The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1932-02-26

perior, Caius julius Caesar who in 46 B. c. es-
tabliShed a calendar on the basis of each solar
year consisting of 800 days and six hours. But
rather than bother with the one-fourth of day
each year, the six hours were saved up and
whole day added to every fourth year which was
to be known "leap year." when, presumably,
time leaped ahead one day.
This calendar was defective, for the solar year
actually consists of 365 days. five hours and 40
minutes therefore Caesars calendar was gain
ing IL minutes on old Father Time every year.
So Augustus Caesar, julius successor, tried his
hand at tinkering with the calendar and ordered
that there be no leap year for II years. Next
the Pontiffs took a hand in the matter by in
sorting an extra day every third year instead
of every fourth year and by the year 8 B. G.
they had added II such days instead of only
nine.
When the march of time brought humanity
down to the Sixteenth century it was discovered
that the year ten days off schedule the
spring equinox falling upon March II instead Of
March q. To correct this error, Pope Gregory
XIL in 1882 ordered that the year should con-
sist of 365 days only, with the extra day added
every fourth year to make bissextile or leap
year. In order to prevent further irregularty
1t was decided that year ending a century
should be bissextile only at the end Of each
fourth century. In this way three days are
Saved" in 400 years because the lapse Of II
minutes each year makes about three days in
the period of four centuries. SO while it is true
that every year which is Invisible by four is
leap year. there is the exception that a year
which ends a century is not leap year, even
If it is divisble by four, unless it is Invisible by
400. So 1000 was the last leap year of this
character and the year 1000 will be the next one.
Now that we are started on another leap year,
will history repeat itself and bring to pass
events of great Importance as it has in the past?
For no less than four of the greatest events in
American history took place during leap years
the discovery Of America by Columbus in 1892,
the landing of the Pilgrims in 1920, the birth Of
Washington in 1882 and the signing of the
Declaration of Independence in 1776.
In addition to these there have been great
number of other important events in history
occurring during leap year, as witness the fol-
lowing chronological record:
150S-Thomas ALBERT sailed up the st. Law
renee river.
s1512-Ponce de Leon found Florida
1564-French expedition built Fort ST. Caro-
line in Florida, and the occupants were mas
sacred by the Spanish.
156S-The French took back Fort ST. Caroline
and massacred the Spanish
15SO-New Mexico explored by Spanish mis-
sionary, Rugs.
15S4-Sr Walter Raleigh explored Virginia.
and Virginia was named by Queen Elizabeth.
1612-First bricks manufactured in America
MADE IN virginia.
1616-First cultivated tobacco raised in vir-
ginia.
162O-Ninety young women sold in Virginia
as settlers wives at 40 pounds of tobacco
each; first cargo of negro slaves sold at James
town.
162tDutch landed eight men to take posses
sion of New York.
162S-Salem, Mass. founded by John Endicott.
1632-First church begun in Boston; King
Charles gave Maryland to Lord Baltimore
1636-Hartford, Conn. and Providence, r. l.,
founded colonies; Harvard university founded.
164O-First book printed in America at Cam
bridge. Mass, the Bay Psalms Book
164fThree hundred Virginia settlers mas
sacred by Indians
164S-First instance of capital punishment for
witchcraft in Massachusetts colony.
1652-Swedes took Delaware from the Dutch.
1656-First Quakers came to America and
were expelled from New England
1664-King Charles gave his brother the Duke
OF York and Albany, the grant known as New
Jersey; British took New Amsterdam from the
Dutch and changed its name to New York
166S-Maine was organized under jurisdiction
OF Massachusetts,; first permanent settlement
made in Michigan by Pere Marquette at Saulr
Ste. Marie.
1672-Parlament imposed first customs duties
In America; first American whale fishery started
from Nantucket
1676-Nathaniel Bacon rebellion in Virginia
16S0-Colony of New Hampshire separated
from Massachusetts,; Charleston, S. C., founded
the upper Mississippi river explored by Father
Hennepin
16S4-The French built fort at Niagara
Falls sss@-sal $500 1905
1692-Twenty persons killed In Massachusetts,