The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-06-24
SWEDES TO CELEBRATE
PROSPEROUS COLONY FOUNDED In
MAINE THIRTY YEARS AGO.
w. w. Thomas, Minister to Sweden,
Will Deliver Messages from King
Oscar and President Mckinley.

ago William w. Thomas, jr, of Maine,
led a little colony of Swedes over the
ocean from their fatherland into the deep
forests of his native State. In the north
woods thereof he founded a Swedish set
Element. This settlement he baptized New
Sweden, a name at once commemorative
of the past and suspicious Of the future.
The colony consisted of fifty-one souls, all
told, men, women and children. Under the
supervision of Mr.. Thomas the colonists
went to work telling trees. building log
houses, clearing land. bushing out roads
and building bridges. Then there was
busy work in the woods of Maine. The
American forest rang with the blows of the
Swedish AK. Extensive clearings opened
out and log houses were rolled I'D on
every hand. Odd bits of board and the
happily twisted branches of trees were
quickly converted into needed articles Of
furniture. Rustic bedsteads. tables, chairs
and the omnipresent cradle made their
appearance in every house, and Swedish
industry and ingenuity soon transformed
the forest into the abode of man. Mr..
Thomas everywhere shared the tolls and
rrivationS of the new settlers. Every day
lie was among them. On foot or on
horseback he visited them all. and every
day beheld something tangible accom-
plished in the woods of Maine. After four
years of work the colony was fast rooted
and had become self-sustaining. Bounte-
Gus crops had been harvested everywhere.
and Mr.. Thomas was able then to take
farewell of the colony, which has ever
since pursued a successful and independent
existence.
Thirty years have now rolled by. Since
1870 the little colony or ffty-one has grown
TO a solid community of over 1000. The
Swedes have spread out through the woods
from the mother colony of New Sweden.
and on adjacent townships have founded
the settlements of Westmanland, Stock
holm, Jetland. Upsala and other smaller
colonies. The log houses have given way
TO substantial two-story frame dwellings,
Large barns stand near the growing crops.
S~choolhouses are placed at the cross roads.
Four large, commodious churches have
been built, and on every Sunday morning
the sound of the church bell resounds
through the forest. All the colonists are
well-to-do farmers. Another remarkable
fact is that this colony is the only sue
cessful agricultural community founded
with foreigners from over the ocean in the
airy war.
The Swedish colonists of Maine will this
year. on Monday, June %, celebrate the
thirtieth anniversary of the founding of
the colony with speeches and music and
festivities appropriate to the day. Mr..
Thomas, now the minister of the United
States TO Sweden and Norway, accepted the
invitation of the colonists and sailed from
Sweden TO be the orator of the anniversary
day: The American minister .:d not come
back TO his colony e~mpty-handed. On bid
ding goodbye to King Oscar a few weeks
ago at the palace at kho the King
gave to Mr.. Thomas an autograph letter
of congratulations TO the colony on the sue
cess they had made in the virgin forest of
Maine, and of his best wishes for their
future prosperity and well-being. The King
vraznrfnI 70 Mr. ThADoa- - -
tograph of himself, clad in the uniform of
general Of the Swedish army, and charged
Mr. Thomas to present this portrait to the
colony on their anniversary day. On arriv-
President Mckinley at Washington, the
President in like manner gave TO Mr..
Thomas a large and an excellent portrait
photograph of himself, signed by the Pres
ident's own hand. to be presented to the
colony at the same time of the presentation
Of the portrait of Oscar. requesting Mr..
Thomas to convey to the colony an ex-
preston Of his kindly regard and his best
wishes for their future welfare.
The exercises of the thirtieth anniversary
will be conducted In a large open-air audi
forum. This is situated in a grove of
of the highest ridges of the town of New
Sweden. Here the American and Swedish
flags will float gaily out. 1t is estimated
that over five Thousand people, principally
Swedes, will be gathered together on that
Maine, Senators Hale and Frye and the
representatives of Maine in the Congress of
the United States and other potable per-
sons have been invited and are expected to
be present.
Following is the letter of King Oscar.
which Mr.. Thomas will read and present at
the anniversary on Monday next:
LAS Mr.. Thomas, envoy of the United
States of America at my court, has an
nounced his intention 10 visit the colony of
New Sweden. In the State of Maine, found
ed by him.. which colony the coming sum-
mer proposes TO celebrate a festival COM
memorative of thirty years prosperous ex-
istence. I wish hereby kindly to request
my warm well-wishes both for the still
surviving native Swedes and their posterity
In the colony. and also for the continued
progress and prosperity of this new home
land so wildly recalling the former. old
Sweden OSCAR,
king Of Sweden and Norway.
"Stockholm's Palace, April g"