PROCEEDINGS 



STATEN ISLAND ASSOCIATION 



OF 



ARTS AND SCIENCES 



Vol. Ill October iqio-February 191 i Part III 



Changes and Inconsistencies in the Spelling of Local Place 

 Names by the United States Geological Survey^ 



Arthur Hollick 



On two previous occasions, at our meetings of February 14, 

 1903^ and November 18, 1905 (see Proc. Nat. Sci. Assoc. Statcn 

 I. 8: 52. 1903, and Proc. Staten I. Assoc, i: 10. 1905), I had 

 occasion to criticize the havoc which the government authorities 

 are making in changing the spelHng of place names on maps and 

 in pubHcations and thus often obscuring the origin or changing 

 the original meaning of such names. 



The postal authorities often find it necessary to make a com- 

 plete change of name when a new office is established, in order 

 to obviate having two offices of the same or similar names in one 

 state, as was done in the case of Dongan Hills, so as to avoid 

 possible confusion between Garretsons on Staten Island and 

 Garrison on the Hudson. In connection with such a change or 

 any similar one there can be no quarrel or criticism ; but any 

 alteration in the spelling of a place name, no matter how trivial 

 the change may be, should not be sanctioned or tolerated unless 

 some good reason is shown for it, and the burden of proof should 

 always rest on those who propose the change. If the authorities 



' Presented October 15, 1910. 



109 



