Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1912-02-20
COST $1,000
ONLY To FIND
AMERICA
CHRIS. GOT $500 SALARY
Detailed Expense Account Of
Explorers Trip
From the Springfield Republican.

From the Springfield Republican.
Dramatic circumstances, and it ma,
at once be added, the facts of the mat
ter as well. have always associated
Isabella, Queen of Spain, with the dis
covery of America, through the al,
which she gave to Columbus in 1892.
The pictures which have been fanci
fully painted of his being summoned
back to the Spanish court when he Wa.
leaving in despair at the end of nearly
eight years of vain effort are not need
ed to establish the actual circumstan
ces in memory. But what is commonly
forgotten, and indeed would be of nc
great Importance today, except for d
discovery reported a few weeks since
in Spain, is that it was not due to the
aid of Isabella alone that the voyage
of 1892 was made possible.
AS a matter of fact it was partly
with the aid of royalty and partly with
the aid of the brothers Martin Alonz,
Pinzon and Vincente Yanez Pinzon
navigators and shipbuilders of Palos
who respectively commanded the Pin
to and the Nina, while Columbus him.
self managed the Santa Maria, that
the expedition was enabled to set out
Isabella Did Not Do 1t All.
The Pinzons were part owners OF
certainly one of these two smaller
craft and probably of both, but it now
appears that in addition to supplying
two of the vesselsfof the little fleet
the brothers also contributed consid-
cradle portion of the funds necessary
for it's equipment and maintenance.
1t is stated in the Spanish press that
the account books of the Pinzos have
lately been discovered and that they
show what the brothers contributed to
the discovery of America, or at least,
what were certain of the more impor-
tant items of expense incidental to the
exposition.
Columbus, in his capacity of COM
mander, received the munificent sum OF
800 pesetas, or about $500 year,
while his two captains received 900 pc
setas a year The members of the
crews are said to have received SO
reals a month, which would amount to
$3.50, if figured according to the value
of the current Spanish real, or some
what over twice that amount accord
ing to the value of the old Spanish real
de Plata.
While not stated in these old ac-
count books what the sailors ate or
whether it pleased them, though it is
10 be presumed that it did not. since
the inalienable right of all good sail
ormen is to quarrel with their food, il
appears that the cost of the food was
fixed at six pesetas a month for each
can which is to say about $1.50 for
the month, and 4 to cents day.
Ship Expenses Small.
The cannon of all three ships cost
about $4,000 pesetas. or not very much
mcre than it will cost to fire single
charge from one of the big cannon on
the latest dreadnaughts. From Aug
ust, 1892, to March. 1893. the duration
of the first expedition, Columbus is
said to have given to his pilots and
sailors, according to these old ac-
count books, $4,000 pesetas as their
pay.
"The iscoverv of the New World
according to the Journal des ebats. o.
Paris. which quotes these facts from
the Spanish press. 'aDnears to have
FpSE dIlbSelH6I dDOul OO,UUU ItStldS,
which would onlv amount to a little
ever $1,000 in monev of today But
evidently this total is the result OF
very careless addition, since it onlv
;anounts to the sun of what was raid
for sa 'aries and for cannon. without
any account being taken Of what the
food of the expedition must Pave cost
at 'he verv modest figures given
Moreover, the whole cost of the ex-
rcdit on would necessarily include
many other items But it is evident
enough from these details that what
ever may have been the grand total it
certairlv was but handful of change
from the viewpoint of todav.
And the man who fails in good
lof1n Ahax Axx,n MAN ,ryb- =