The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1917-06-22
BY S. w. WALL

III - Ne W. w k2oo
II Secretary, Justice to the Noun
tain Committee.
/ You remember that in my con-
versation with President Andrew
Braid Of the U. s. geographic
board yesterday concerning the
name OF the mountain, he had
characterized the Indian name
Tacoma" as "repulsive" to him.
Very we'll; he is sitting in his
swivel chair and l quite comfort
able just beside, while we con-
tlnue right along, making aston
ishing revelations and discoveries.
And more than that" said Mr..
Braid-president of the U. S. geo.
graphic board-do not forget that
and chief of the division of ter
restrial agnetism-"more than
that, am told there is a town
that Is nearer the mountain than
is Tacoma, which is called Raj
nier."
You see how Interestingly it be-
gins? The man whom | do not
know" must have told him that. |
took a long look at Mr.. Braid to
be sure he was serious.
Never Been There.
"Eyidently you have never been
out to that country, Mf. Braid"
He had not, he said.
There is a little hamlet out on
the prairie somewhere called Raj
near | believe. But as for near
ness-I fail to catch your point.
One must be at some distance from
a large object to see it-you I'M
derstand that. And even then "a
leaf next the eye obscures the dis
tant mountain
This was intended as whitening
fire but | am not sure that It got
over.
LAS for the great mountain in
its relation to the city of Tacoma"
went on, ut rises up in about
the proportion that the dome of
the capitol building looms above
a man standing in Pennsylvania
avenue at Tenth street"
Matter of Proportions.
"Oh, but that is in the CITY,"
said Mr.. Braid. Just why he said
that | am unable to tell you. You
know as much about II as I do.
II was speaking of proportions, J."
said. THE mountain is 10 miles
distant from Tacoma straight
away. II would be impossible to
get II within the city limits of Ia
coma"
Without the limits being ex-
tended somewhat"
Exactly. Really one must visit
the country in order to understand
the conditions"
But you have all been saying
that we brought nothing new to
this hearing" / resumed after a
little. I'VE thought that In bring
ing a united sentiment from the
whole state of Washington in
favor of the change, we were
bringing something new. 1t is
new out there-a thing we rejoice
over very much. But you failed
to get it. However, there is a
development that we were unable
to reveal to you before you passed
Judgment which should interest
you even now. Mr.. Victor ]. Far
rar, research man of the University
of Washington, Seattle-you re-
mem Der him-tells me that Capt.
Vancouver did not name the noun
tain-at least that he does not
think so, in spite of his testimony"
II "Can't Prove It."
This was such radical an
nouncement that Mr.. Braid did not
rise to it all at once.
What do you mean," he said
after an interval.
Mr.. Farrar tells me he is at
work on a book which will under
take to prove that Vancouver did
not name the mountain"
I wanted this statement to stand
isolated, before Mr.. Braid's intel
lligence in all the bald and naked
impudence with which 1t had been
offered to me. Perhaps 1t was too
much for him.
He smiled little feebly. "Why,
, he cant prove that. We have 1t in
Vancouver own writings that he
discovered and named the noun
tain"
Coming from a scientist of your
eminence, Mr.. Braid, it sounds a
little queer to learn that one can
mot prove this, that or the other
It isn't orthodox should say
among SCIENTISTS it,"
but we have it In his own writ
ings."
Suppose he didn't write his owr
writings?"
Mr.. Braid made a gesture of i'm.
patience.
Relatives Did 1t.
Remember" ] said. This IL
not something being advanced
from Tacoma, | am quoting nov
your professor Farrar, whom
lyou characterized as the one un
biased witness before the boart
= one of the members did that.
"Mr. Farrar tells me that docu
! ments have been found which
l prove conclusively-at least t.
him-that Vancouver's Journal
= we're 80 edited that they do no
carry the names Captain Vancou
: yer wrote there.
: "Mr. Farrar points out that the
maps and journals were not pub
: lished until long after Vancou.
5 ver's death and that his relativei
took advantage of the opportunit,
q this legacy offered to advanc,
4 Themselves in the esteem NJ IN.