose only literature
was the Bible, who considered the beautiful
things of life as lures of Satan, and all frivo
lily in dress or department as ways adopted
direct from his Plutonian Court. BY christ
ening place with a cognomen derived
from the Scriptures they believed blessing
thereby insured. Though stern, they were
somewhat naive in their religion, and in
the words of Butler:
Compounded for sins they were inclined to,
By damning those theyshad no mind to;
Still so perverse andsopposite.
AS if they worshipp'd God for spite;
Boston was named for Boston, Lincolnshire
England and it is asserted that pecul-
iarities of the dialect prevalent In the old
Boston are still to be found in it's name
sake.
The coast towns and villages have a
nomenclature appropriate to their situa-
tion, as a general rule. The word Nan
tucket is attributed to the corruption of
the Spanish term Nantico, literally trans
lated, ga seaman, or follower of the sea. -
The name was given by early Spanish
nayigators.
The people of Maine are nicknamed
Foxes, not in allusion TO any willy deceit
fulness of character supposed to belong
to them, but because those animals con-
81, WI ~ IN,
habitants in early days. Tie citizens of
Massachusetts, are frequently (and irrev-
erently) alluded to as "teaus." The ap-
plieation ia here too evident to be pointed
out
The story of the origin Of Providence,
r. I. (bhe Red Island), is too familiar
for repetition; when we learned our
n1Irserr rhvmas we alEa committed TO