The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-06-30


ure thousands OF these people, great stall
wart men with broad shoulders, blue eyes
and blond hair, women with blue eyes
and hair still more blond, come down
every spring and sail away for America.
I was proud to think we were acquiring
such good citizens. But there was one
drop Of sadness in the cup and that was
that not one OF these people were coming
to Maine although Maine Is the nearest
state In the Union to Sweden and more
like 1t than any OF the others. At that
It had lost about 1900 in population In
that year and thought that something
could and ought to be done. Why should
these people all 60 West when they had q
good chance here In Maine.
~ considered the problem we'll and
thought that the reason that all these
good people went West was because the
first Immigrant had settled there and
these colonies had attracted others. be-
lisved that II commisss Toner was APP
pointed who should go to Sweden and get
these people all on one ship and look out
for them and bring them to Maine, and
II the state should give up to each OF
them a hundred acres OF wild land and
help them when It was necessary that this
state might gain these people as residents
as well as some Of the western states"
Mr.. Thomas went on to tell how he had
labored with this problem and after
several attempts had ut last induced the
legislature Of Maine to pass an act In ac-
cordance with his ideas. how he had pre-
sented the law to the special COMMITTEES
appointed for the purpose and had seen 1t
adopted on March %, 1870, and had been
appointed the immigration commissioner
by Gen. Chamberlain, then Governor OF
the state. He at once sailed for Sweden
to carry out his plans and had distributed
broadcast circulars setting forth the idea
and had personally answered about 100
letters regarding the subject and gone
about the country talking with the people
about 1t. The result was that on June rs,
80 years ago last Monday, he had sailed
from Sweden ON the steamship Orlando
with % men, II women and Is children to
the St. John river. There they had
landed and cut their way through miles
of forest to their new home in the Maine
woods, reaching the township which he
had chrlstened New Sweden, four months
after the passage of the act which had
brought this about.
"How well / remember that summer
thirty years ago." said Mr.. Thomas.
Everywhere the blows of the axe were
ringing through the forest from early
morning until late at night. The log
houses with their newly peeled logs were
rolling up on all sides. The giants of the
forest were falling on every hand and
then came the burning of fallen timber
New Sweden was the land mark for miles
around, distinguished by the smoke by
day and by the sheets of flame by night. !"
He graphically related how this work
had gone on, told of the birth Of the first
child, boy, who had been named Will
liam widgery Thomas Pearson, of the
marriage of the first couple in the little
settlement and the marriage feast where
those "paupers of Thomas's," as some
one had termed them, had eaten with sill
yer spoons which they had brought over
with them as heirlooms from their old
homes In Sweden. He told how he had
gone about through ths summer speaking
words of cheer to the down hearted, talk
ing to the homesick women, petting the
children and at night time lying down,
ragged, dirty and tired out but the hap
piest man in Maine because he could see
something being accomplished for the
good and welfare of the state" (Hearty
applause.) He told how the little colony
had gr own to the number of ia when
winter came, how year after year rolled
by and he still stood by them, aiding
them by counsel and advice and helping
the struggling colony until it had become
deep rooted in the soil of Maine. He
had seen it grow to 600 persons at the end
of four years with ZOO acres of cleared
ground and the colonists fairly well off
and prospecting.
MY expectations have at last been
realized" said Mr.. Thomas. He told how
he had visited the spot last Monday in
company with the governor Of the state,
of the welcome they had received with
bands of music and cheering people. He
related how the little colony had grown
and increased in numbers and wealth
Today it numbers 2,0O) people, it has
G2O horses. 1900 cattle valued at the low
est estimate at SOC, 600. With pardonable
pride the speaker dwelt upon the fine
crops which these Swedish farmers are
producing. Last year they produced 1885,
0O0 barrels of potatoes valued ut $i37 900
and they have accumulated 81 143, 500
worth of property where thirty years ago
there was not single blade of grass
growing. (Great applause.)
He told of their excellent schools, Of the
six lads from New Sweden who have gone
to college from amidst the log huts and
burnt stumps. Of the influence New Swe-
den has exerted on the rest Of the state
and of the 5000 good citizens Maine has
gained by this colonization plan.
II am just full Of this subject gentle
men," said Mr.. Thomas apologetically
In clocipD ), have inst come frnm this