El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-08-23
The Earliest American

|
lating to the beginning of things in thu
United States is Of special interest t,
the world, it is well to recall the name
of the man who is entitled TO the de
signation of the earliest American. II
the spring of 1912 Juan Ponce de Leon
sailing from Porto Rico in command o
| two caravels, on an expedition autho
rized by King Ferdinand of Aragon
landed in a country which he called
| Spanish name for Easter, tn day of hi:
discovery of that coutry. He remained
in the country six months, explored
the coast and part of the interior, and
at last, being driven GU,
by the natives, he return
ed home. This was the first landing
made by any white man, so far as his
tory reveals, on any part of the main
land of the present United States
The Mortimer, of course, are left out
of the calculation here, for their disco-
lost sight of by the world for centuries
afterward, had no influence on history.
Columbus discovered the New World
in 1892. John Cabot discovered that
part of the New World called North
America. somewhere on the coast of
Labrador, in 149S. But Ponce de Leon
was, SO far as known, the first to touch
the mainland of the United States.
When Ponce de Leon landed on the
1912, Cortez's invasion of Mexico was
seven years in the future: the estab-
lishment of the settlement at James
town, the 6rst permanent British col
ony In America, was ninety-five years
away, and the landing of the Pilgrims
at Plymouth Rock was 1OS years in the
distance. The point at which Ponce
first touched is supposed to have been
near the present San Augustine, which
was esta blished fifty three years after
ward, and which is the Oldest perman-
emit settlement of the United States, eX-
elusive of the islands gained in the
Spanish war of 1898. 1t antedates Santa
te by seventeen years. At the
time when Ponce made his first visit
to Florida, which he repeated in 1921,
the only countries which took q
prominent part in discoveries in the
New World were Spain and Portugal.
England aud France were represented
among the great navigators and ex--
plorers, the former by the Cabots and
others and the latter by such men as
Verrsrano, but until after the defeat
of Philip II. g armada by the England
of Elizabeth in 1888 Spain was the
wOrld-shadOwing power, and, with
Portugal, she had already appropriate
ed a large part of the New World
The name of Ponce is recalled by the
destruction by the hurricane at the
largest city of Porto Rico, which was
named in his honor. He has a monu-
ment in San Juan de Porto Rico, and
his remains rest in a church at that
place. The history and memory of
this earliest of all the men entitled to
the name American ought to have a
particular interest for residents of the
United States. He was the first white
man to land anywhere in this country
of which there is any certain know
ledge. By one of the ironies of his
tory. he came to Florida to discover
the fountain of eternal youth, which
he heard was located somewhere
in that region, and on
his second entrance into the
in 1921, found death instead
through the effects of a wound receiv-
ed in fight with the Indians. A bay
and a post Office in Florida are named
after him, but aside from these memo
rails his name is but little known to the
was the first visitor. Florida and the
entire United States should take steps
to commemorate the 4O0th anniversary
of his discovery when that date comes
q dozen years hence. A monument at
least at the national capital should be
erected to the memory of Ponce de
Leon, the first white man to put his
foot upon the mainland of America
Globe Democrat. Az
TREASURY DEPARTMENT;Qffic of
Service, Fort Stan ton,
N. Mex, August 81, 1899. Sealedpro-
posals will be received at this ofiee
until noon of Tuesday, September 5thS]
1899, to furnish seeds, and to construct
an irrigating ditch and reservoir. for
use of marine-hospital service at Fort
N. Mex. Schedules and furth-
er information may be obtained upon
application to the undersigned.
j. o. CODE, 81
Passed Assistant Surgeon, M. q. S.,,in
command of station.
MISUNDERSTANDING ll2 IItah