Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-29
APARTMENT HOUSE NAMES.
No Easy Task to Find Them--Saints
Furnish Many Good Ones.

From the New York sun
There used to be a story to the effect
that George NJ. Pullman allowed one of
his daughters $4,000 a year for naming
palace cars" said New York architect
Nearly every one who heard the story
supposed Miss Pullman had a sinecure
and that the salary Sas merely the vehicle
chosen by her father to convey an annual
present to her. But II she did find names
for the thousands OF cars that the Pullman
company built she earned her money.
Before 1 had been called upon to find
a name for a new apartment hotel | had
never dreamed what a hard job IL is.
''Of course, the car names are not so
important nor so difficult to find, for all
the cars are numbered well named
and the name is chiefly ornamental No
one is compelled to remember IL, and trav-
elers are not likely to complain If they
find themselves assigned'to cars the names
of which are not euphoniouS
But when 1t comes to naming an apart
ment house or a hotel II is different. The
name ought to be short musical euphoni-
Gus, easily spelled, easily remembered, not
commonplace nor yet wholly unknown.
For the same reason that should
never name child for any one who Is still
alive a hotel would better not be named
for any popular hero OF the hour.
You haven't any Idea how hard IT is 10
find a name for hotel, and 1t IL stil
harder to find a name for hgh-class
apartment house. Just Try 10 tnlnR OF Il
name you would like TO see carved In stone
over the entrance to family hotel you
were to own or manage. You might use
your own name If It isn't Jones or Smith
or if you didn't bring 1t from Russia or
Hungary with you. But is your own name
we'll enough known to be easily remem-
bered? Would It add anything to he at
tractiyeness of the house TO a stranger?
Is II easily pronounced and spelledH All
these things and more are required.
1.-THE name must never have been con-
nected with any unfortunate event II
must not be historically offensive to any
race, nation or creed. 1t must not nave
any hoodoo associations.
''These are among the reasons so many
houses are named after saints. The re-
ligious preiudices of few people are strong
enough to make them resentful against a
holy man or woman~of another creed, ana
besides. few people know enough or SANITY
biography to be conversant with the deeuS
of those who have been canonized Inc
names of sainted women are more desir-
able than those of sainted men, on the
general principle that women are more IN
teresting to more people than men -
II remember the first time l was called
upon TO find a name for big apartment
house in a fashionable part of New forK.
My firm received the contract ana me
yner added the stipulation that we shouiu
nd a name. l had no idea what TASK u
would be- so we didn't ask any addltlohaI
compensation. After a general plan CT the
building had been outlined we all set 10
work to find a name. -.
/ found that all that were not aiready az
tached to hotels were unsultapIe TOT so o.S
other reason. / went into mythoiosy aI h
struck the same snag. Then uleu tho
names of cities, counties places, monarChs,
statesmen ancient and modern but they
were all in use or unavailable. flnaIy
was forced to try the saints, and with the
Ia ~ a n,,hlic library / found more names
than New York could use In many
year.