The Icelandic Canadian - 01.09.2003, Page 30

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THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
Vol. 58 #1
Ontario and to direct their thoughts
towards Nova Scotia because the
Government there was interested in getting
Icelanders to Nova Scotia. Icelanders now
became so overly excited that they took up
money collection in order to finance the
trip for Johann to Halifax. He left, along
with three or four others, for Halifax for
the purposes of asking the Government to
finance the transfer of Icelanders from
Ontario to Nova Scotia. This request was
turned down, naturally, because it is most
unbecoming for union states to compete
with one another in this way.
Then Johannes and his companions
started to write praises about Nova Scotia
to their followers, most of which had no
foundation in reality but revealed utter stu-
pidity and hostility towards those who
opposed his plan.
On March the 15th, the work at the
railroad was discontinued and the
Icelanders consequently lost their jobs and
started to move away, but instead of look-
ing for jobs in other places throughout the
state they sat idle in Lindsey and waited for
new special laws - concerning Icelandic
emigrants moving to Nova Scotia - to be
passed.
Finally in May those - 42 in all - who
were the best off financially, spent their last
cent to move to Nova Scotia. According to
reports they have been well received, they
have either been given money or they have
been able to borrow money in order to sus-
tain themselves for the time being. They
have been promised land, 30 miles from the
shore, and they have been promised work
in road building in the vicinity.
Incidentally, because their letters include
such an overwhelming amount of non-
sense, it is difficult to know what is true in
their writing. Johannes is now in Iceland to
try to get Icelanders to move to Nova
Scotia. People here have started to lose
interest in Nova Scotia for the time being
but they wonder how things are going to
turn out.
There are still approximately 160
Icelanders in Kinmount, of these two farm-
ers have bought land and three have leased
land for one year and many others have
started to grow potatoes in various places
and therefore consider themselves settled,
at least until next fall.
Our main problem here is unemploy-
ment; there are no jobs available in the
vicinity. Throughout the spring we were
hoping for the railroad work to begin, but
all in vain, because the railroad company
has financial problems.
The Government is not responding to
the company’s request for assistance
because there are so many other railroads
under construction and the various compa-
nies are all asking for “bonuses” from the
Government. However, most hope that the
railroad to Kinmount will be built next fall
- bringing an enormous prosperity to our
district.
More than 20 Icelanders accepted
“’Free-Grant’ land” this spring - most of it
4 to 10 miles from Kinmount. They say it is
a good land, covered with forest, but
because of poverty they have no means of
working it this summer.
Therefore, they are bound to seek jobs
far away - if the railroad construction does
not begin in the immediate future. Some
have already gone leaving their families
behind. In general terms, lack of employ-
ment and depression is worse than usual
throughout the State of Ontario - and
salaries are extremely low.
Since late winter (this year) we have
had church services every other Sunday in
the Icelandic schoolhouse. The minister,
Frederick Burt (Episcopalian) reads the
epistle of the day, says a prayer and gives a
little sermon and Sigtryggur Jonasson
translates it. We also sing Icelandic hymns
each Sunday. Furthermore, every Sunday,
Sigtryggur Jonasson assisted by the most
prosperous of the Icelanders, has a Sunday
School for children. I hope that these
things will be beneficial. Many are hoping
strongly to get an Icelandic minister.
Attempts will be made to meet that need if
we settle down here for good.
We, here in Kinmount, like many
other Icelanders, are hoping very strongly
for the establishment of a united Icelandic
colony. However, even though this district
seems to be fairly suitable for such a
colony, we realize that is would not be sat-
isfactory because the land available is not