The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1923-03-23

end" of a muck stick in the mine
of Butte and the Occur d'Alenes.
Today he holds forth at the Italia
embassy in Washington, the repre-
sentative of Europe's modern-da
version of ancient Rome's govern
ment to the pioneer democratic coun
try, the United States.
In the decade since the prince doff
ed the rough garb of miner to dol
the habiliment of diplomat, he ha
lost none of the democratic trait
which made him popular with thu
men whose vocation he chose, as wal
demonstrated at the annual banque
of the American Institute of Mining
and Metallurgical Engineers, held il
New York recently. The prince was
the guest of honor and was listed OF
the program as one of the speakers
1t was when he arose to speak that
he demonstrated his democratic ten
denotes. Pointing to one after an.
other of the engineers in the aud
fence he called them by name and re-
lated some incident that had occur
red when he was working under
them Frederick Laist, general mana
ger of reduction works for the Ana
conda Copper Mining company, who,
during the dinner, was presented
with the Douglas medal in recogni-
ton of his metallurgical achieve
ments describes the prince as one of
the most democratic of men.
Like one of the fascinating Italian
romances penned by Monzoni reads
the rise of the prince from common
laborer in the mines under an as
sumed name to his present post of
influence and responsibility.
Was Mining Expert
From the time he left an American
technical college to shovel ore in
Montana, until Italy cast her lot with
the allies in the world war, Prince
Caetani was successfully a laborer,
researchist and mining expert.
When he heard of his country's en-
trance into the war against Germany,
the prince sailed at his first oppor-
tunity for Europe and became a sec
ond lieutenant in the Italian army.
He served with distinction during the
conflict, and upon its conclusion he
returned to private life as mining
expert.
Named Ambassador
When control of the Italian gov
eminent was usurped by the Fascist,
with Mussolini at the head, Prince
Caetani was selected to fill the inn
portant post of ambassador to the
United States.
The prince completed mining en-
cheering course in an eastern school
in 1904 and Immediately went west.
There, under an assumed name, the
scion of Italian nobility earned his
upkeep by pushing a shovel in mine
at Butte, later going to Occur d'Alene
as a mucker in the Bunker Hill and
Sullivan mine.
In 1907 the betitled miner, of his
own volition, liked to Alaska, where
he labored for two years at the Tread
well gold mine on Douglas island.
There, as in Montana, he put in every
spare moment in studying technical
books on ores.
Designed New Mill
Two years later, in 1909, the
prince was back in this country, and
worked in Idaho as mineral re-
searchist. Several years after that
he attracted attention by designing
a mill which still is in operation at
Kellogg, Idaho
Shortly after this Prince Caetani
was taken into a firm of mining ex-
perts in San Francisco, and it was
while completing mill for this con-
Germ that he learned Italy was to en-
ter the world conflict.
The prince Immediately wired for
passage and spent the last week at
the new mill testing samples. He
slept in the roar and tumult of the
laundering stamps, leaving positive
orders that he be awakened every
hour to personally take samples of
the pulp. AS soon as the mill was
working successfully he went to San
Francisco and departed for Europe.
1t was while serving in the Italian
army that his mining experiences en-
abled the prince to complete one of
the greatest engineering feats of
modern times, the blowing off of the
top of Col di Lana, the 9,000-foot
peak in the Dolomite Alps, which was
described as the Eye of the Aus
trians." The feat was accomplished |
In 1916, and the princes version of
that famous war exploit was given at
the engineers banquet. Prince Gaze
tani said the blasting was the work
Of three engineers Bonfioli, Grimal- |
ii and himself.
"Grimaldi lost his life in the war,
ind nobody remembers him." he said.
That's not fair
Prince Caetani expressed his debt
If gratitude for his engineering
not only to Professor
Robert Peele of Columbia university
Ind Professor James F. Kemp, under
whom he studied, but to other Ameri-
ans, including Christopher Corning
nd F. w. Bradley, who placed him
n his first job, that of pushing a
lag car at the Daly-West mine, Park
lily, Utah.
The prince explained that attempts
o blind the Austrian eye had cost the
ives of 10000 Italians. He said it
vas only by chance that he had been
ent to that section to replace a fall
en- officer. He described the futile
fforts to reach the top, then told
ow the new plan was brought about.
lie said: s
Zone day Colonel Perelli Of the