The Icelandic Canadian - 01.03.2005, Side 32

THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
Vol. 59 #3
1 18
to Asmundur Gudlaugsson. Skapti,
Kristjan, Sigurdur Kristofersson, Sigurjon,
Eyjolfur, Wm. Hearn, and Skuli took their
families with them while the others left
their families with friends; Mrs. Hearn and
Mrs. Christopherson and their children are
staying with J. Taylor. Wm. Taylor - with
his family - started out late, travelling on
oxen sleighs, and he became stuck in
Clandeboye. He is known for traveling
slowly. John Taylor and his family, after a
lot of thinking, have decided to move into
a fairly decent house close to Capt.
Kennedy, St. Andrews. Taylor is hoping
to be able to keep his salaries and his posi-
tion for a while. Jon from Meidavellir is
going to move to Akur, but Rebekka is
going to take turns in staying with him and
her daughters in Winnipeg. By the way,
old Bjorg from Nyibaer is Jon's house-
keeper. Pall from Nyibaer moved to
Winnipeg with his family. Our Bjorn
Jonsson with his pregnant wife and their
children also settled down in Winnipeg,
except his little son, Bjorn, who was left
with my father in Gimli. Life is rather dull
in the Vidines district; there are not many
men around equally honourable and
upright as Skapti, and besides he is so very
reasonable and clever. He is one of the
few in whom one can confide in all the time
concerning everything. Many of my
friends have been well meaning but none
has Skapti's stability.
This time last year I said goodbye to
you in St. Boniface. Then I cried again like
a child. Now I say goodbye to many of
my friends each day without shedding a
single tear. The friendship between the
two of you and the two of us (my wife and
me) has been totally unique; we do not ever
expect to find friends as good as you were.
There is no doubt that many of those
who are now moving from New Iceland
are going to experience a lot of difficulties.
I can hardly see how they are going to sur-
vive. Many of these people settled down
in Winnipeg because there is a lot of work
in that city this summer and in the future,
but on the other hand the cost of living is
high. Thus there is little hope of prosperi-
ty even for those who work hard. We
have gotten news from Dakota saying that
people there are optimistic, but there is still
a lot of hard work and poverty.
A man by the name of Jonas
Hallgrimsson is now staying here. He
used to be with Taylor. Jonas has broken
land by the Park River and last fall he built
a shed there - where his wife and their chil-
dren live now while Jonas has been work-
ing for C.P.R. since last November. Jonas
is optimistic, but he is tired of spending so
much time away from home. All those
who take land for themselves and who are
poor have to work away from home in
order to survive. Icelanders in North
America have still a long way to go before
acquiring general prosperity for them-
selves.
Rev. Halldor Briem and his wife left
Gimli for good for Minnesota in the middle
of March. He has not, however, left
Winnipeg yet since his luggage was delayed
and he decided to wait for it. The more I
get to know Rev. H. , the more I realize

24-Hour
Supervision
Government
Approved
Facility
An Intermediate Care Facility
Herman Thorvaldson, President
495 STRADBROOK AVENUE
—____ 452-4044
We offer a
Brand-new Facility
Personal
Furnishings
Welcome