The Coolidge examiner., 1935-10-04

press. then something 81 a novelty IN Europe.
Two Of It's faculty. Matthias Ringman and Martin
Waldseemuiler were busy with a new edition %
Ptocmys "Gcogrnphla." Before publishing IL.
however. they printed essay called ~Cosmo-
Eraphiae Introducio" Introductory geog-
raphy.- 90 which they added Yespurci's letter.
In this essay published in May 1901. waldsee-
muller wrote And the fourth part OF the world
having been discovered by Americus. Il may be
called Amerge. that is, the land Of Amerlcus. or
America"
Colombo. Cabaio lor Caboial, vespucci--they
we're the leading italian immigrants In the
nrsi era of New World exploration Another was
TO Join the little band OF immoTtals when the
French began penetrating the interior of the
northern continent lie was Henri de Tont born
about 1860. the son ~ Lorenzo Toni. banker
OF Naples who. because OF the political disturb
ances in that city. had taken refuge In France.
when the younger Tonu reached the age o.
eighteen. he entered the military service Of
France as n cadet and continued thus FOR a year.
Next be served for four years as n mIdshipman
ai MarseiIies and Toulon. taking part in four
campaigns on ships OF war and three IN galieys
Then he became a lieutenant OF horse and cap
tain at Messina During a battle at Libsso his
right hand was torn away by a grenade and be
was taken prisoner Sent 10 Aetasse. he was
held a prisoner for six months before being ex-
changed for the governors son. After n visit 10
France be returned 20 Sicily as a volunteer In
the aalleys but when the troops were discharged.
Tonu. having no other occupation. returned 10
Paris. There be Introduced TO Robert Cave
ller. Sleur De In SnIle. who was dreaming OF a
vast empire 10 be called New France ln North
America When La Sale sailed for America In
1878 Tonu accompanied him his lieutenant
and from that time until the death of the
great French explorer and coloniZer the Italians
loyalty 10 his captain Is one OF the brightest
stories In American history
After the death Of In Sale In 1857 Tonti con.
tlnued In command M Fort ST. Louis. which La
Sale had built on Starved Rock In Illinois and
there he carried PRINTABLE fur trade for sew
eral years. In 17O2 he WAS ordered 10 Join DIb-
erville In Lower Louisiana and Ibervillc sent him
TO Mobile 10 win the allegiance OF the Chickasaw
Indians TO the French. Hc died OF the yellow
fever there In 1904. According to one historian
"Tonti may be called the Father OF louisiana
being the first man after Ia Sale 10 urge the
settlement OF the lower Mississippi. IL was
through him that English control OF that part OF
our country postponed for over a hundred
years. or until the purchase OF Louisiana. France
obtained. under Providence. the guardianship Of
Louisiana. not. as IL proved. for its own benefit
but rather as a trustee for the infant nation ny
which II was one day TO be inherited"
AAtAkl Ne Ablll WIS an Emporium iaCtoE IN
securing the Mississippi valley for this infant ma
ton. then II owes even greater debt OF graft
tude to another italian immigrant" who helped
keep that Inland empire under the American flag
lie was francesca Vigo. born December 3. 1871
at Mondovi In the Italian Piedmont, the son OF
Matteo and Maria Maddalena yigo.
AS youth Vigo enlisted In the Spanish army
for service In the colonies as a muleteer Sent
first to Havana, Cuba. his first appearance on
American soil was In New Orleans as 'fusilero"
In the militia OF the Spanish colony Of Louisiana
Next he became member OF body Of Irregular
troops and made his way up the Mississippi TO
st. Louis, where he became the secret partner Of
Don Fernando de Leyba. Spanish governor Of
Upper Louisiana. In the fur trade
When George Rogers Clark captured KasSas
kia from the British In IT'S Vigo, known now as
-the Spanish merchant" was one of the wealth.
est men in the whole Mississippi valley He be-
came Clarks friend and when Clark needed a
spy to find out the strength OF the garrison at
Vincennes before he dared attack that post, Vigo
made the dangerous journey for him and brought