Henrik Christian Fredrik Størmer
Encyclopedia
Henrik Christian Fredrik Størmer (19 August 1839 – 29 December 1900) was a Norwegian
engineer, inventor, industrialist and entrepreneur.
to the businessman Henrik Christian Fredrik Størmer Sr. (1809–62) and his wife Dorothea Margrethe Heldahl (1813–85). He was the uncle of Carl Størmer
(1874–1957), but did never marry himself.
from 1857 to 1860. From 1860 to 1862, he was employed as a supervisor at Myrens Verksted
in Christiania
. In the late 1860s, Størmer established two drying oil
factories in Hemne
and Tingvoll
. These factories were both closed after a few years, when drying oil was replaced by paraffin
in Norway. In 1868, Størmer established a factory in Tistedalen
, which produced charcoal briquettes. He had earlier patented a production method that used sawdust
to produce charcoal.
In the 1890s, Størmer acquired the rights to 17 waterfall
s in Norway, which he had planned to produce electricity with. In 1893–94, a commission that included Størmer was put together by the Norwegian Engineer and Architect Association
, which proposed a law for the Parliament that would enforce abandonment of necessary property to construct power lines. The law was passed in 1894, and Størmer did therefore have to sell some of his waterfalls.
At the end of the 1870s, Størmer travelled to France, and constructed a charcoal factory in Suresnes
. In 1878, Størmer was appointed official reporter of Norway at the Exposition Universelle
in Paris. In his exposition report, Størmer recommended construction of cellulose factories in Norway. After he returned to Norway in the late 1880s, Størmer initiated construction of cellulose factories in Moss, Ranheim
and Bamble
. He died on 29 December 1900 after being run over by a tram
.
in railways, and wrote articles and gave speeches where he described the advantages of the normal gauge and the disadvantages of the Cape gauge
. The narrow gauge railway proponents Cato Guldberg and Carl Abraham Pihl
filed a defamation against him, which they won. However, Størmer appealed, and was acquitted in 1888.
Even though Størmer himself wrote Bokmål
, he sided with Ivar Aasen
and Noregs Mållag
in the Norwegian language conflict. In his testament
, Størmer attested his remaining waterfalls and patents to the Nynorsk
book publishing house Det Norske Samlaget
.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
engineer, inventor, industrialist and entrepreneur.
Personal life
Fredrik Størmer was born in TrondhjemTrondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
to the businessman Henrik Christian Fredrik Størmer Sr. (1809–62) and his wife Dorothea Margrethe Heldahl (1813–85). He was the uncle of Carl Størmer
Carl Størmer
Fredrik Carl Mülertz Størmer was a Norwegian mathematician and physicist, known both for his work in number theory and for studying the movement of charged particles in the magnetosphere and the formation of aurorae....
(1874–1957), but did never marry himself.
Career
After having finished school in Trondhjem, Størmer studied at the Karlsruhe Institute of TechnologyKarlsruhe Institute of Technology
The Karlsruhe Institute of Technology is a German academic research and education institution with university status resulting from a merger of the university and the research center of the city of Karlsruhe. The university, also known as Fridericiana, was founded in 1825...
from 1857 to 1860. From 1860 to 1862, he was employed as a supervisor at Myrens Verksted
Myrens Verksted
Myrens Verksted is a industrial area in Norway on the east side of the Akerselva river, situated between the bridges Bentsebrua and Vøyenbrua in the southwest part of Torshov, in what is today the Sagene Borough of Oslo. Production started in this area in 1854 based on Øvre Foss Mekaniske verksted...
in Christiania
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
. In the late 1860s, Størmer established two drying oil
Drying oil
A drying oil is an oil that hardens to a tough, solid film after a period of exposure to air. The oil hardens through a chemical reaction in which the components crosslink by the action of oxygen . Drying oils are a key component of oil paint and some varnishes...
factories in Hemne
Hemne
Hemne is a municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Fosen region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Kyrksæterøra. Other villages include Heim, Hellandsjøen, Holla, and Vinjeøra...
and Tingvoll
Tingvoll
Tingvoll is a municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Nordmøre region. The administrative centre is the village of Tingvoll. Other villages include Meisingset, Kvisvik, and Torjulvågen.-General information:...
. These factories were both closed after a few years, when drying oil was replaced by paraffin
Kerosene
Kerosene, sometimes spelled kerosine in scientific and industrial usage, also known as paraffin or paraffin oil in the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Ireland and South Africa, is a combustible hydrocarbon liquid. The name is derived from Greek keros...
in Norway. In 1868, Størmer established a factory in Tistedalen
Tistedalen
Tistedalen is a part of Halden, Norway. Originally four kilometers from the town centre, the area, from the start growing up around a saw mill, has now been engulfed by Halden itself, although it still maintains some identity....
, which produced charcoal briquettes. He had earlier patented a production method that used sawdust
Sawdust
Sawdust is a by-product of cutting lumber with a saw, composed of fine particles of wood. It can present a hazard in manufacturing industries, especially in terms of its flammability....
to produce charcoal.
In the 1890s, Størmer acquired the rights to 17 waterfall
Waterfall
A waterfall is a place where flowing water rapidly drops in elevation as it flows over a steep region or a cliff.-Formation:Waterfalls are commonly formed when a river is young. At these times the channel is often narrow and deep. When the river courses over resistant bedrock, erosion happens...
s in Norway, which he had planned to produce electricity with. In 1893–94, a commission that included Størmer was put together by the Norwegian Engineer and Architect Association
Tekna (Norway)
Tekna is a union for graduate technical and scientific professionals in Norway.It was established in 1874 under the name Den Norske Ingeniør- og Arkitektforening . In 1912 it was reorganized as Den Norske Ingeniørforening...
, which proposed a law for the Parliament that would enforce abandonment of necessary property to construct power lines. The law was passed in 1894, and Størmer did therefore have to sell some of his waterfalls.
At the end of the 1870s, Størmer travelled to France, and constructed a charcoal factory in Suresnes
Suresnes
Suresnes is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris. The nearest communes are Neuilly-sur-Seine, Puteaux, Rueil-Malmaison, Saint-Cloud and Boulogne-Billancourt...
. In 1878, Størmer was appointed official reporter of Norway at the Exposition Universelle
Exposition Universelle (1878)
The third Paris World's Fair, called an Exposition Universelle in French, was held from 1 May through to 10 November 1878. It celebrated the recovery of France after the 1870 Franco-Prussian War.-Construction:...
in Paris. In his exposition report, Størmer recommended construction of cellulose factories in Norway. After he returned to Norway in the late 1880s, Størmer initiated construction of cellulose factories in Moss, Ranheim
Ranheim Papirfabrikk
Ranheim Papirfabrikk AS was a Norwegian industrial company, which ran a paper factory with the same name at Ranheim, Trondheim, Norway.The construction of it started in 1882, and it was opened as Ranheims Cellulosefabrik in 1884 by businessperson and politician Lauritz Jenssen, a son of Lauritz...
and Bamble
Bamble Cellulosefabrikk
Bamble Cellulosefabrikk was a pulp mill in Herre, Bamble, Norway.It was established in 1888. Cellulose expert Henrik Christian Fredrik Størmer was behind the construction. It changed its name to Herre Fabrikker in 1946, was bought by Follum Fabrikker in 1962 and closed down in 1978....
. He died on 29 December 1900 after being run over by a tram
Tram accident
A tram accident is generally an accident in which a tram is involved . When general traffic safety is evaluated, as in traffic accident statistics, any accident involving a tram or a tram system can be considered to be a tram accident...
.
Public debate
Størmer was a proponent of the standard gaugeStandard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
in railways, and wrote articles and gave speeches where he described the advantages of the normal gauge and the disadvantages of the Cape gauge
Cape gauge
Cape gauge is a track gauge of between the inside of the rail heads and is classified as narrow gauge. It has installations of around .The gauge was first used by Norwegian engineer Carl Abraham Pihl and the first line was opened in 1862.- Nomenclature :...
. The narrow gauge railway proponents Cato Guldberg and Carl Abraham Pihl
Carl Abraham Pihl
Carl Abraham Pihl was a Norwegian civil engineer and director of the Norwegian State Railways from 1865 until his death...
filed a defamation against him, which they won. However, Størmer appealed, and was acquitted in 1888.
Even though Størmer himself wrote Bokmål
Bokmål
Bokmål is one of two official Norwegian written standard languages, the other being Nynorsk. Bokmål is used by 85–90% of the population in Norway, and is the standard most commonly taught to foreign students of the Norwegian language....
, he sided with Ivar Aasen
Ivar Aasen
Ivar Andreas Aasen was a Norwegian philologist, lexicographer, playwright and poet.-Background:...
and Noregs Mållag
Noregs Mållag
Noregs Mållag is the main organisation for Norwegian Nynorsk , one of the two official written standards of the Norwegian language. In the Norwegian language struggle, it advocates the use of Nynorsk...
in the Norwegian language conflict. In his testament
Will (law)
A will or testament is a legal declaration by which a person, the testator, names one or more persons to manage his/her estate and provides for the transfer of his/her property at death...
, Størmer attested his remaining waterfalls and patents to the Nynorsk
Nynorsk
Nynorsk or New Norwegian is one of two official written standards for the Norwegian language, the other being Bokmål. The standard language was created by Ivar Aasen during the mid-19th century, to provide a Norwegian alternative to the Danish language which was commonly written in Norway at the...
book publishing house Det Norske Samlaget
Det Norske Samlaget
Det Norske Samlaget is a Norwegian publishing house founded on 24 March 1868 with the aim to promote and publish books in Landsmål, now known as Nynorsk....
.