Very few cities of three decades in the United States can boast of more short-lived Scandinavian newspapers than Seattle. The Scandinavian Publishing Company was the first on record, and issued two Scandinavian weeklies, viz., Vestra Posten and Washington Posten, which yet live and thrive. This company dissolved, and from its dissolution sprang two others; The Swedish Publishing Company, issuing Vestra Posten and a Norwegian concern of similar nature, publishing Washington Posten.

Vestra Posten was founded by N. P. Lind and T. Sandegren, and Washington Posten by Frank Oleson, assisted by Julius Sunde. The former is at present in the hands of N. G. Lind, J. W. Martin and A. Olson, who have raised the paper to a high standard. The latter is owned and edited by A. J. Thuland. C. M. Thuland, now lawyer, also gave heed to journalism. He turned out Seattle Tidende and The North, but both fell into an early tomb.

Julius and Engward Sunde organized and published Fram, which blossomed and bore fruit, but one sad day it was stretched on a lazy bier and wheeled to the grave. Folketidende popped into existence about four years ago but through some intrigue it died and was buried minus tears and ceremony. Folkets Blad was the next of the ephemeral journals; it was born in 1899, lingered through a few sunny months, then swallowed, without pity, by Tacoma Tidende.

George Bech.
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Anent men of literary ability among the Scandinavians, George Bech, without doubt, stands in the first rank. He is a well-known author, musician and business man of Seattle, born in Roeskilde, Denmark, April 4, 1846. After finishing his education in the State School, 1865, he was awarded the degree of A. M., and the following year took examen philosophicus, Ph. M., at the University of Copenhagen; studied mathematics for some time, then went into business, trading in Norway, Sweden and Germany, but always assiduously at work during leisure writing poems and novels for the different journals of Denmark and Norway. In the latter country he made acquaintance with Olaf Lofhus, editor of "Bergens Tidende," to whose paper he frequently contributed, and Johan Sverdrup, then president of the National Storthing, in whose house he was a welcome guest. In 1887 he left Copenhagen, arriving in Seattle, August 22, where he found a rich field for his literary talent, for some time contributing to local and other papers, then editor of Folkedidende, and later Folkets Blad. He has written an exquisite dramatic work, "Hæng Ham," and a song, "Old Glorious Glory," which he has also put to music. It is Mr. Bech's ambition to have his song adopted as a national hymn. He was married in May, 1880, and has one son, sixteen years old.