Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1927-04-14
NEWS AMONG
SCANDINAVIANS
Interesting Items Concern
ing People From the
North.

A Swedish-American group. consist
ing of business men in both Sweden
and the United States, last week Of
fered the government of France $780,
100000 for the match-manufacturing
monopoly of that country; the offer
had been tentatively accepted by
Premier Poincare, but when it came
before the finance commission of the
Chamber of Deputies tie vote of
20 to 20 was recorded, so it seems
that the matter will be left to the
cabinet for final decision. The Swe-
dish-American syndicate promised
revenues to the French government
far above those it now gets from the
match factories, and also promised
lower retail prices to the public.
In South Dakota.
Gutzon Borglum, famous Danish
American sculptor, has arrived at
keystone, S. D., where he will chisel
giant portraits of George Washington,
Thomas Jefferson, and Abraham Lin
coin into the Rushmore mountains,
Black Hills. The preliminary work
has been completed, and Mr.. Borglum
estimates that the sculptures will be
ready in the summer of 1882. There
is possibility that the Washington
portrait will be ready for unwilling.
in August of this year in which case
it is thought President Coolidge will
deliver an address. Gutzon Borglum,
recognized as Americas greatest pres
parents in Idaho.
Weaving.
An exhibition of pictorial weaving
which opened last week in the Ma
tional Arts Club, New York, invites
public attention in this country for
the first time to a revival in Norway
of an art that graced the Viking
period; was then lost for centuries;
reappeared spontaneously in the
twelfth and sixteenth centuries, and
now has been vigorously restored
through the energies of Frida Hansen.
The exhibition was brought from
Norway to New York by one of "Fru"
Hansen's pupils, Mrs. Berthea Aske
Bergh Most of the works deal with
NEUROLOGICAL or historical subjects.
National Organization Suggested.
Swedish-American papers are at the
present time considering plans,
preached by some of their readers.
for organizing a national central COM
mittee embracing all the so-called
MISUNDERSTANDING among Swedes
in this country. These societies, cor
responding to the Norwegian "Bygde-
lag, are formed by men and women
from various cities and districts in
the homeland, and most of them as
a rule celebrate the great Swedish
midsummer festival in various parts
of the United States, notably in Chi
cago and the Twin Cities. 1t is
thought that by consolidating their eff
forts, the societies will be in a posi-
ton to arrange even more effective
and impressive celebrations than they
now do, Individually.
May be TOwed Across.
Last fall the Danish steamship,
"Fredensbro", collided in the Della
ware river with the British steamer
Manchester Shipper, and was so
violently rammed that she sank al
most Immediately although the crew
found time to escape. The vessel
later was raised, and countless court
procedures took place in Denmark,
England, and the United States for
the purpose of ascertaining RESPONSE
bility and the extent of the damages.
''Fredesbro" was a boat of 5000 tons,
and the damages have been tentatively
question of repairs has been left open
owing to disagreement as to the place
where the work could be most favor
ably undertaken. 1t is now thought
that the boat will be towed across the
Atlantic to drydocks in Copenhagen,
although there is said to be possi-
bility that temporary repairs may be
made so as to enable the boat to make
the trip under her own steam.
Kensington Monument.
IA movement is on foot to have
erected near Kensington, Mimi, a
100000 monument commemorative
the alleged fact that Norwegian ex-
plorers arrived at that place about
600 years ago. About 80 years ago a
supposed runic stone was found by a
farmer near Kensington, and study re-
vealed an inscription to the effect that
a party of men, mostly Norwegians,
although there seems to have been a
sprinkling of Danes and Swedes, too,
comprised a party which was ex-
terminated by Indians. The stone now
reposes in the building of the State
Historical Society of Minnesota, and
a controversy raging for years about
the genuineness of its message con-
tinues undated, many recognized
runic authorities accepting it, others