Scandinavians on the Pacific, Puget SoundStine, Thomas Ostenson
History
Scandinavians on the Pacific, Puget Sound
Stine, Thomas Ostenson
Scandinavian Americans; Washington (State) -- Emigration and immigration
The Danish Brotherhood, a national league of high standard, aiming to
benefit and to educate, found admission to Washington about eleven years
ago. The Seattle Lodge 29, was organized April 8, 1888, with eleven
chartered members, which now numbers one hundred and fifty. The Danish
Sisterhood, an auxiliary to the Danish Brotherhood, has taken steps in
the right direction, working to sweeten and strengthen the ties of love
and mutual amicability.
The Norwegian Workingmen's society sprang into existence about eight
years ago, and lived through many scenes of joy and pathos, now
flourishing, now trembling to its foundation. Alas! detonating meteors
exploded within its labyrinth and gloomy melancholy spread her black
veil, an oratorical flower dropped here, and a declamatory bloom there,
at last the tree of support shivered in chilly desolation, and withered
into nothingness.
[Illustration: THE 17TH OF MAY COMMITTEE, 1899.
A. Dahl, H. P. Rude, Erik Frisch, N. A. Christof, Frank Oleson,
Jacob A. Hendricks.]
The Norse Club, organized three years ago, has reveled in healthy
sunshine, and smiling tendrils have encircled its prop. The 17th of
May, 1899, bespeaks its culmination. The celebration of Norwegian
independence under its banner was a marked event among the
Scandinavians.
Thousands of people gathered at Madison Park, Seattle, from all parts
of the Sound, to participate in perpetuating the memory of the Norse
heroes. Honor is due to the following gentlemen for launching and
piloting this social ship into a haven of safety: H. P. Rude, C. M.
Thuland, Frank Oleson, Christian Bolgen, A. J. Thuland, A. H. Soelberg,
B. A. Clausen, N. A. Christof, A. Scottness, Theodore Pederson and
Julius Sunde.
Fremad, the social wing of the Norwegian Lutheran church, has lived
through many upheavals, and yet looks forward with unclouded eyes. The
other Scandinavian churches have their inviting adjuncts, but of more
recent date, which tender valuable aids to their respective mothers.
[Illustration: JAMES EGGAN.]
Scandinavians in Seattle have been fortunate in having men and women
gifted and willing to make the social feature of life entertaining
and successful. Of all the gaudy society flowers, no one merits more
applause than the genial photographer, James Eggan. He was born in
Osterdalen, Norway, 1872, came to America in 1880, locating in the city
of Minneapolis. From boyhood he evinced unusual talent as a comedian and
as an artist. He could have gathered jewels on the stage as well as in
the photographic studio. In 1889, he set out for the Pacific, and
after taking a survey of the picturesque Puget Sound, selected Seattle
as his future abode. Though only a youth of seventeen, yet he soon
invited the attention of the public in both the social and the artistic
world. Not only is Mr. Eggan possessed of natural endowments as a
photographer and as a reciter, but is a true type of integrity and
honesty.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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