The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-04-23
OF RAPID GROWTH
The Swedish Colony
Is Now a Large
One.
LEADING ME MIXERS
Swedes Are Prominent In
Business and Political
Life.

The part played in Worcester's prog
'ress by the Swedish population has
been marked. Especially during the
past twelve months has this been ap-
parent Swedish residents are now
found prominent in business. profess
sional, literary and musical activity in
the city.
The first Swedish people to reach
this city came here about thirty years
ago, and the occupations they engaged
in then have been followed by the ma
jority of the Swedish residents ever
since.
The mills Of the Washburn & Moen
Mfg. Co. demand the efforts of large
number of them. Their plant at Quin-
sigamond employs large number of
men who claim Sweden as their
home, and the pretty little village con-
tains the families of many who work
at the mill
At the steel works of the same com
pany, Emanuel Trotz is the superin-
tendent, and upon the pay roll ap-
pears the names of Axel Backlin, Carl
Angstrom, Carl Sunderholm, A. F..
w. Blom, Ernest FRANKIE and others in
the drafting department.
C. w. Bildt is the chief inspector of
the company, and August Lundberg is
one of the head engineers.
In the offices of the big concern John
e. Forsstedt is head bookkeeper and
Rudolf Sundin, Thure Boos and Axel
Hanson also WELD the pen. G. G. Nell
son is yard foreman. c. A. Enberg is
at the head of the charcoal fires at
Quinsigamond, and at the same place
Gustaf Hanson is at the head of the
spring department.
The Norton Emery Wheel Company
is another industry in which the Swed-
ish people play an important part
When they came here in 1868 they
found employment with this company
and today the men of that day and
their sons are stepping up year by
year in the management of the affairs
of the corporation.
At present John Jeppson is superin-
tendent. p. M Svenson is vice presid-
ent and the secretary is Carl H. Style.
One of the leading musical organiza-
tions in Worcester is the Norton EN-
cry Wheel Companys brass band, and
every man is a Swede. This band is
always to be heard at the swell func-
lions which the different Swedish So
cieties give from time to time.
The Swedish Razor Company is also
a hustling young industry, which has
a factory on Foster street.
In 1894 the Swedish Republican Club
was started, and it has fiourished for
the good of the party ever since. The
great majority of Swedes are inclined
to that party.
In the political arena and in the
thick of any political contest will be
found such well known politicians as
Philip Styffe, Hans Trulson, s. e. Han
son, o. G. Hedlund, A. w. Ekstrom, J.
F. Lundberg, P. E. Holmberg, Charles
r. Frodigh and others.
j. f. Lundberg is at present a eoun-
Gilman, and is always looking out for
the interests Of his constituents. John
Hagberg is representing ward 8 in the
Massachusetts general court. Werner
G. Anderson is the postmaster at sta
ton c Quinsigamond. ]. G. Enberg is
a well known letter carrier. Miss Hill
ma Peterson upholds the fame and
honor of Sweden in directing the young
idea and she is probably the only
Swedish teacher in the city schools.
The west side of Main street is care
fully guarded by that popular Swedish
officer August Thurman, who has been
on the force for eight years.
The oldest Swedish policeman is Nils
Lindquist, who has been swinging
beat on the west side.
The Swedish people are kept in
formed of the happenings Of the city,
state and country by ably edited news
papers, namely the Scandinavia, which
has at its helm Hjalmar Nilsson, Eric
Kuntson and Axel Tode: the Nya Fa-
derneslandet, edited by Carl Friberg;
the new Eastern Weekly edited by A.
Olofson; the Svea, which combines a
news sheet and an illustrated weekly,
is printed weekly by Svenson and
Trulson. and has been greatly enlarged
within the last two months.
In one thing the Swedish people excel
and take delight. and that is in music
and song. 1t is a difficult task to name
few from among so many brilliant
singers, but the teacher of vocal music
who seems to be best known is Madam
Maria Peterson.
The names Of soloists without num-
Der who are we'll known for their ex-
cellent work have been under her in
struction. Mabel Nilsson, Eliza Lothner
and Mrs. Lillian Hanson Gray are
names whose mere mention is sufficient
No better Illustration Of the growth