Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 July 1884 — Columbus Neglected. [ARTICLE]

Columbus Neglected.

Rev. William Taylor, in writing about Colon in 1877, in his “Our South American Cousins,” remarks that “the last French Empress sent to this town as a present a grand bronze statue of Columbus, which extends a protecting arm around the beautiful but timidly crouching statue of an Indian princess. It should be put upon a much larger and more substantial pedestal than the one on which it now stands.” Since Mr. Taylor’s visit this “grand” statue has lost its pedestal—even that poor little one of which the reverend gentleman »rate so depreciatingly. It is rumored that the natives stole it. And now p< or old Christopher sits squatting on a bit o’ low land filled in recently by the caial company, and dignified with the title of the “terre-plain.” The Genoese navigator’s effigy—very much the worse for wear, and looking as if a good sci uibing with sand and emery stone would do him great good—squats there sans pedestal, sans platform, sans everything, mournfully gazing out upon the sea, and none so poor to de him reverence. How are the mighty fallenl. If the State of Panama or the government of the city of Colon (so called from the Spanish word for “Columbus”—“Cristobal Colon” signifying “Christopher Columbus”) had a particle of self-respect left they would not thus neglect this interesting memento of the gentleman who not only founded their town, but also erected the only church in this city.— Panama Correspondence Boston Herald.