The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-08-30

! Albany was Beverwick, then Will
liamstadt, then New-Orange.
Troy was Vanderheyden's Ferry, Their
Ashley's Ferry
Utica was Fort Schuyler
Rome was Fort StanwiX
Syracuse was Bogardus Corners, then
South Salina.
Clyde was Lauraville.
Auburn was Hardenburgh Corners.
Geneva was Kanadesaga.
Elmira was Newtown
Ithica was The Flats.
Avon was Hartford.
In the absence of explanation it
might be imagined that some plausible,
! half educated individual had gone up
and down the State persuading the peo-
! pie to adopt sounding classical names
| for their growing villages. AS a mat
ter of fact, sin of that kind has been
laid at the door Of Simeon De Witt, who
was for fifty years Surveyor General
of the State. He was accused of giving
the names of Greek and Roman heroes
to the townships of the Military Tract,
and of selecting inappropriate names
for the ten townships along the st.
Lawrence, and for the townships along
the Susquehanna River in the vicinity
of pennsylvania, but in point of fact
the names were given by the Commits
sioners Of the Land Office, the Board
consisting of the Governor, Secretary
of State, Treasurer, Auditor and Attor-
ney General. De Wits supposed ped
antry and folly afforded a fine theme
fTY sc
"Croakers," and he was called for years
1.-The Godfather of the christened West"
1t is true however, that De Witt did
select some names quite as inappro-
pirate as any of those bestowed by the
Commissioners of the Land Office-Ith-
lea, for instance, now known to fame
as the home of Cornell University
For most of the worst misnames no
explanation Is given even in the local
histories. There are indications, how
ever, that a wave of lunacy on the sub
ject swept over the newly settled por-
ions Of the State toward the close of
the last and in the early part of the
present century. Troy was so christ
ened at meeting Of its Freeholders.
Syracuse received it's present designa-
ton from John Wilkinson the first
postmaster Of the place. According to
authority supposed to be unimpeacha-
BILE, that absurd designation, Penn Yam, |
arose from compromise of the oppos- |
ing claims of Pennsylvania and a |
Yankee to name the place, the title |
chosen being the first syllable Of the |
two words. A large number of the pres
ent names We're adopted about the year
1908. In many cases the villagers had |
appropriate names at hand even if for
any reason they We're dissatisfied with
the old ones. Thus, the Geneva set
tiers might have selected Old Castle for
its designation, since the site of the ia
nous Indian fort so named was within
its borders There was every reason
why Avon should have been named
Canawaugus, the name of the Indian
village in its vicinity.
suggestion at this late day that,
In the case of the misnamed cities,
towns and villages from Albany to
Buffalo, the present name should be ex-
for the earlier ones, or for
other appropriate designations, would
be regarded as impracticable In the
case of the larger centers of population,
he resulting inconvenience preclude
he idea. But as to many towns and
villages, such an objection does not so
strongly apply. If the inhabitants of |
ew of the villages among the worst
nisnamed should take measures to
Idopt better designations, giving In
liam titles the preference wherever
possible, the example might gradually ]
'e initiated, and the State of New York
'e measurably relieved from the stigma
# NUMBERING among its post office adj |
lresses more absurd designation than !
an be charged against any other Com !
nonwealth in the Union.-Rochester
Ost-EXpress.