The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-10-19
THE FIRST MAP OF AMERICA.
The Name Said to Have Appeared on
1t for the First Time.
Providence JournaI

1IONiuciSc JOu
The Brown University committee in
charge of the John Carter Brown Library
of Americana has recently had under con-
sideration a proposition that the library
should make an offer of $50, 600 for the first
map containing the name America" The
offer has not been made, nor is Ii likely to
be made in the near future by the library
authorities, so il is extremely improbable
that this priceless relic of the early history
Of this country will ever find a home in
Providence.
The map to which this extraordinary
value is attached Is the property of Prince
Woldenburg of Wolfegg Castle, in Wur-
temburg, Germany. A short time ago an
agent of the prince approached the London
agent of the Brown library with the prop
osition that the Providence institution
should offer 10000 for the map. implying
that the price named would secure this
great geographical relic. The agent COM
municated with his superiors, and the COM
mittee took the matter under consideration.
After due thought and consultation the
committee decided not TO make the oner.
1t was thought that the proposition OF the
German agent was nothing more than an
attempt to secure a definite offer on which
to base negotiations, by which a much
higher price could be secured IL
was also thought doubtful IL the German
government would allow so valuable an ar
ticle of historical and geographical interest
to leave the country. With apparent nego-
tiaitons pending for the sale of the map
and its removal to the United States, the
German government would probably step
in and make the purchase on its own ac-
count, placing the map In the Berlin IL
brary. The proposition appeared like an
effort to use the American offer as a cats
paw for the purpose above mentioned, and
the Brown library committee declined TO be
made use of in that manner.
The map is OF ~undoubted authenticity
and Is considered by experts to be worth
much I'M more than the p prize mentioned TIC u,
of st. Die, in the Vosges mountains, a
small geographical treatise entitled Cos
mographiae Introductio.' In which 1t was
suggested that the then lately discovered
fourth part of the world should be called
America. because Americas (vespucius)
discovered it," A copy OF this book Is in
the John Carter Brown library. One OF
those associated in the preparation of the
volume was Martin Waldseemuller, a prom
inent g~eographer and photographer. The
book purports to contain some principles
an understanding of the subject; also an
account of the four voyages OF Americas
Vespucius. In the book is mention of a
map and a globe on which were repre-
sensations of the newly discovered country.
1t has long been contended that IL this map
and globe ever came to light the newly
discovered western lands represented there
on would be found to bear the name
America" as suggested in the book. This
| seemed a certainty when two manuscript
maps by Glareanus were discovered at
Munich and Bonn. both bearing the name
America" tie Bonn map being dated 1910.
For the past century there has been a
dtligent search Tor the maps OF Waldsee-
| muller, but no specimens were seen or
heard of. and some historians and geog-
raphers in recent years have even gone
so far as TO state definitely hat the globe
and the map were never issued at all. and
that the book was published alone. About
two years ago the geographical world was
startled by the announcement that VALID
| seemuller's lcng-lost map of 1907, together
| with another OF his In 1916. had been dis
| covered by Prof. Il. Joseph Fischer in the
| library OF Prince Woldenburg. In Wurtem-
| berg. The map Is a wood engraving and Is
! bound In q folio volume. with several other