American History

[blotgode]

As a Swedish citizen and a snus user, i´m proud to be a part of the U.S Railroad.

The railroad king James Hill is quoted: "Give me snuff, whiskey and Swedes, and I will build a railroad to hell!"

:wink: :wink:

[mlkramer]

Re: American History

As a Swedish citizen and a snus user, i´m proud to be a part of the U.S Railroad.

The railroad king James Hill is quoted: "Give me snuff, whiskey and Swedes, and I will build a railroad to hell!"

:wink: :wink:

Hmmmm....I wonder if it's telling that it ended up in California?

[Slydel]

Was not the majority of most U.S. railroads constructed by the Chinese and Irish? Maybe even the African-Americans as well. Have you not seen Blazing Saddles!!?

[sagedil]

At least with the Chinese, those were built MUCH later. The east coast was built lone before the transcontinental was built. I suspect the Swedes came in on some of those earlier buildouts.


President Lincoln's Homestead Act of 1862, the political stabilization after 1865, and the enormously expanding industries of the North represented three important drawing factors on Swedish emigration to the U.S. The generous offer of the Homestead Act became a powerful magnet on land-hungry farm people. This also destined them to the so-called Homestead Triangle, especially to Minnesota, which became the Swede State of America. This was in accordance with the politics of Minnesota, where in 1867 a state immigration office was established. The Swedish Civil War colonel Hans Mattson became its first director. The result of the Swedish land-hunger was that the area of Swedish-owned farmland in America of 1920 corresponded to 2/3 of all arable land in Sweden. In some counties, such as Chicago, Isanti and Kanabec in Minnesota, the land became almost totally owned by Swedes. A string of Swedish settlements also grew up around the new railroads. The possibility of combining farmwork with jobs for the railroad or a lumber company was important for the penniless Swedes. Most of the unmarried men worked as lumberjacks or on the railroads. The railroad king James Hill is quoted: "Give me snuff, whiskey and Swedes, and I will build a railroad to hell."

[sgreger1]

Re: American History

As a Swedish citizen and a snus user, i´m proud to be a part of the U.S Railroad.

The railroad king James Hill is quoted: "Give me snuff, whiskey and Swedes, and I will build a railroad to hell!"

:wink: :wink:

Lol, that's gotta be the sweetest railroad related quote of all time.

[CM]

Nice to see some swedish people joining up, greetings from Finland.

Snuson!

[blotgode]

Kiitos naapuri = Thank´s neighbor