Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1916-01-13
IN FAR NOR1HLAND'
important Events in Sweden,
Norway and Denmark.
BRIEFS FROM OLD COUNTRY
Interesting items From the Three
Great Kingdoms Of the North Sc
Iscted for ScandInavians and
Their Descendants.



Norway.
Reference has been made In these
columns to the difficulties encountered
by NORWAY and Sweden To secure their
supply OF coal from England and Ger
many. where they have been accus'
toned in years past 10 look for their
supply, ard az consequences the bust
ness men OF Norway have become IN
terested In the development OF the
coal fields OF Spitzbergen. The Spitz'
bergen coal. says an Associated Press
correspondent, Ia Of the hard variety
and steamers In north Norwegian wa.
ters are very eager to use II. II has
been difficult to keep the mines going.
The climate liz 30 disagreeabie that
miners do not care to stay. NavIga
tion is only possible a couple months
after midsummer. American business
men. represented through the Arctic
Coal company, hold the largest coal
claims In Spitzbergen. on the south
and east side of Advent bay. About
$4,000 tons vi coal were mined there
last summer, half Of which has gone
to Norwegian consumers. This com.
pany In negotiating with Norwegian
business men who want TO buy the
American claims and mines. Beside
this American company, Norwegian,
| british and Swedish stock companies
hold coal claims nj Spitzbcrgen.
great Russian concern has an option
on some Norwegian claims located at
Green Harbor and is going to work
them 10 have coal To supply the new
Russian railway running from Petro.
grad TO Koia bay, The other Norwe-
CLAN and Swedish coal companies are
not willing To sell as long al prices
| on the European markets are main.
tanned at their present high rate and
with no prospect Of dropping much the
| first fsw years after tho close Of the
war.
| The growth Of the temperance SEN
| timent I'm Norway In shown by the re.
cent atorthing elections. II In claimed
by temperance leaders that 73 per cent
OF that vote was cast for temperance
| candidates. III this In true, II Ia al.
| together likely that the temperance
| forces will accomplish what they have
set out to do. close every licensed
drinking place In Norway by January
|, 1920. The people OF Norway seem
To be vieing with their eountrymen In
| America In making war upon the
liquor forces ...14
II IL reported that deposits In 81
Norwegian banks increased by about
| 100. 000,00e kroner during the period
| from January To October this year.
according 10 the report of the central
statistical bureau. AT the beginning
of the year the total deposits In these
| banks was bS4, 900 900 kroner. while by
September 30 1t had risen TO $50 1000
| 900 kroner, During the corresponding
period last year the increase was only
100000 kroner.
The Gamers of Stavanger. the great
| ilah canning center OF Norway. have
formed n compact for the purpose O:
| keeping down the price Of herring
and other fish used for canning. Az
a result OF this compact. which went
into effect only few weeks ago. the
price OF fish has been cut almost In
two and shippers from Nordland have
refused TO sell their cargoes.
II In reported that r. Herman Gade
has been appointed Norwegian consul
| In Chicago Before returning to Nor
| way some years ago Mr., Gade held
this position. which ut that time car
ried no salary. Recently the Chicago
consulate was made salaried posi-
ton. Mr.. Gade was Norway's commits
sioner to the Panama exposition,
The storthing will not award an,
Nobel peace prize this year ON &C
count OF the war. No prize was award
cd year ago either. for the same rea
son, and presumably as long as tn,
struggle continues no more prizes vii
be awarded. ....
The Bergen Private bank is SO year
old. Ii was started with u capita
stock OF $4,000: now II has 1880. oot
The amount OF It's business In 1al
was over $350,0oo,0oo.
According 10 recently published at,
tistics. commerce furnishes Twin
!. for 100000 people OF Norway: indu,
tries. 100000. and shipping and isl
ing. 100000.
While Mt Christiania, Henry For
contributed $4,000 toward the ere
tion OF gymnasium at the universit
Il Ii reported at Christiania that ID
Sigurd ibsen. tha son Of the gree
dramatist. Ia planning to leave No
way. II In reported that he will tai
d up his residence either at Munich, Gs
a many. or In Switzerland