Lögberg-Heimskringla


Lögberg-Heimskringla - 17.03.1995, Qupperneq 16

Lögberg-Heimskringla - 17.03.1995, Qupperneq 16
16 • Lögberg-Heimskringla • Föstudagur 17. mars 1995 'TTf l á' <$ f*9 MJ €)(f ( j-ra ttt fn tri by Guðny Cronshaw he history of Interlake journalism started in 1877. Therein lies the story of Framfari and how it eventually ap- peared in the English translation. The first major Icelandic settlements were made in the Gimli and Riverton areas in 1875. We like to think, and even say, that Framfari was the first Icelandic newspaper to be printed in this country. However, the fact is that in that first year, 1875, a handwritten sheet was issued under the name of Nýji Þjóðólfur and its editor was Jón Guðmundsson. Three numbers appeared but there seems to be no record of them in existence. For the next couple of years people were occupied homesteading and dealing with the frightful smallpox epi- demic. However, the question of a newspaper soon became a subject of serious discussion. On Jan. 22, 1877, a meeting was held at Gimli and it was agreed to form a company to buy a printing press and other necessary equipment. Share subscriptions were sold and when half the money of the agreed cost of $1,000 had been collect- ed, steps were taken to order a press, type and other essentials from Minneapolis. The name Framfari was chosen and we are told the literal translation is Advance and/or Progress. Pulication started that fall of 1877, although there were some defi- ciencies. Lack of supply of Icelandic type letters was seen in the first few issues but soon rectified. There was much interest in the paper and the leading men of New Iceland supported it wholeheartedly. Of these, the largest parts were played by three men on the Board, Sigtryggur Jónasson, his brother-in-law, Jóhann Briem and Friðjón Friðriksson. The site of the pr'ess was at Lundur, or Lundi, now called Riverton. Some would have preferred it to be at Gimli, but the deciding factor undoubtedly was that both Sigtiyggur and Johann lived by the Icelandic River. No editor was named in the first eight issues but they were likely edited by Sigtryggur. With the ninth issue Halldór Briem, a kinsman of Jóhann, took over and continued until its demise. The two printers were Jonas Jónasson, a brother to Sigtryggur and Birgir Jónasson. There was a totai of 75 issues dating from Sept. 10, 1877, to Jan. 30, 1880 with another special issue dated Apr. 10, 1880. This last issue was put out by Sigtryggur himself using the name Framfari and from the same press but at his own expense. He made a statement to the effect “this issue does not really belong to Framfari proper.” However, it has been incorporated into both the Icelandic and English collection of the newspapers. The demise of the paper can be attributed to several reasons. The number of subscribers was small and some fees never arrived; some share- holders never paid up so those who had invested money lost it all. Guðlau- gur Magnússon, a Western Icelandic scholar, also made the following com- ment on its expiry: “Dispute and parti- sanship on colonial matters, religion and almost every possible subject in New Iceland, were the overthrow of the paper.” Be that as it may, today this makes fascinating reading. Fierce controver- sies, especially relating to religion and church affairs arose, which led to con- siderable discord. In today’s world lawsuits would be pending. Since the original purpose of the paper was to keep the settlers in touch with each other, there was colony news; to keep in touch with Iceland, news from Iceland. The editors also attempted to keep people informed on world hap- penings so in each issue, sections were devoted to news from other countries. Direction and advice was given to help them in their struggle for survival in a foreign country — on baking bread in the manner customary to this country, cultivation of grain and gardens, fish- ing matters and so on. The colonists were urged at every opportunity to adopt the ways of their new country and to learn its language; so in some issues there would be a short article in English. There was not much advertisng as such, but a Mrs. Finney from Win- nipeg, advertised fairly regularly. One ad, which was headed “Icelanders”, concluded by stating “I have hired Halldór Sigfússon as my clerk. He is Icelandic and will look after you in every respect.” There were announcements in most issues covering a range of topics; such as: the distribution of Framfari; request for repayment for the payment of train ticket from Quebec to Winnipeg by the Canadian Govern- ment; at the Gimli P.O. were 3 regis- tered (money) letters and the names were given; 60 bushels of potatoes to sell at 40c a bushel; missing, an ox, which can be recognized on account of an improperly healed broken bone in its left thigh. A statistical report in 1877 detailed the number of people in New Iceland, dwellings, cellars, fencing, the hay cut, amount of potatoes sown and harvest- ed, number of fish caught, net length and so on. 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