Sacramento daily record-union., 1889-09-28

me SIly SOuncll Oh GENOA has unanl-
mously approved of the acquisition of the
house in which the immortal discoyerer
of America passed many of the first years
of his life
In recent monograph inserted in the
the acts of the Sociedad Liguriense de
Historic Patria, the Marques Marcelo
Staglieno, distinguished archeologist
whose application to the studies in con-
nection with the family of Columbus
merits all praise, had demonstrated vietori-
ously that the house referred to is that
situated in the rico dritto di P0ntieeao
(little street to the right of Ponticello),
No. 81 in the city of Genoa.
Soon as the SYndic of the Council, Baron
Andrea Podesta, Senator of the Kingdom,
had news Of this, advised that the munich
pality wished to acquire the possession of
the house in which lived in his childhood
their great and ilustrious citizen and coun-
tryman, and that in similar cases there
mad awakened at such times enormous
exigences for private speculation (there
pertained to the ediice notwithstanding it
was small, diverse proprietors), he secretly
charged with its purchase Senior Jose
Baldi, friend to memory of Columbus.
Thus the two with much tact and pru-
dence soon secured TO the city for It's
value alone at just price, that is to say
for So 800, house whose historic merit is
without doubt exceptional.*
The conclusions of the Marques d Stag
lieno are founded on documents very i'm
portant and incontrovertible, acquired by
him with incessant diligence in the ar
chives Of the State, ana particularly in the
section of the acts notarial. Among these,
those of the Public Clerk, Bonvino, prove
that in the immediate vicinity of the gate
of San Andres they may encounter the
house to which we refer. Domingo CO.
lumbus father of Christopher had in
145l established his shop and looms, as
weaver of sail cloth, and in the manual of
the annuities of the Monastery of San
Esteban, t. which pertained that habita-
ton, it is certain that in the year 1457 he
paid the rent to the Monastery as effected
by Domingo himself. At the same time
in the manuals anterior is noted an inter
ruption of twenty-five years. A little
time afterwards, by the act of cessions, 2lst
of July, 1889, its proprietorship passed to
Santiago Barvarello, husband of Bianchet-
tina (Blanch), daughter of Domingo Co
lumbus, and sister of the navigator.
1t is of much Importance to know the
time that Domingo began to live in this
house, for this allows arguments in regard
to the place in which Columbus was born.
But the loss of the indicated manuals
that were kept by the monks of San Este
ban will not permit the finding of the de-
sired dates. Until our days the document
most ancient that speaks of the presence of
Domingo Columbus in Genoa is in said
manuals or that of 1457. From the date
of the residence of Columbus in Genoa
there can be no doubt, since the Marques
Staglieno found the acts of 145l, if another
act, found also by the indefatigable Mar
ques, would not permit this to be fixed
two years before. This was encountered
among the writings of the Public Clerk,
Peloso, dated 1st of April, 1439, and not
so much alone proves that Domingo was
found at that epoch in Genoa, but it i'm
plies the necessity of his residing in the
city for the exercising of his profession
According to this act D0miaicuS de CoLumbo
tertOr ponad1una laatCD ftiuS JohGnniS took to
his service for five years, and with obliga-
tion to teach him the art, young boy
called Antonio, etc, the same who later, it
is deduced by another act of March 15,
1852, Domingo pronounced as trustworthy
OF two acts yet inserted in his writings
by the Marques Staglieno we make in
teresting mention. They are both found
among the writings of the Public Clerk,
Antonio de Tazio. The tenor OF the first
is Domingo lived in 1445, in Quarto-the
famous little town very near Genoa,
where, in 1860, Garibaldi with his thou
sand companions left for the battles and
victories in the south of Italy-and con-
forming to the second, the same Do
mingo, in 144S, lived in Quinto, another
town near Quarto.
Among so much, according to the re-
lation confirmatory Of the aforesaid mon
ograph as expressed by Professor Belgrano,
q member of the Royal Commission for
come to an end, that Columbus was born
in the year 1446 Ia document discovered
short time ago made certainty of this
important chronological PARTICULAR, he
passed the greater part Of his first years
in the house in the little street or lane at
the right of Ponticello until his four
teenth year, in which, as we know from
Columbus himself, he went on his voyages.
Besides he ought to have lived there later
than this, that is, many times he returned
to his country for Strengthening himself in
the affections of his family, since, as is well
noted, Christopher Columbus was an at
tentive son and good brother.
This house has at present two windows
in its front. How many it had in the fif-
teenth century is not known; but by the
narrow windows so near to each other, and
the width of the house, not more than
fifteen feet wide, it may be thought there
was one only, and that at that time they
used wider windows and carried little
column in the center.
In the lower story cAdussee) there
is shop, and to the left of this, looking
towards the house, is the entrance door,
thirty-three and one-half inches wide,
as all those in contiguity; the house is
very tall, rising to five stories. 1t is GER
tain it did not have so many when occu-
pied by the Columbus family, but it is
impossible now to determine this circum-
stance. The fifth ard last story dates
from the first of last century, and the re-
construction of the house was made after
it was ruined with many others by the
bombs of the French navy, thrown over
Genoa, to the number of more than $4,000,
in the month of May, 1854.
The house of Columbus preserves nothing
of its antique physiognomy The little
arches that ran between the basement and
the first story have disappeared, as also the
little arabesque columns that divided the
windows, both common characteristics of
the houses of that time. Notwithstanding
they were small and poor, its narrow front
and scarcity of its area are the only signs
yet preserved of its antiquity; and it is
fortunate that in so much building it has
not been incorporated with those contig-
uous.
The imnnrtance therefore. of the snhiect