The Era of Invention - L'Ère des Inventions - Ottawa, Ontario
Posted by: 
Weathervane
N 45° 25.251 W 075° 42.756
18T E 444248 N 5029950
This plaque identifies a great Canadian inventor, Thomas "Carbide" Willson, who invented superphosphate and acetylene. Cette plaque nous fait connaitre Thomas "Carbide" Willson, celui qui inventa le superphosphate et l'acetylene.
Waymark Code: WMX369
Location: Ontario, Canada
Date Posted: 11/20/2017
Views: 9
The era of Invention
The ruin of the Ottawa Carbide Mill Are Just one lonely echo of the 19th century when Victoria Island was bustling with industry. The mill is also a monument to the brilliance of a Canadian inventor, Thomas"Carbide" Willson. In a short lifetime, Willson registered over 60 patents for inventions ranging from arc lights to a revolutionary fertilizer - superphosphate. In 1892, he discovered how to make acetylene gas by mixing calcium carbide and water. He also found that acetylene, when mixed with oxygen, could power torches strong enough to cut through steel and illuminate buoys that were visible for miles at sea.
L’Ère des Inventions
Les ruines de l’Usine de Carbure d’Ottawa font en quelque sorte figure de vestige solitaire du XIXe siècle, époque où l’ile Victoria bouillonnait d’activités. Cette usine représente aussi un monument en hommage a l’intelligence d un inventeur canadien : Thomas Carbide Willson. Pendant sa vie relativement courte, M. Willson obtint plus de soixante brevets pour des inventions allant d’un projecteur à un engrais révolutionnaire, le superphosphate. En 1892, il découvrit comment produire du gaz acétylène en combinant du carbure de calcium et de l’eau. Il constata aussi que l’acétylène, mélangé à de l’oxygène, pouvait alimenter des torches capable de perforer l’acier et d’illuminer des bouées visible en mer à plusieurs milles de distance.
Group that erected the marker: National Capital Commission - Commission de la capitale nationale
URL of a web site with more information about the history mentioned on the sign: [Web Link]
Address of where the marker is located. Approximate if necessary:
On the Portage Bridge at Victoria Island
Ottawa, ON Canada
|
Visit Instructions:
Take a picture of the marker, preferably including yourself or your GPSr in the photo. A very detailed description of your visit may be substituted for a photo. In any case please provide a description of your visit. A description of only "Visited" or "Saw it while on vacation" by anyone other than the person creating the waymark may be deleted by the waymark owner or the category officers.