Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1916-09-28
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
iected for Scandinavians and
Their Descendants
BY MARTIN w. ODlAND.
Norway.

Norway.
The celebration of the nine hun
aredth anniversary Of, the founding OF
Sarpsborg, Norway, now a progressive
manufacturing city of 10000 people,
was a notable event, attended by
thousands of persons, including many
of Norway's foremost men. The king
was not among those present, however,
as the socialists of Sarpsborg, who are
very numerous, threatened to boycott
the celebration If his majesty was In
vited, and no invitation was extended
to him. Sarpsborg was founded by
King Olaf, the saint, and has at vari-
GUS times played prominent part In
the politics of the nation. When King
Olaf founded the city he caused
of land in the wide Glommen river, on
which Sarpsborg Is situated, and n
moat was dug In front of the rampant
for defense. Within he built "Kongs-
gard" his royal residence, and st.
Mary's church. At first the city was
hHo"H bohE, uut Slh1S iht
teenth century has been called by its
present name. 1t was at Sarpsborg,
as recent correspondent reminds us,
that Erling Shake, the ambitious
and intriguing nobleman, after having
crowned his son Magnus as king of
Norway, summoned the yeomanry of
the surrounding districts to declare
themselves whether they would serve
the king of the Danes, or that king
which has now been crowned and con-
secrated to this kingdom With one
voice the populace unanimously re-
piled that, "In no wise will we become
the men of the Dane-king so long as
one of the Vikvaerings Is alive"
Sarpsborg was one of the strongholds
against Swedish invasions and was
the scene of conferences with Swedish
kings.
Norwegian courts, says a corre-
spondent, are beginning to adopt the
American practice of holding transpor-
tation companies liable for all acct
dents that occur I'm their business. In
the past the courts Of this country have
held to the principle that contributory
negligence on the part of the en-
ployee or passenger exempts the trans
portation company from liability; In
other countries, however, especially In
America, the tendency has been to
charge the companies with all risks
and responsibilities peculiar to their
business. A precedent in this direction
was set recently by u court In Bergen,
which awarded the widow of II man
killed in an automobile accident 1880
kroner In compensation, although
neither the driver nor his machine was
directly responsible for the accident.
"My contemplated expedition to the
North pole," said Captain Amundsen
to visitor, Twill undoubtedly start
early next year; and we will be
equipped for six years, but hope to
accomplish the task in three years.
There will be ten men In the party,
to be selected from large list Of APP
plicants. Seven SO far have been
chosen. They are: First mate, Hell
mer Hansen; second mate, Oscar
Westing; cook, AdOlph Herman West
ing: sailmaker, Martin Rome; all
around man, Sigurd Rodsten. In adj
dition, Bernhar Birkeland Is selected
| as all-around scientist. There re-
! main to be selected three more" He
stated point-blank that he does not
North pole.
Norway, like Sweden, has had trou.
| BILE in securing enough wood for fuel,
| so the government offered exemption
| from military service to all ablc-bodied
! men who volunteer for service in cut
ting wood in the state forests, and al
ready ! $50 have volunteered. AS only
1,200 men are needed, the services of
| several hundred were refused.
To prevent artificial nitrate produced
in Norway from falling into the hands
Of the Germans, the government of
Great Britain has contracted for the
country's entire output. Nitrate is in
dispensable material in the manufac-
ture of explosives, and therefore Of
the utmost Importance to Germany
now.
The Merhodists of Norway now num-
Der about COCO, and they have 5J
houses of worship.
The Norwegian steamship Isdalen,
formerly the Tyr, has been sunk. Its
crew was saved.
About eighty women are now en-
ployed as conductors ON the street
railways of Christiania. Whatever
breaches of etiquette to which they
are objected come mostly from elder
ly women, ii is stated on the authority
of Verdens Gang.
Morse capitalists are organizing "a
company to establish paper mill in
Brazil, South America The Overseas
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