East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1908-02-04

For queer names of towns Oregon
excels any state in the union, says
letter in the New York Tribune.
Natural characteristics and freaks Of
fortune made many names, and the
pioneers who settled in this far west
ern state often selected a name for
their new location from the first
chance occurrence in connection with
it.
Indian names and some drawn from
the classics appear in Oregon's post
office list. but predominant are the
names indicative Of life of the west
Animals. birds and trees have also
contributed their names to settle
ments.
The part chance has played in FORM
ing Oregon's postoffice list is Illus
trated in Bakeoven. In early days
Frenchman started from The Dalles
which. by the way takes its name
from the dalles or falls in the Column
bia river. with cargo Of flour for
the mines at Canyon City, another
town named after its geographical
location.
The first night he went into camp
band of Indians came along and
drove off all his mules. Unable 10
move his flour he moved some rocks
together. built a big oven and then
gradually baked his flour into bread
The bread was sold to passing MI
ners and travellers along the trail at
a greater profit than he would other
wise have received. AS result OF
this occurrence the little town which
now stands on the site of the French
mans camp is named Bakeoven, and
residents yet point out the blackened
rocks which were a part of the origi-
nal bakeoYen that gave the place its
name.
Haystacks, Tanks. Etc.
Similar in origin to Bakeoven are
Haystack. Tanks, Echo, BPx ana
Apiary. Haystack was named for the
only thing standing on the ground
when the postoffce was established
and Tanks is a station on the o. X d
N railroad in Umatilla county, where
the watering tanks of that division are
situated.
Gooseberry. Looking Glass and
Mule all appear on Oregon's map.
When a postoffice was establBhed
at Gooseberry the department told l.
r. Estob. who was appointed post
master. to select a name different
from any other in the United States
His inspiration came from an I'M
mense gooseberry bush. There is als
so a postoffice in oregon named
Strawberry.
The name of Looking Glass comes
from the clear stream which runs
near this postoffice. Among other
names chosen on account of sur
roundings are Juniper which stands
among the juniper trees of eastern
Oregon: Peak. located near the foot
Of Mary's Peak, the highest point in
the Coast range; Fossil. county seat
of Wheeler county and near fossil
deposits. and Lime, Lava, Mineral and
Meadow. all named because of the
chief characteristics Of their natural
surroundings.
POstOfrice Of Mule.
The postoffice of Mule is in Har-
ney county 1t draws its name from
the fact that its postmaster, j. F. Ma
hon. who headed the petition, was
asked to select name he suggested
Anderson, as his ranch is in Ander-
son valley. But the department re-
piled that there were too many An
dersons in the country already and a
shorter name would be advisable. So
Mahon suggested Mule, and 1t was ac-
cepted.
Other animals or birds whose
names decorate Oregon's postal list
are Cayuse Grow, Grizzly. Grouse,
Antelope. Fishhawk. Hare. Fox, Peli-
can and Salmon.
There are several names which,
while they may seem strange for
postoffices and towns were really
natural selections. Such as Reuben
and Rufus. Each was named for the
man on whose land the town was es-
tablished. the former for Reuben r.
Foster and the latter for Rufus c.
Wallis
Shake is another postoffice Of the
same class The name implies moth
ing as 10 cordiality or the lack Of
II might be supposed, but II stands in