The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-02-28
THE CENTURY PROBLEM
Mr.. Blackboard Argues That the
goth Century Begins in 1901.
He CITES AUTHORITIES
Takes Issue With an Article in the
"Standard'-Questi of Astron-
omy That Have Bearing
Upon the Subject.

Again the question, when does the
goth century begin?" has been raised,
In reply to many inquiries that have
come to the Butte office of the Stand
ard, the historic letter OF General Phlilp
Schuyler written 100 years ago, was
published. in which it was held that the
new century will begin with the first of
January, 1900 Since the publication OF
the letter it has proved a fruitful sub
iect for discussion and many people
take issue with the historic authors
line of reasoning. Ex-City Engineer f.
w. Blackford is one. He holds that the
2Oth century viii begin with the first
day of January, 1901, and has sent to
the Standard the following communica-
ton on the subject:
'To the Editor of the Standard:
Il beg to take issue with the stand
ard upon the question OF the date OF
the beginning of the next century as
set forth in the issue of the 2%d, and to
cite some authorities upon the subject.
1T is a question OF chronology, ana
the reasoning from the right premise
is plain and simple. We measure time
according to the Gregorian calendar in
periods of time current. or passing,
not completed periods. The common
table reads: Sixty seconds make one
minute; so minutes make one hour,
and so, ending with 100 years make one
century.
Il might has written as many do the
date at the top of the page, 2-2o-s'
| which would mean the second month";
| 25th day and the 99th year of this era.
7 / a
passed, but that one month has passed,
| and the second month is passing. So
| with the year, not that 1889 years have
| passed. but that 1,S9S have passed, and
the 1899 is passing. All periods of this
date are current or passing, not COM
| pleted periods. The year 1899 Will not
be ended until midnight of the 31st OF
December of this year; then 99 years
| of the century will have elapsed, and
the last, the one hundredth year 200
years make a century,, the one neces-
| sary to complete the century, will have
| begun and not until the completion of
| that one hundredth year or the end OF
| the 31st Of December. 1900, VIII the CEN
fury end, consequently the beginning of
the next century will be the first day
of January 1901 (nineteep hundred and
one) Just as the beginning of this era
was the first day of January of the year
one "a, and not the year ~naught COZ.
There is no such thing az Gthe year 0.
The astronomer Hersthel. says in his
| Outlines of Astronomy, page 52S: The
| years are denominated as years cur
| rent >'~ A1%
"Newcomb g. Holden's astronomy, on
page 254 says. The closing year Of
| each century--1600. 1900, 1906 Profess
| sor Newcomb was for years director OF
the United States naval observatory al
Washington. and for a quarter of a CEN
fury superintendent of the Nautical AL
manac Professor Holden. was director
of Lick observatory in California They
should be considered authority upor
| questions of chronology.
1.-THE birth of Christ has but little tc
do with the subject. AS a matter of fact
scholars who have investigated it arr
of the opinion that Christ was not bor1
in December, but in the spring -four
years before the beginning of this era
and time was not measured according tt
the Christian era until more than 50t
years after the birth of Christ.
1.-THE errors of the Julian calenda
We're discovered by the astronomers
and the same was corrected and slight
ly revised at their suggestion by Pop:
Gregory in 1882 To the astronomers
therefore, we should look for authorit t,
upon this question
..F. w. RLACKFORD"
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