Chirstopher Columbus (Image from http://www.bonney.org)
A San Domingo dispatch says that the remains of Christopher Columbus have been found there. It is proposed to erect a monument over them, and the American Governments are asked to contribute. Certainly Columbus should have a monument.
Reno Evening Gazette (Reno, Nevada) Nov 18, 1880
The Eureka papers are indulging in local sobs and hysterical jottings over the death of Christopher Columbus 375 years ago.
Reno Evening Gazette (Reno, Nevada) May 23, 1881
Mr. Garfield wrote a letter in October, 1880, recommending that the 12th day of October be made a national holiday, in honor of Christopher Columbus and the discovery of America.
The Oshkosh Northwestern (Oshkosh, Wisconsin) Jun 1, 1882
Calvi, Corsica
FOREIGN DISPATCHES.
Born at Calvi.
PARIS, April 28.
Abbe Casanova, a Corsican archaeologist, has discovered archives which show that Christoper Columbus was born in the town of Calvi, in Corsica, and emigrated to Genoa. President Grevy, having examined the evidence and being satisfied of its authenticity, has authorized the authorities of Calvi to celebrate by an official holiday, the four hundredth anniversary of the discovery of America. The inhabitants of Calvi will hold a fete on May 23d, when the commemorative inscription will be placed on the house in which Columbus was born.
Reno Evening Gazette (Reno, Nevada) Apr 28, 1886
Where Was Columbus Born?
While statesmen and patriots are busy making history, the citizens of the little town of Calvi have been industriously upsetting biography. Every one knows that Christopher Columbus was born at Genoa. The intelligent schoolboy has read it in the geography books. The hard-working tourist has noted it in his Baedeker. The statue to the great navigator has been set up just outside the railway station, regardless alike of expense and (the critics say) of nature. No one an come in or out of the city without being impressed by the fact that he has seen it.
The citizens of Calvi have endured this for years. But the inhabitants of an island which produced Bonaparte were not to be silenced by stationary and guide books. They revolted and claimed their rights. Such festivities were held in honor of Columbus that all Corsica must regard his birthplace as settled. A marble tablet has been let into the front of the house where he was born, and Calvi claims, henceforth, an indefensible honor.
Unfortunately, some sixteen miles out of Genoa the frontage of a little mean tavern in the village of Cogoleto also exhibits a remarkable plaque. This is the inscription engraved upon it: “Stop, traveller. Here Columbus first saw light. This too straitened house was the home of a man greater than the world. There had been but one world. ‘Let there be two,’ said Columbus, and two there were.” Till Calvi can rival this Cogoleto is safe.
Reno Evening Gazette (Reno, Nevada) Sep 3, 1889
1. Silver label on the outside of he case in which Columbus’ remains were found.
2. The disputed label on the casket.
3. Lead sarcophagus containing body.
4. Famous old Spanish prison and fort at Santo Domingo.
5. The little case of solid gold which contains the remains.
6. Oldest house in the New World built and occupied by Columbus.
Lima News (Lima, Ohio) Oct 4, 1898
Something humorous mentioning Christopher Columbus:
UNCLE PETE ADVISES A YOUNG MAN.
We yesterday afternoon observed “Uncle Pete” propped at ease against his favorite lamp-post, and overheard him holding forth as follows to a young man of the genus hoodlum:
“Young man, don’t you go to strivin’ for a big name or frettin’ yourself to make a mark in the world. It’s all wanity and wexation of spirit. You just turn philosopher. That’s the lay I’m on. Say to yourself the world owes me a livin’ and I’m bound to have it. That’s a motto to live up to. To live without care is my philosophy. All else is wanity. What does a man get for doing anything, makin’ inwentions and the like? Nuthin.
Look at Christopher Columbus, young man, and let his fate be a warnin’ to you. What does he get for the trouble he had in discoverin’ of America? He gits called a swindler and a imposture. He had all his trouble for nuthin’, for they have found out that he wasn’t the feller that discovered America, after all. It was some Laplander or one of the feller up north.
What does William H. Shakespeare git for the trouble he had writin’ them plays o’ his? He gets busted out entirely. They now say there never was no such man as William H. Shakespeare, and I believe ’em. No one man could a-done it.
What was the use of William Tell shootin’ old Geyser? He run a big risk of passin’ in his own checks and now they say thar never was no sich man. He’d better a-bin a philosopher and staid up in the mountains. See the life ole Robinson Crusoe led in that air solitary island! and now they say there never was no Crusoe.
Young man, don’t you never try to discover America, nor the steam engine, nor the telegraft — like old Moss did — cause you’ll find out when it’s too late, and you’ve had all the trouble; that it wasn’t you, but some other jackass that is dead and don’t know whether he ever done anything or not. Now here’s the latest instance: Supposin’ you to be Vasquez when you’ve gone and got up a reputation as Vasquez they find out you ain’t Vasquez, but are somebody else. Take my advice, young man, and lead the life of a philosopher; get all you can out of the world and never do nothin’ for the world; then you beat the world and are a true philosopher.
–Virginia Enterprise.
Nevada State Journal (Reno, Nevada) May 31, 1874
Hoisting the Flag at Guantánamo, Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, Edward H. Hart, photographer, June 12, 1898. - Library of Congress
SPAIN LEAVES AMERICA.
AFTER FOUR CENTURIES SHE FORFEITS COLUMBUS’S GAINS.
The Flag of Castile and Leon Hauled Down From the Last American Possession — Once Floated Over Most of the Western Hemisphere.
More than four centuries of Spanish rule in both the Americas ended when the American flag was hoisted over Havana, Cuba.
The Spanish flag is swept from the western continent, north and south. The Stars and Stripes now flies in its place wherever the flag of some republic or one of the humane European monarchies did not already fly.
Spanish rule in America began in 1492, when Christopher Columbus, an Italian, discovered San Salvador Island. One voyage followed another — all South America and and a good share of North America, to say nothing of Central America, were once claimed by Spain. Columbus died in chains, but Spain was only too eager to profit by his discoveries, and ships and men followed wherever he had set his foot.
Cuba was discovered October 27, 1492, and named Juana by Columbus himself. This name didn’t suit, nor did several others. The natives called the beautiful island Cuba, and that name finally became its legal title.
Pinzon explored, thinking the island to be a part of India, but soon found out that it was an entirely new land. He found the Cubans a mild, hard-working race. It was easy to fasten on the Spanish yoke. With but a slight interruption it has endured ever since, the British capturing the island in 1762 with great loss and restoring it in 1763 under a treaty of peace.
The island was so fertile and tis climate so salubrious that it was soon well populated, despite the never-ending cruelties and impositions practiced by the Spaniards. The revenue was enormous — $25,000,000 a year — and Spain took it all. Spanish soldiers took care of the inhabitants when they protested.
They ruled all the neighboring islands, too, and put their unfortunate inhabitants under the same cruel yoke– imprisoning, executing, torturing them upon the slightest pretext, and allowing slavery to flourish.
Cuba is now free.
So are all its 1,750,000 people.
Porto Rico is also free. It passed under Spanish rule soon after Cuba, but never even had the single year of humane British rule that Cuba enjoyed. It is known as the healthiest of the Antilles, and but for Spanish oppression would have been the garden spot of the world. Its 800,000 inhabitants will hereafter see nothing but the Star and Stripes from the flagstaffs.
Jamaica was the first of the Spanish possessions to get rid of the Spanish yoke. The British captured it in 1855 and have held it ever since. As a result Jamaica has outstripped all the West Indies. It is a beautiful island, rich in mineral wealth and fertile.
When Cortes invaded South America in 1521 he laid claim to all South America, Central America and North America. Spain claimed all the Pacific Coast from Cape Horn to Alaska, all the Atlantic Coast from Cape Horn to Georgia, Central America and South America, as well as Mexico. No other European nation could well dispute that claim, and Spain promised to be the greatest nation on earth. Now not a foot of earth on either side of he continent owns the Spanish flag.
After Jamaica, Florida was the first North American province to be free. The United States bought Florida from Spain in 1821. In 1822 it became a territory and a few years later a State.
In 1810 began the revolt in South America which ended in Spain’s being forced out from every possession in that continent, though it took a quarter of a century to do it. Spanish cruelties and impositions had been too terrible. One State after another revolted.
The great Bolivar led the revolt. In nine years he drove Spain out of what is now Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador. Freedom got such a hold that other oppressed provinces took heart. Peru and Bolivia fought for and gained their independence in 1825, after suffering Spanish rule for more than three centuries. Argentine, Uruguay, Paraguay and Chile all cast off the yoke in bloodshed. Spain was cast out of South America forever.
Mexico and Central America resolved to be free or die 1821. It took these Spain-ridden countries till 1835 to be free.
Then the United States absorbed Texas and took California and all the rest of the Pacific Coast. Spanish influence was still further confined.
When the late war with Spain was declared the Spaniards ruled less than 3,000,000 people in the Western Hemisphere, and but two large islands, Cuba and Porto Rico. Mexico was gone, Central America, all South America and Jamaica.
Now these last two remaining islands have become free, and the Spaniards have betaken themselves back to Europe, whence they came!
Lima News (Lima, Ohio) Jan 26, 1899
*****
I stumbled across the following while searching for the real Christopher Columbus —
Christopher Columbus + Powning:
Nevada State Journal - Jun 27, 1896
EDITORIAL NOTES
The next time the editor of the Gold Hill News goes by here he had better get out of the cars and walk around the town instead of coming through it. His life won’t be safe after publishing such an article as the following:
“Christopher Columbus Powning, the eminent statesman of Washoe county is in Washington City, and the other day interviewed himself in the Critic of that place. The ‘interview’ bears the marks of Mr. Powning’s best style of composition. The advertising rate of the Critic are no doubt reasonable, which will account for the thrifty Senator’s selection of that paper as a medium of giving his foggy ideas to the world.”
Reno Evening Gazette (Reno, Nevada) Jan 19, 1882
Christopher Columbus Powning came to Nevada in 1868 and located permanently at Reno in 1870, filling the position of “devil” on the Nevada State Journal, which paper was started at that time. In 1872, before he was twenty-one years of age, he became editor and in 1874 became sole proprietor of the paper. He was elected state senator from Washoe County in 1878, and in the early ’80s was a candidate for congress but was defeated by G.W. Cassidy. He was one of the most energetic men that ever located in Reno, filling many responsible positions, and passed from this life many years ago, while he was yet a comparatively young man.
Nevada Historical Society Papers, Vol.2 – 1920
YesterYear Once More 