Show scandinavian NEWS SUMMARY OF IMPORTANT HAP IN FAR OFF NORTHWEST ITEMS FROM THE OLD HOME resume of the most important events event in sweden norway and denmark ot of interest to the scandinavians in america NORWAY the prohibition movement in norway has received some impetus as a result of tile the war and while there la Is no clear indication of what the effect will be there are a number of interesting phases of the situation since the prohibition movement was started 70 years ago the consumption of strong liquor buquor is shown statistically to have diminished gradually in all norway from ten quarts of per cent alcohol per capita to about one and one halt half quarts the laws have made it more and more difficult to obtain these drinks and according to the law of 1894 no sale or no saloons are allowed in the rural districts in the cities the sale of liquor in saloons or restaurants Is done by stock companies which get their license by municipal voting these companies are allowed only five per cent interest on their capital the remainder of the profits grofils going to the state the city or philanthropic institutions beer and wine in bottles may be sold by any grocer the sale of all intoxicants however is susu suspended ended everywhere during holidays the legislature has gradually raised the duty on imported liquor and has fixed a high revenue on native distillation and also on beer with an alcoholic percentage of over 34 3 under these laws sobriety has generally increased the restricted sale of liquor however has driven the lower classes of the population to the use of denatured alcohol of eau de cologne ether and shellac and in many industrial centers and in dry towns blind pigs are not unknown when the war broke out the government ordered a temporary suspension in liquor manufacture and sale but this resulted in large individual importations of whisky and brandy the grasvik church was burnt to the ground the other day the fire was first noticed at halt half past nine in the morning and in the course of an hour the wooden structure was leveled with the ground the fire alre is supposed to have been started by sparks from a defective stove pipe nothing but we the baptismal font the chandeliers and the vestments of the two pastors were saved the building was insured for there was no insurance on the orgia A which had cost and had been acquired by means of private subscriptions it is said that the church will not be rebuilt A stavanger Sta vanger syndicate has been doing some successful speculation in spitzbergen Spitz bergen coal fields duding the last few years A company of russian and german business men had bad an option on one of the best claims and paid the first installment but as the pur purchasers chasers wet were e unable to keep up the payments according to the contract the property reverted to the stavanger Sta vanger company now the same property has been sold to a russian company for about which is about more than the price agreed upon at the first sale about six hundred sea mines have been fished up along the west coast of norway the norwegians Norwegia ns are becoming beco in experts in handling those pesky things at last and it is estimated that the commercial value of the mines was about many a norse tar is so used to dangerous fishing that he rather enjoys this new kind of sport and it takes a very big fish to be worth as much as a full grown marine mine of the crop of 1914 15 most of the mines are english according to tile the annual report of the forestry association of norway the amt or county associations planted trees and pounds of tree seeds in 1914 almost miles of ditches were dug and acres of ground was vas put under the P plow low the amount of money raised by private subscription for carry ingon the work was a little over people complain that the prices of food are rising rapidly in bergen even fish fiah is very high because the goods are bought and transported east cast sometimes as far as germany expert testimony given at a naval investigation into the sinking of the norwegian steamer america in the north sea was that the vessel had bad been destroyed by a torpedo william H mcgee alcbee co underwriters of new york insured diamonds which were shipped on the lusitania sunk off the irish coast the diamonds which were ere valued at were packed in a small box and presumably were stored away in the liners safe when the news of the sinking of the lusitania was received the underwriters werf prepared to pay the total loss now they have received a cablegram london which announces that the package has baa been picked up in the ocean liy norwegian ns fished heimen men |