Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1915-08-31
IN FAR NoRTHLAND
Important Events in Sweden,
Norway and Denmark.
BRIEFS FROM OLD COUNTRY
Interesting Items From the Three
Great Kingdoms Of the North Sc
lected for ScandInavIans and
Their Descendants.
BY MARTIN w. oDLAND.
Norway.

Norway.
AS has been feared, shortage OF
coal and coke is threatened as re-
suit of Great Britain's curtailment OF
the export Of coal, and in view of the
fact that the British government may
decide upon a complete prohibition OF
its expectation, foresighted men are
beginning to look about for a substi-
tute fuel. The substitute that lies
nearest to hand in Norway Is cleo
tricity The great obstacle in the
way of it's use for this purpose at the
present time is the cost. However, to
meet the local situation, the manager
of the Christiania Electric works has
recommended to the city council re-
duction of the price of current used
for cooking and heating. In the event
that the situation should become par
ticularly desperate, he suggests that
the cooking be done in school and
communal kitchens, thereby reducing
the waste entailed in family cooking.
The Norwegian Total Abstinence
society recently held its forty-eighth
annual convention at Voss. The So
ciety is in very prosperous condi-
ton, and its membership is larger
than ever before. Norwegians In
America have become recognized as
ardent advocates Of temperance
measures, and their brothers in Nor
way are turning their backs upon the
liquor traffic more and more. At the
close Of the year 1914 the membership
consisted Of 1904 men, 55,S52 women
and s,432 children under fifteen
years. The suborganizations number
9s7 women's societies, 1900 young
peoples societies, SIG children's soci-
ties, and GIT choruses. During the
year 5000 meeting were held The
societies own property valued at l.
160,829 kroner.
A Christiania correspondent writes
that, as was expected, the foreign
tourist traffic in Norway this year has
been reduced to practically nothing.
"A few Dutch and Finnish travellers
are seen occasionally, and sometimes
q Russian or two, but not even Swedes
and Danes are seen in any consider
able number. Practically the only
foreigners that can be expected are
Americans coming from Germany,
where the growing anti-American feel
ing may cause some Of them to take
an excursion into Norway. On the
other hand. the domestic tourist travel
10 much larger than usual. Nordland
has been especially much sought BY
Norwegian travellers.
Press dispatches state that the
Trondhjemsfjord. . freighter Of the
INCONSISTENCIES line, was tor
pedoed and sunk last Friday by .
German submarine. The crew Of 80
were all saved and landed at Copen-
hagen on Monday, August 2. The ship
was on its way from New York to
Norway, and no reason is assigned In
the reports for the sinking OF the ship
by the Germans. The Trondhjems-
fjord was acquired by the Norwegian
America line last fall when the heavy
transportation demands made neces-
sary an increase of the lines tonnage.
The freighter was vessel OF 2.730
tons net.
The German government has ex-
pressed its regrets to the Norwegian
government for the sinking of the
Morse steamer Minerva by German
submarine. II is explained that the
officers of the submarine were under
the impression that Minerva was a
British ship. The expression OF re-
ret means, Of course, that the German
government will compensate the own
ers of the Minerva for the loss OF the
ship.
The city Of Lillehammes Is building
q waterpower plant at the Mesna falls
and hopes to realize enough from the
enterprise to pay all current expenses
and thus eliminate all municipal
taxes. The plant. 1t is estimated, will
produce 10000 horse power. II the
citizens realize their expectations.
their city Will nave mOSt udppy
and unique distinction.
In 1910 the public highways Of Nor.
way had total length Of 1920 kilo.
meters; in 1911 the total length was
31,S76 kilometers, and today it is
about $4,000 klometers.
The tonnage of Norway's merchant
fleet in 1900 was 1a1.072; in 1913 the
tonnage totaled 1,764.405. of which
1,32S,S10 tons were credited to the
steamship fleet.
The news comes from Germany that
Jacob Krag, Norseman serving as
major in the German army, has been
awarded the Iron Cross OF the first
class. Krag was born in Stavanger
the son Of sea captain, who moved
to Rotterdam. He was educated in q
German military school.
In 1916 Norway's national debt was
S1.53 crowns per capita, or trifle
over dollar: now it is 144.65 crowns
per capita and growing rapidly. the