The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1905-08-22
NAMES OF THE STATES
MOST OF THEM ARE DERIVED FROM
INDIAN DESIGNATIONS.

How the More or Less Quaint So
briquets of the Commonwealth
Were NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Applied
to Citizens of Various States.
George Washington delivered an ad-
dress before the common council Of
New YORK city in 1854, in which he
said:
Il pray that heaven may bestow its
choicest blessings on your city; that the
devastation of war in which you found
it may soon be without trace; that
well regulated and beneficial commerce
may enrich your citizens and that your
state-at present the seat Of empire
may set such examples of wisdom as
shall have a tendency to strengthen
the Union"
And from that day to this New York
has been known as the Empire State.
Back in the early days, before Amer
lea as a nation began to make history,
it LAS Sergas de Esplanadian," and
somebody else published it in 1910. In
this tale beautiful pagan queen call
ed Calafia, living in a kingdom called
California, furnished an army Of ANA
zonians to Esplanadian, emperor Of the
Greeks, to aid in defending CONSTANT
nople against eastern infidels. This
land Of the pagan queen was filled with
gold.
Cortez, the explorer of later date, had
read and been impressed by this tale.
When he set out upon his expedition of
adventure his mind was thrilled at the
thought Of new riches he was to &C.
Quire, and thus he called the land
which he discovered on the Pacific
coast California. From that day to
this it has been known as the Golden
State, and its people have been nick
named "gold hunters"
It is an interesting matter for inves-
tigation this Of how the states Of the
Union came to be called what they are
called today, the manner in which they
acquired their various nicknameS and
why their respective citizens are char
acterized by the more or less odious
epithets that cling to them. In other
words, why are North Carolinians call
| ed "Tar Heels" citizens of Colorado
called "Rovers," Indianians "Hoosiers"
| or Missourians "Pukes?"
It Is recalling facts in history to an
swer. In the first place, most Of the
states which form this Union took their
] i0iy no fs0o Ny
| mountain that formed conspicuous
feature Of the territory, and these had
| been previously named by the Indians.
The state Of Colorado was named
| for the river. The word means red"
AS general thing Colorado streams
are clear, limpid and reflect the blue Of
the heavens and natures green. But
| when mountain storms arise there Is
rolled through these disturbed waters
| quantities Of red sand; hence the name.
Colorado was admitted into the Un-
ion the year Of the Centennial, and
hence its nickname the Centennial
State. Its people are called "Rovers,"
an epithet that was called into being
by the Pixies peak gold fever.
| To Missouri, named for the river the
Indians called big Muddy" and her
people is attached the reprehensible
nickname Of "Puke." This dates back
to 1927, the time when the Galena lead
mines were drawing people from AN
over the country. So many Of these
came from Missouri that other Mis-
sourians who had gone on before re-
marked that the state had taken a
sudden ''puke."
Several years previous to this time
there had been big exodus from these
same mines that had given rise to the
nickname of the citizens Of Illinois, or
Tribe Of Men," as the Indian original
Of the name signifies. A large party
while boarding the steamer at the Ga
lena wharf was asked, Where ye go
ing" ITO hum" was the reply.
Well" was the rejoinder Of the old
miner. I'VE put me in mind Of suckers.
They do 60 up the river In the spring,
spawn and all return down again In
the fall" Thus Illinoisans became
Suckers" The state is known as the
Prairie State on account Of its sweep
ing land.
Just why Indianians are called Hoo
siers" is a matter that has not been
entirely settled. In earlier days the