The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-10-12
TODAY IN HISTORY
WEDNESDAY. OCTOBER t2. 1910.
Discovery of America.

Today is the four hundred and eigh-
tecnth anniversary OF the discovery OF
America, For thousands OF years this
Nasi continent remained unknown and
undeveloped. except such development as
was carried ont by the uncnigbtened peo-
pie who roamed about It's forests and
padded up and down its waters. When
they came here. or from whence, Is only
n matter of conjecture.
Europe had passed through many cen
turtles of comparative enlightenment with
out giving much thought TO what lay be-
yond the vast eSpanse of ocean TO the
west Of them, IL remained for Christo-
pher Columbus to figure out the secret
OF The great beyond, and 10 tell the world
OF II, and yet he cannot literally be said
10 have been the first European discoverer
OF America.
The ancient Scandnavlans or Morse
men. so renowned for their maritime en-
terprise. had, at the commencement Of
the eleventh. century. not only settled
colonies in Greenland but discovered the
east coast OF America for a considerable
distance south, There Is also satisfactory
evidence for believing that I'm the twelfth
century the celebrated Welsh prince. Ma
doc having sailed from his native coun-
Try with small fleet. landed somewhere
on the Virginia coast
But 10 Columbus still belongs the merit
OF having philosophlcally reasoned out the
existence OF New World and by prac-
tlcally ascerIaining the truth OF his
that the belief which Columbus enter
tained at first 10 the land discovered
by him being part OF India or China, was
adhered a to by him TO the last. and he
pari OF the mainland OF India.
The point OF land which Columbus
reached today more than four centuries
he called San Salvatore. Ii is not posi-
lively known which one of The Bahamas
Y'Gis. was the landing place. but most writer's
believe il was Waiting island II was
soon after dayhreak that the three little
vessels dropped anchor. and the admiral
richly clad in scarlet and bearing the
royal banner OF Spain, made for the shore
in a small boat
He was accompan MED by Pinzon and a
Few Others. The beach was lined with
human beings who had come running from
the woods on seeing the vessels which
iney thought 10 be gigantic white winged
birds AS the Spaniards approe ched the
shore the natives fed in terror and in a
forest. ' 80 Wv
Columbus, on landing, was overcome
Nn,, %,nn emotion. He burst into tears. He
opnyIna ~pwnu himself I'm n down and kissed the
Ilon OF the dream that he had cherished
so lonS He then drew his sword and
IooN possession OF the new lands in the
name OF the sovereigns of Spain, and ey-
acted: at the same time the most solemn
promise cf obedience from his followers.
me attitude of his followers had
greatly changed, Their bitterness toward
thc ADMIRAL for having led them so FAR
INTO thc region of the unknown was now
replaced by feeling little short of ad :
na,rauon. They surrounded and en-
nraced him, kissed his hands, and prom
ised The most implicit obedience. Colum
puS ana ms followers cruisad about the
islands until January A. 1888, when they
set their face toward home, TO announce
'nelr discovery, reaching Palos. from
which they had started, on March Is II
IS notable that the voyage westward had
6een begun on a Friday had left tho
Canarics on Friday, that land was first
sighted on Friday. and that the return
voyage was begun and ended on Friday.
October H. 1929. marks the beginning
birthday of Edward VI Of England
l?3D jonathan Trumbull. Brother Ion
athan G1oD; Lyman Beecher the dis
tlngulshed divine (li15l. a Il StnwarL