The Daily Alaska empire., 1934-02-19
WHAT'S IN A NAME?

recently issued report of the United States Geographic Board calls to mind the little known but interesting and important activity which is the func- tion of this Federal agency. The Board, which IS composed of members of the various map-making organizations of the Federal Government, has been serving since its formation in 1890 as National arbiter in case of disputes as the correct names or the proper spelling of names of towns, rivers, mountains, islands and other geographic features The Boards official decisions followed by all Federal State and commercial map makers and usually by most writers and the public Many per sons remember the great verbal battle of Mount Rainier Mount Tacoma which ragged about 20 years ago and which the Geographic Board settled in favor of Mount Rainier"
 The report mentioned above which is called the Sixth Report of the U. s. Geographic Board contains the 250OO decisions made by the Board from 1890 to date. It has also a very interesting explanation of the rules which it follows in making it's decisions Clearly the board does not adopt names casually and gains the impression that many of the decisions entail exhaustive study of early reports on the discovery exploration and history of the locality often in number of Ian guages in order to favor the with a good local background. This is borne out by looking over many of the Alaska names with which the book abounds Many Alaskan island, inlet river and mountain first had an Indian Eskimo name, over this was superimposed Spanish, English, French and Russian as the explorers followed each other and to this formidable list American gold seekers whalers and fishermen added another. To add to the confusion many early map makers, his torians and novests guilty of misspeing these names An example of Alaskan name which has been simplifed through decision by the Board acting in accordance with it's rules of translating the Russian language into English is "Chichagof" It supersedes the involved "Tchchagoff of the Alaska maps during the Russian occupation.
 The necessity for making a choice between names given a certain object at different times or by different individuals is illustrated by the name of nearby great glacier The board decided that the name should be Taku and not Kluma-Gutta Foster.
 Perhaps the greatest confusion over duplication in Alaska names for the geographic feature is the case of the Yukon River. Not only had various sections of the river different in the early days but successive explorers spelled Yukon in various ways. We find that the Geographic Board ended the tangle by officially adopting the word the spelling Yukon" and dscarding 'Youcon," "eukchana" and "Kwichpac"
 The word Alaska" is a simplicaton of number Of earlier involved forms of spelling the word.
 As the Board states in the opening chapter of it's report Geographic names constitute revealing record of human migration and settlement and a4lOru mSlBnU mlO the history, the ldNBudBe, tlle economic and social structure and the religious faith of a people" Alaska rich with the of the Territorys early exploration and settlement and this report proftably be studied by those who wish to see appropriate, euphonious names used on maps and charts and especially names based our interesting history.
 The Geological Survey, Coast and Geodetic Sur vey and Forest Service the three largest map making organizations in Alaska and thus present the great majority of the disputed Alaska names to the Board for decision. However, other agencies such as the Territory cities, public organizations and private citizens likewise make of the Board to clarify conflicting local local methods Of spelling.
 The bureau officials of which the Geographic Board is composed serve the board without extra compensation. They to be congratulated on the work they doing and the comprehensive report they have just issued.