bubbler

[Anne Gilbert]

Herbert:

Gee.  I've never heard of a "bubbler" in Seattle.  And that's close enough
to Portland.  About the "Benson Bubbler", I don't know.  I'll take your word
for it.
Anne G

> Someone from another list I'm on looked at one of Bert Vaux's online
dialect
> survey instruments and found the following question.
>
>     "What do you call a device in a park or playground where you can get a
> sip of water? If
>     you're like most people in the United States, you call it a drinking
> fountain or water
>     fountain. If, however, you live in Boston or Milwaukee, Vaux's survey
> shows, you likely call
>     it a "bubbler."
>
> He posted the following:
>
> Ummmm ... Actually, I believe, the "bubbler"  (type of water fountain) was
> first created and publically installed in Portland by a man named Benson
...
> (of Benson Hotel fame - one of the best I've bunked in
> http://www.bensonhotel.com/) ... and it had/still has the distinctive
> Northwest moniker of , "The Benson Bubbler" ... see -
>
> http://www.vanderwal.net/photos/pdx0303/Pages/34.html
>
> So then, why does Vaux think that it's only to be found in Boston or
> Milwaukee?
>
> forwarded by Herb Stahlke
>