SECOND REPORT 
OF THE 
UNITED STATES BOARD ON GEOGRAPHIC NAMES. 
ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF THE BOARD. 
The United States Board on Geographic Names was created by an 
Executive order issued by President Harrison September 4, 1890. 
Prior to that date there was an unofficial organization, composed of 
ten persons, all employed in the public service, all engaged in geo- 
graphic work, and all keenly sensitive to the confusion and contradic- 
tions in geographic names as used in Government publications. The 
first step, beyond informal conference, toward the formation of the 
Board is recorded in the following letter: 
U. S. COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY OFFICE, 
Washington, D. C., January S, 1890. 
DEAR SIR: All who have been engaged at any time in the preparation of maps, 
charts, gazetteers, or any other documents of a geographical character must have 
observed the numerous instances of variation in orthography in geographical names. 
This gives rise frequently to much inconsistency, not only as to Government publica- 
tions in general, but in individual instances, it not being uncommon to find the same 
name spelled in more than one way upon maps or^ charts issued by the same bureau 
or even upon a single chart or map. The Coast and Geodetic Survey has suffered 
much annoyance from this variety in orthography which appears in Government 
publications, not being always able to determine to its own satisfaction which is cor- 
rect. Feeling that other departments of the Government must have experienced 
similar difficulty in deciding questions of this kind, it has seemed to me wise to sug- 
gest the organization of a board made up of representatives from the different Gov- 
ernment services interested, to which may be referred any disputed question of 
geographical orthography, and the decisions of which shall be finally accepted by all 
interested therein. I have therefore ventured to take the initiative in this matter by 
sending letters similar to this to the Director of the United States Geological Survey, 
the Commissioner of the General Land Office, the Hydrographer of the Navy, the 
Postmaster-General, the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, the chairman of 
the Light-House Board, the president of the National Geographic Society, and the 
Chief of Engineers, United States Army. 
I would be pleased to have your opinion as to the advisability of such a course, and 
if your judgment is favorable to the formation of such a board as that suggested I 
will be glad to co-operate with you and others who are similarly inclined in its 
organization. 
Yours respectfully, T. C. MENDENHALL, 
Superintendent. 
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