Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1907-08-27
NAMING OF POSIOgFICES.
MOST PIONEERS USE "NEW" BE-
FORE HOME OF THEIR
CHILDHOOD.
Some curiosities III Nomenclature
Choices Which Are Difficult to Ac-
count For-causes of Confusion in
the Distribution of Mail.

NnCtCSS WHICH ARE bfHiCult 10 AC-
count For-causes of Confusion in
the Distribution of Mail.
A glance at the postal guides from
year to year shows that hundreds of
new towns and post offices are spring
ing up with every fresn issue. OF
course, every new town, village or
hamlet must have a name-and what
shall the name be?
1t may seem an easy thing to find
a new and appropriate name. For in
stance, if a place commands a fine
view OF the surrounding country, the
name of Fairview is Suggested If
there are a good many oaks in the
vicinity, down it goes as Oakville, and
enc more is added TO the $50 places
similarly named, thus increasing the
chances of missiyes directed to any
che of them ultimately finding the way
TO the Dead Letter Office.
Most pioneers look back with affec-
ton on the home of their childhood.
That is why between six and seven
hundred towns have names beginning
with the adjective New" In the same
class are 120 "Littles,' ISL "Bigs."
500 'Norths,'' 400 "Souths," 400
"Easts," and $50 Vests"
Presidents have contributed many
names-there are 20 Jacksons in the
country to only 46 Washingtons. There
are also 46 Jeffersons. Buchanan is
with 81, and Roosevelt with 16, are
at the bottom; but that is because
they are not yet dead.
1t is reported that one of the 16
Roosevelts will soon be wiped out.
This town is ella County, Ariz., and
is situated at the bottom of a pro-
posed reservoir; it will pass out of
existence as soon as the dam is CON-
pleted. The reservoir will contain suf-
ficient water to flood 100000 acres
to an average depth of one foot-quite
enough to wipe oat Roosevelt.
Twenty-seyen States have post Of
fee towns named after them. The
number of women's names that have
been used almost passes computation.
Alphabetically, the range from Puri-
to Vivian, and euphonically from Puri-
tan Samantha and Hephzibah, through
the romantic Amanda and Angelica,
to the Shakesperian Rosalind, Viola
and Olivia. Marion comes out ahead
with 81. But among mems names Will
liam is far more popular, with 80.
The others range from Aaron and
Cain to Zeus. Among authors, Byron,
Bunyan, Burns, Bryant, Dryden, Oar
win, Milton and even Ossian and Vir-
gil have been requisitioned. Heroes
of the war, like Hancock; millionaires
like Aston; ancient mariners, like Hec-
cor; foreign notabilities, like Bis
marck; singers, like Jenny Lind, and
actors, like Booth, figure impartially
in the postal guide. There are seven
Napoleons and three BonNpartes.
Stars, planets, gods, goddesses,
birds, beasts and fishes do not figure
as strongly as such names as Bacon,
Cream, Sauce, Ham, Honey, Brandy,
Rum, Porter, Wine, Coffee and To-
bacco. There are $50 Oaks; 129
Blacks, rs Blues, SO Browns, liza
Reds, 269 Greens. 70 Grays, 10 Vermil-
lions, 234 Whites and 10 Fellows. Hard
1y less grotesque are Hat, Hood, Over
all, Shoe, Heel, Broom, Kettle, Oven,
Fork, Pin, Blanket, Pots, Wagon, Gin
let, Flies, Sawdust, Organ, Violin
Clarion, Drum, Whistler, Lonesome,
Shoulder, Shoulderblade and Showers.
Amo and Amour appeal to the ten
derest sentiments, and so do Amity,
Charity, Delight, Friendship, Grace,
Harmony, Hope, Honor, Joy and Love.
The names belonging to no class at
all, and which are therefore only to
be classed as miscellaneous" show
that here the manners in search of orig
inal titles were apparently reduced to
despair, and took almost the first one
that came to hand. Or perhaps they
took the very last-as was the case
in the town called ''Nameless,'' in Vir-
ginia In this case, after submitting a
long string of names to the govern
ment by which it was desired to have
the place officially called, the person
in charge of the matter added: IF
a name cannot be selected from this
hist, the town viii have to remain
nameless." 'All the other names are
pre-empted-let it be called Name
less, was the reply. So Nameless it
is. Since then a second Nameless has
been added-Nameless Tenn.-From
the New York Evening Post.