The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-06-08

unknown region Of the sacs and Foxes,
the restless Catawbas and treacherOus
Sioux Herein I read the history OF the
Colonies; freedom from the crown and
century OF peace with other lands. No
warrior nation could afford such luxury
lie next appeared at one OF the mail car
doors. THE night will be stormy" he
said you will not venture forth until the
weather improves?" Mr.. Whittier assured
him that at sis p. m. should be on"
''I shall be with you presently" the
stranger remarked. but desire 10 walk half
a mile beside this huge machine TO observe
its notion"
Just then a signal was given and the en-
CINE tugged at its big load eight hundred
feet long. With fierce Kissing of steam
and an awful blast from the chimney The
big wheels flew around violently on the
oily track Then checking its fury a mo-
ment again IL went forward, wrapped in
smoke and cleaning with fire, and so
rushed out into the storm. The stranger
leaped into the air. He would not have
been more surprised if the engine had
spread a pair of black wings and flown up
ward. Wonderful creature OF steel and
steam" he said. while climbing into the
mail car, land it splits fire like Beelzebub
Newcomer hath demonstrated that steam
is powerful. but we have trained it to work
in harness"
He was startled when the tunnel walls
closed around US, and again when we
rushed across the river and bowled along
under the high cliffs. The rain came down
in sheets. The lightning glared above the
hill tops, and we beheld flashlight pictures
of a great city with a river at its feet.
Across the chasm and up the gorge, then
over into the valley we went, increasing
our speed each moment. The rain drops
struck the cars like hail. so fast we flew
over the black landscape. Our visitors face
was white with excitement. 1T is an age
OF Madness" he said, 'such q headlong
demoniac rush through the darkness must
end in destruction" We were disturbed by
fear that he might awake from his
dream, and felt very uncertain in regard
to our status in that event. To divert his
attention, Mr.. Whittier conducted him
through all the postal cars on the train
and explained the work. He saw hundreds
of sacks hung with open mouths up, and
clerks swiftly throwing therein paper mail
for the various routes in many States. He
tiers. and he greatly admired the dexterity
Of the clerks. He shouted in establishment
when a certain paper which now goes TO
| 331, 900 people weekly was placed in his
| hands.
MY Gazette" he cried, Ito what null
/ titude thou shalt speak. and how beauti-
full thou art grown. Tell me-" he said,
something in regard to these many towns
| We now have, in this year 1852, less than a
score Of postofffces in the colonies. You
must have many settlements in the wilder
ness"
Clerk-in-charge Whittier, who had
studied the Annual Guide, then made the
| following statement: There are in this
country 1886 postoffices; Pennsylvania
leads in number with 5,1SS, while Wyoming
| has out 34S. Alaska contains 81, Hawaii &
and Porto Rico IS. Guam and Samoa each
! boast of one postoffice. Thirty-six post
/ offices are named Franklin and there are
! thirty-one Washingtons. The Indians have
/ left several names but not so many as
would be supposed. Southern Indian names
are soft in sound. In Georgia there are
Altamaha, Apalachee, Cherokee. Yahoola
Their white destroyers used such lofty
/
Northern Indian tribes gave us names less
musical. In Massachusetts there is Pocas-
set. Ponkapog, Pontoosuc. In Maine, Pat
tagumpus. Pemaquid. Widdecook, Wiscas
set. In Michigan, Petoskey, Saugatuck
Wequetonsing. We trace the Jesuit mis-
sionaries around the lakes by such post
Office names as Les Cheneaux, Pointe au2
Barques, Saulte Ste. Marie, Marquette and
Fond du Lac. California mingles the rough
names of early settlers with the soft Span
ish. There is Grizzly Bluff and musica
| Esmarelda, unlovely Squaw Valley and fra
grant Los Olives, sarcastic Angels Cam
and pious Los Angeles. There is fruit!
| Prunedale and Peach and Pomona anC
Mexican Tamales. Its Chinese contingen
accounts for a postoffice named Cathay."
Il wonder" remarked Stickington, 81
that is where bicycles were first used.
read In an old book about a Cycle of Ca
thay.'"
Mr.. Whittier ordered him to flock on
Steubenville' and continued: "All State
preserve their history in postofflce names
as in Maryland-Calvert, Ceciton, Var
Bibber, Queen Anne and in Virginia, Kin,
William, Pocahontas, etc. There is an i'm
four Bears as Bear Creek. Bear Lake, etc.
sixty-eight Beavers, 100 Elks fifty Buffalos
Foxes of all kinds snd colors. Strange L
relate. there are three Snake postofflces
also one Dogden and one Dogtooth. Gu
forest is extensive. 125 postoffices named 70
the Ash. Cedar 152. Pine 176. Beech A. Mapl
20 and 292 Oaks. Uncle Sam did not neglec
his orchard and there are Applegroves
Apple Creeks. etc. 10 the number of %
Orange IS, Peach p, Persimmon 4. Pear :
Sixteen names begin with Light and min
begin with Dark There are ten name
Sunrise and fifteen Sunsets"
THAT shows observed Stickington, 'tha
fewer people see the sun rise than see
set"
Mr.. Whittier directed him 10 keep sti
and went on; Three postoffice names be
gin with Bitter and five with Sweet On
of these is Sweetlips"
"Ah. l know Of two more" interrupte
Stick.
Whittier frOwned and continued: Fifty
eight names begin with Good and only on
with Bad. That is Bad Axe Mich. an
it is twenty miles from Grindstone City
Sticklngton now begged leave to make IN
following statement: THE most peculia
| ,,,r,,o - Tecf1Iiar 10