The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-10-21
CHRI,ToPHER

To-day the people or the United States
will celebrate the 4OOth anniversary of
the discovery of America. 1t is an oc-
casion of profound interest, not only to
the citizens of this country, but to all
the world, for the results and achieve
ments of Columbus will bear upon all
future civilization.
To-day our own people will drop the
cares of a practical work-a-day life and
meet to hear the picturesque and in
structive story of Columbus. They will
meet on the rock-beaten shores Of New
England, on the harvested plains of the
smiling west, IN the wealth-laden noun
tains and amid the flowers and fruits of
the Paclfic's golden shores. The
schools will be closed, business will
cease and all will join for an hour or
more in a joyous memorial of a mighty
A deprivation that increases with
time is the irreparable loss of nearly
of nearly all that concerns the actual
life of SO many great men. We know
that Homer lived and died and that
seven cities claimed his birthplace; that
Julius Caesar was the greatest emperor
of his time and left only a single small
journal Of his military career, and that
later, when a modern civilization had
been reached, Shakespeare lived and
worked and that only the records of his
work remain.
So it is with Columbus. We know
that he was born in Genoa, but the date
and even the year have been lost in the
mazes Of history. He came from a
family of common blood and seemingly
inherited no gifts to give promise of his
after work. He worked for time with
his .aLher, who was a wool-comber,
and then gave way to the adventurous
spirit that was to make for him a lasting
fame. At 10 years he went to sea, and
then we hear nothing more of him until
the lad had grown into ripe manhood
1t is probable that nothing important
occurred during this interval except tc
the young sailor himself. That his
knowledge OF maritime geography must
have grown wonderfully is evidenced
by a remark, when at the Portuguese
court he said: wherever ship has
sailed, there have / journeyed." This
period may therefore be called a time OF
preparation.
The following eighteen years were
given to various occupations. He was
at one time a book agent in Genoa and
perhaps vended successfully the Foot
prints of Time" though not by modern
methods. The best authors, however
agree that the first vision of a westward
passage to the East Indies came to hin
in 1874 when he was making maps fol
Portuguese %navlGators. He was ther
about 80 years old, but his whole hear
and soul grasped the theory and clunl
to it. In these times he would have
been termed an inventive "crank." Thu
following years were marked by trials
disappointments and discouragements
He wandered about from one court t.
another for ten years and was every
where snubbed as u harmless but Wis
ionary ~lunatic. But his tenacity won a
last, and through the kindly assistanc,
Of Isabella a small expedition of three
vessels sailed westward Aug. s, 1492
from the now deserted harbor of PaIoe
The voyage WAS attended with man,
dangers and was once almost abandonet
because of a mutiny. 1t is said that til,
> failure by a single day, to discover tn
fires by night and the bright foliage o
the tropics by day would have p~revente,
: the discovery Of the new world.
But San Salvador had been found an,
: the adyenturer returned to SPAN a hero
His after life WIS a recurrence OF til