The Portland daily press., 1895-06-26

which has ever been the center for the
trade of our Swedish settlers, and which
perhaps has reaped the greatest adyan-
tages from their settlement-Caribo in
1870 numbered l. 40 inhabitants In 1890
it had grown to 4,0S7, an increase of no
less than 2,677 in population. And with
this increase Caribou became the first
town in Aroostook county.
The founding of New Sweden in the
back woods of Maine called the attention
of our own country, as well as Sweden, to
our State, its resources and advantages.
The files of the Land Office show that
in addition to the Swedish immigration,
American settlers upon our wild lands
increased in 1871, the first year after the
arrival of the Swedes, more than 800
per cent.
When the Swedes first entered these
woods there was not a mile of railroad
in Aroostook county. The nearest point
reached by a railroad was some seventy
miles distant in the Province of New
Brunswick. The journey from Portland
to Caribou then took three days. Many
of you accomplished that entire distance
yesterday by rail in ten hours.
Two railroads now run into Caribou,
but I seriously doubt if there would be a
foot of railroad in northern Aroostook
today had it not been for the impetus
given to this region by New Sweden.
One special instance among many may
a potato starch manufacturer of New
Hampshire, was induced to visit Aroos-
notice Of New Sweden. He put in opera r
tion the first potato starch factory in
Aroostook at Caribou. These factories
quickly increased. There are today in
Aroostook county no less than forty-one
starch factories, with yearly output of
5, 900 tons of starch, worth $500, 600; while
the raising of potatoes and their manufac-
ture into starch have grown to be among
the chief industries of Aroostook county.
And the good accomplished by New
Sweden will not stop with its twenty
summer day. This successful Swedish
colony will go on and fully accomplish
its mission 1t will continue to push
out into the great Maine forests to the
north and west, and convert township
after township into well titled farms and
thriving villages. 1t will continue to at
tract to all sections Of our State the best
Ericsson, and the descendants of the sol,
diers of Gustavus Adolphus, and the
fboys in blue' of Charles XIL-and
throughout the future it will confer upon
Maine those numerous and important ad-
vantages which steadily growing indus
trial population is sure to bestow upon a
Commonwealth.
ment to rejoice over the work already
done. Today also New Sweden gives an
account of her stewardship, and shows
you the results of twenty-five years. hard
work-results achieved by the never flag
ging industry, the rigid economy, the
virtue, faith and hope of our Swedish
brethren.
To you American visitors Ito the State
of Maine, these Swedes may proudly say,
g ST monumentum quaeris, circumspice. Z"
New Sweden stands today a monument
of what can be accomplished in the will
derness of Maine by strong arms and
brave hearts in the short space of quarter
of hundred years.
And feel am but giving expression
to that which lies in the heart Of every
American here today, when in your be-
half-aye, in behalf of our good State of
Maine, I publicly thank our Swedish felf
low citizens for the great work they have
wrought in the woods of Maine.
But most of all are our thanks due to
you, survivors of that first little band of
ffty-one souls; to you, and your comrades
who sleep in the graveyard yonder, who,
with ia ith in the State of Maine and
faith in its messenger, twenty five years
ago sailed from your native land to fol-
low me over the ocean, and who here in
the primeval forest laid broad and deep
the foundation for the great things we
have seen this day and of still greater
things which will be seen in the future,
for the good of our State.
Maine thanks and honors you You
and your deeds will not be forgotten as
long as the history of our State is re-
counted among men.