Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1907-08-29

10000 men are Idle on account OF III,
all employees of paper and wood pulp
Mills, nearly all Of which are located
in the districts around Christiania 1t
is a question of wages, ana the con
fe~ences held have so far brought no
results. Mr.. Berner. the president OF
the storthing. has been appointed ar
bitrator between the contending par
ties but his mission has so far proved
Ii failure, because the workmen do not
want to make any concessions what
ever. They stick closely TO their de.
mands as originally set forth, and the
employers find it impossible 10 comply
with their requests, and have. there
fore, in several instances preferred to
close up shop entirely. All the pulp.
mills and paper factories We're ex,
tremely busy. They had advance or
ders for all the product they could
turn out for long time to come. and
even il the capacity of the mills had
been twice what it is at present. they
would have a ready market for their
wares. America has of late become n
large importer of Norwegian wood
pulp and wrapping paper. This state.
OF the market the employees are fully
aware of, and they, therefore, thought
IL good time to strike for higher
wages. Whether they have done wise
ly by so doing remains to be seen. As
1t looks at present ii will at least take
some time--yery likely a long time
before the employers decided to give
in to the demands of the strikers. who
IN the meantime will have to live as
well as they can. For many of them
il will undoubtedly be scanty living
in the long run. One think likely to be
the result of the strife is that the
number Of emigrants from Norway
this year will he larger now than if
there had been no strike"
Says an American correspondent
from Christiania: Norway is recOv-
cring slowly but surely from the big
crash in 1899 This is noticeable in
many respects. Foremost of all
comes the starting Of a great number
Of new industrial plants. mainly wood
pulp factories and paper mills. and
Of equal If not still greater import
ance the opening mp of many mines
IN the northern part of the country.
The small town Of Narvik at the
terminus of the railroad from Sweden
is now an iron ore export port, second
to but few in the world. The great
est part of the ore exported from this
mort is produced in Sweden. but
the Norwegian treasury derives quite
an income from this source for car
rage Of the ore on the railroad TO the
port OF shipment Among the great
industrial plants should be mentioned
the great works at Notodden in Tele
marker. where the Birkeland-Eyde
process is being utilized for extract
ing nitrogen from the air and produc-
ing the stuff that is to take the place
of Chilean salt peter as a fertilizer
This company has a capital of $4,000,
600 kroner, and it employs large
corps of engineers and laborers. and
still il is as yet in its infancy. Much
OF the money invested in this enter
prise Is foreign. mainly French capt.
tai. Also in mines much foreign cap
ital has been invested during late
years. OF American money, the main
portion is invested in the Norwegian
American Mining company, with head
quarters at Chicago. and of which Mr.
Larsen. a Chicago alderman, is presi-
dent. This company is working both
iron and copper claims"
Among the well known personages
who have Travelled in Norway this
summer are the following: The en-
pcror Of Germany, the king of Siam,
the Dowager Empress Eugene, the
prince Of Monaco. the duke and Ouch
ess of Fife (the latter is Queen Maud's
sister. All have been up to take look
at the midnight sun. Emperor Will
lam is periodical visitor and he has
during his sixteen different visits to
Norway presented to the restoration of
the old cathedral at Trondhjem sum
of 10000 crowns.
The Norwegian royal family Is en-
joying trip to the northern part of
the country and from all reports they
are having a most enjoyable trip and
pleasant weather. Wherever the
royal couple has made a stop the peo-
pie have turned out in large numbers,
for in every section Of the country a
| king is rare sight to behold.
Fridthiof Nansen, Norway's minis
| ter to England, has accompanied
the king and queen on this trip.
The king of Siam cruised about the
Romsdal fiords last month and seemed
to enjoy himself hugely. He even told
Christiania correspondent that he
would like to live in Norway. He has
| also visited the Telemarken vicinity
and extended his visit in Norway a
whole month more than he had con-
| templated.
Congressman Volstead and family Of
| Minnesota are among the many tour
| lists who have this season paid Nor
way visit. The Dovre Singing socle.
ty of Minneapolis is still touring the
country.
The Meraker railway, which was
completed July %, 1882, has recently
issued an attractive "Broschyr" de-
scribing the principal tourists points
along its route.
The national debt of Norway at
present Is 300,OO0,OOO crowns. The
annual interest Is 100000 crowns.
DENMARK.