The Horse of Chaboillez Street

One day, a hundred years or so ago, a horse, exhausted by a lifetime of hard labor, died on Chaboillez Street.
The carter went to inform the police, and a brave officer came to make a report.
When he observed that the death had occurred on Chaboillez Street, the officer asked witnesses how to spell the name. In those days there were no signs indicating the names of streets: the city was still small, and Montrealers could easily identify the streets, even if they couldn't always spell the names.
After several fanciful attempts -- Chaboyer, Chaboillé, Charles Boyer, Shah Boyer -- the officer concluded that no one was really certain how to spell Chaboillez.
To settle the delicate problem, the crafty representative of the law had the horse moved to nearby Vitré Street, where he proceeded to compose his report with no further delay.
Chaboillez Street no longer exists. Perhaps you like to think that it vanished because of the orthographic difficulties it presented to Montreal's constabulary.
I'm sorry to disappoint you, but Montreal still boasts a Chaboillez Square.

(From: Montreal , by Mia and Klaus,
text by François Barcelo,
translated by Sheila Fischman,
Libre expression, Montréal, 1983)