The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1928-04-27

was Ills THAT leu 10 Lu6lr discovery
of America. First they went from
Norway to Iceland; thence to Green
land, and finally to Vinland the Good.
Had it not en- for the hostile Indians
and the awful Black Death, thousands
of prosperous and contented Morse
men would have been on this CONT,
nent when Columbus was born.
Wherever they went the Norsemen
distinguished themselves. During the
Crusades they led the van of chivaIry
in rescuing the holy sepulcher from
the Saracens. They founded Nor
mandy in France, which soon be-
came the most progressive community
in all Europe. In 1915, it was their
descendants who took King John Of
England by the neck and wrung from
him the celebrated Magma Charta, the
beginning of real constitutional gov
eminent, or government by the peo-
pie, in Great Britain. Later the same
germ of liberty which they~brought
from Normandy budded in the Bill OF
Rights, and five hundred years later
blossomed into perfect flowers in our
Declaration ;of independence and the
constitution of the United States.
The cultural achievements of the
Norsemen were equally important.
The sagas and the eddas are the most
beautiful, NEST virile literature of the
Middle Ages, and, besides, are Of great
value to historians, shedding, as they
do, flood of light on customs and
conditions in most of the European
countries at a time when the world
was in darkness. Our knowledge OF
Teutonic mythology is largely found
ed upon the eddas.,
Again, THE NORDIC will serve as
center for Norwegian intercourse
and for uplifting festivities, both So
cial and intellectual. All sorts Of
Nordic organizations will have their
headquarters here. Scarcely a week
will pass without some Morse con-
vention, meeting or banquet within It's
towering walls.
To enhance it's value as a meeting
place for clubs of various kinds, and
for societies for the advancement of
culture, and to make it a conganiai
home for men and women who prefer
life in comfortable hotel, THE NOR
Die will contain large library and
museum, in charge of a recognized
Nordic scholar. Here will be found
the works of every author of stand
ing in Norway, both in the mother
language and in English translations,
If translations have been made; here
will be every book written by Norwe-
gian-Americans, whether in English
or Norwegian, many Of them auto
hu hn orrfh x1yi1 hn
Norwegian and Norwegian-American
art-works; here will be interesting,
historical remains; in brief, here will
be found all those things that reveal
the cultural history and development
of the Morse people, particularly in
America.
The Nordic race in America Is be-
coming more and more self-conscious,
notwithstanding the increasing diff
ficulty of keeping alive the language
Of the fathers. The wonderful sue
cess of the Norse-American Centennial
is evidence of this.
Further evidence Of this racial
consciousness is the organization of
the Norwegian-American Historical
Association. Though less than three
years old, its membership is already
nationwide and there is keen inter-
est in its activities and proceedings.
The conception back of THE NOR
DIG is largely the same as that which
gave birth to the Norse-American Gen.
tennial and the Norwegian-American
Historical Association. The interest
and enthusiasm for Nordic history and
culture aroused by the Centennial and
the Historical Association have lent
yigor to the demand for just such an
institution as~FHE NORDIC, which
will stand as an inspiring and endur-
ing monument to the men and women
whose deeds and accomplishments
were celebrated by the Centennial
and is being chronicled by the Asso-
citation.
THE NORDIC will bring joy to the
Norsemen of America, especially those
of the Northwest who make frequent
visits to Minneapolis. Distinguished
rwegian-American scholars and
authors, political leaders, pastors and
business men have accepted with
alacrity and enthusiasm the oppor-
tunity Of sponsoring the enterprise, as
all look upon it as the realization Of
a beautiful ideal, which will be of I'M
told value to the race. Among those
who sent their congratulation and best
wishes to the board of directors Of
the association promoting the enter
prise are Professor Rasmus B. Ander-
son, the veneral scholar, author and
former United States minister to Dem
mark; Governor A. G. Sorlie of North
Dakota; Hon. o. ]. Kvale, Minnesota
congressman; Professor julius E. Oh
son, head of the Scandinavian depart
ment of the University of Wisconsin:
Reverend d. G. Ristad, president of
the Norwegian-Americap Historical
Association, and we'll known poet:
Professor o. E. Rolvaag of ST. Olaf
College, the author; Professor o. M.
Norlie of Luther College, author and
scholar; Hjalmar r. Holland, author
and sponsor of the famous Kensing-
ton runestone: Hon. H. A. Ustrud,
former state superintendent of South
Dakota; Hon. o. p B. Jacobson, chair
man of the Minnesota railroad and
warehouse commission; E. G. Guam
me, st. Paul financier, formerly presf-
dent of the st. Paul federal land bank;
Hon. j. II. Dahl, mayor of Fargo; Lars
Christianson, prominent Fargo bust
ness man and others too numerous to
mention.
The building, together with the site,
furnishings and working capital, will
represent an investment of approx
mately $3,500,000.
take the canalization of the river
along the New York frontier and the
imnrnYement of the ST Clair riuar