The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-08-29
GENOA N COLUMBUS.
Controvsrsies Over h birthplace Of thc
Great Navigator.

Controversies Over the birthplace Of the
Great Navigator,
WASHINGTON, Aug. %. The Newark. tbs
flagship Of Rear Admiral A. L. X. Renham,
has been ordered to Genoa to take part in
the approaching Columbus celebration.
That Genoa should be chosen by Italy AZ
the scene OF her celebration of the voyage
of her illustrious son was a matter Of course,
and yet few people who have not made a
special study Of the subject are aware how
long and persiatently that oityss claim to
be tho birthplace OF Columbus has been
disputed.
Only the other day the claims of savona
to the honor Of being the great sailors
birthplace we're reiterated, while a few
years ago the little town Of Calvi, in Cor
sica, indicated her intention to oommemor-
ate by public holiday the four hundreath
anniversary Of the landing at San Salvador
of one whom she was proud to honor N
her distinguished son. The claim Of Calyi
haa been advocated by the Able Casanova,
= CoFsicsn antiquarian. who bases them on
even been said that a particular house in
Calvi has been marked al the one
in which Columbus WAS born
before his father Domenico. the
wool carder, removed to Genoa. As to Sa-
vona, il ia short distance from Genoa, and
~ Whn Y oclbp CNaNJk la q Wi
but tho ancient documents relating to the
business affairs OF Domenico there are held
by good critics to indicate thA opposite Of
what these are cited to prove.
More than y dozen other places have set
MP like claims. 1t is the case of Homer
over again, but with at least fifteen and
psrhans eighteen places claiming Column
bus. And yet much was written and printed
about him, both before his death and shortly
thereafter. Fernando. his sou, in writing a
lifo Of the admiral, begins BY saying that
many places claimed him, mentioning
in the Rivera of Genoa, besides Genoa it.
self, Savona and Piacenza. But. instead of
settling this question, he merely exulted in
the evidence Of renown that it furnished.
In 1888, on the death of Diego, the last
direct heir of Christopher. Il case in court
arising over the ~latter's will Brought in not
only Cololeto. but Caccnro, in the Mont
with pretensions to being his birth
rlace. Some years later the village of Pra-
dello came into the list, in virtue of land
the grandfather and father Of Christie
phsr owned there. Coooleto md Cuccaro
meantime zach pointed out the exact house
its limits where he was born. ana at
the beginning OF the present century the
claims of the latter were revived. The
of documents started up rival claims
for Albissola. Oneglia, Chiavari. thres
called Terrarossa, Cassina. and go on.
But from the first Genoa had much the
best claim. and it has been strengthened by
researches. Columbus declares twice in
his will that he WAS born in that place. ~
born in Genoa" is one phrase, while
n another, referring to Genoa, he says,
Since ! was born in it," The rival claim
disputed the authenticity Of the will.
1ntil an unquestionable copy Of it was dis
and produced. Then they had left
only the arguments that he might have
fAAn r1I1kn kan M tn kio hivSh ,}ooa xr tbo$
10 referred to territory in the republic of
1enoa rather than to the city. OF course
his latter suggestion was taken up by tho
places that were in the contest.
SUIT 1t was evident that the opposition WAS
Weakening when driven to such extIemi-
les.
On the other hand, besides the declara-
ions in the will. there wers other evidences
II favor, OF Genoa. Columbus bequeathed
0 one of its banks Il tenth of his income,
o DO devoted to relieving the duty on wine,
and Other things consumed in the
lty; and. in notifying the bank of his be-
he said: although in body I am far
istant from you, in heart I am always
here" Ihe bank MANAGERS thanked him
. a fellow cltlzen," who loved the coun-
~ of his origin" Again, it is known that
he father of Christopher was of Genoa and
hat Dan Bartholomew, younger brother of
he latter. was born there. Contemporaries
l. SOAuuluuos ilho OAliOt CeuAr6ka, anu SO
n, make Genoa his native place.
In spite of any revived pretensions of
'avona or OF Calvi or any other place, &C.
'oa will be accepted not only officially BY
tally. but by the world in general as alone
ntitled to the honor in question. Indeed,
ome OF the writer's have got the very street
number of Columbus house, 81, for
,srly 3O5. CorroeQio diritto di Ponticello, .
his is quite as much as Cogoleto. Cuccaro, +
Calvi have ever DONE. ,