New Britain herald., 1917-09-18
RAINIER OR TACOMA?
Call the Famous Mount What You Will But Be Careful Where
 You Are.
(New York Times.)


 >Bentivoglio wrote of Switzerland: Their Alps are created for the Swiss and the Swiss for the Alps.'' One may have doubts as to the literal truthfulness of this statement. but the Swiss have proved themselves worthy of the Alps, and the fitness of the com- bination was always admitted, even in the time of Caesar. Unhappily. noun tains and those who dwell on them or near them are not always so well mated as the Swiss and their Alps. As regards. for instance. the mountain that rears it's white crest near Tacoma and Seattle, it is as worthy as the Alps or Fujiama of undivided and harmo- nious praise, but unfortunately it is. instead. a bone, or rather mount, Of contention to the two cities it over- looks and there seem to be no special harmony and adaptation between the cities and itself.
 The twin cities of Puget Sound have a number of causes of disagreement, but the chief of them all is their re- spective claims to the great mountain which each desires. or at least seems inclined, to add as an annex to it's own glory. They cannot even agree as to the name to be applied to the moun- tain. Seattle, to do it justice was con- tent that the great peak should bear tho name Rainier in honor of it's dis coverer but Seattles rival. Tacoma, likes it's own Indian name so well that ! it desires to share it with the moun- tain, and hence has named it Mount Tacoma Any one in that region may be known q loyal citizen of Seattle if he calls the mountain Rainier just as
 ,oit ito l>o his calling it Tacoma. The different names have become. respectively, the shibboieths Of the two cities, and the wayfarer from either regions will find it to his advantage during temporary residence in either of the cities to do as the romans do and call the moun- tain by the name of Tacoma or Rainier as his. location may demand.
 As for the mountain itself, 1t is
 big enough and glorious enough to be the pride of both cities. as it is in all except it's name. In defense of apply ing the name Tacoma or Takomah to the mountain the Tacomans very 1 properly say such was the appellation l bv which it was known to the 1n- l dians In his new volume, Mount Rainier" Professor Edward s. Meany of the University of Washington quotes this speech of the Indian guide Shiskin. (translated from the Chi nook:)
 Your plan to climb Takomah is all foolishness. No one can do 1t and
 live A mighty chief dwells upon the summit in a lake of fire. He brooks
 no intruders.
 But, on the other hand, as has been fully shown by writers on the subject, the name Takomah was used by the Indians for any snowy, lofty noun tain or range of mountains, and hence there is no more propriety in applying 1t to this particular mountain than to a. dozen other famous peaks which are now known by good English names. Happily for Seattle, almost universal usage has confirmed the name Mount Rainier as the proper designation. This, moreover, Is it's
 official name as confirmed by the decision of the United States Geo. graphic Board This decision, how ever, Tacoma at once and indignantly appealed from. But Dr. c. Hart Mer- riam of the geographic board, review ing the controversy, leaves Tacoma not leg, or rather not a mountain, to stand on. He shows with logic convincing to all except Seattle, that the name Rainier given to the noun tain by Vancowen should stand. As matter of fact, the mountain does not belong to either of the cities but to the United States government, which has made of it park officially known as Mount Rainier National Park.
 That seems to be the logical and sensible conclusion to the controversy but it probably will not be accepted
 by Tacoma But gazetteers encyclo-
 pedias, atlases official documents,
 and works of reference generally will
 hereafter, as most of them do even
 now designate the mountain as
 Rainier.