Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 June 1899 — Discovery of Acetylene Gas. [ARTICLE]

Discovery of Acetylene Gas.

The facts relating to the discovery of acetylene gas are interesting. It appears that some years ago Thomas L. Willson of St. Catharines. Ont., was smelting for metallurgical purposes. From time to time he used a good deal of rock salt in his furnace stock, and also limestone as a flux. Whenever these two materials were fused together the slag produced by the Intense dectrical heat Included a dirty grayish substance wholly unlike anything else he had ever seen. For weeks he noticed this substance without giving more than passing attention to IL dumping It into the stream upon the bank of which he had built his furnace. One day a curious thing occurred and at a time when the pile of slag tad become so large that its top rose above the surface of the water. A minute or two after dumping the slag as usual into the stream, some of it going under and part remaining above the water In a red-hot state, the sizzling and steaming was followed by a bright burst of flame. The next time Mr. Willson used rock salt and limestone the blaze again appeared over the slag after it tad been cast Into the river, and, it being at night, he was much struck by the brilliant white light produced. The next time that he had a batch of the queer grayish residue to dispose of he did not waste it, but saved it and poured over it some water for experiment. He held a lighted match over the pile, when instantly there was a white, glowing flame.—Western Electrician.