Otto Julius Klotz
Encyclopedia
Otto Julius Klotz OLS, DLS, DTS (March 31, 1852 – December 28, 1923) was a Canadian
astronomer and Dominion Surveyor.
He was born in Preston (Cambridge), Upper Canada
, the son of Otto Klotz and Elise (Elizabeth) Wilhelm, Klotz was educated at Galt Grammar School, and later headed to University of Toronto
, and finished his degree in Civil Engineering
at the University of Michigan
in Ann Arbor, Michigan
.
At 14 years of age, Klotz received a foolscap diary in which he recorded every day of life, except for two days when he crossed the date line. The personal and professional records are entered into the National Archives of Canada.
In 1885, Klotz was the first person to be officially designated as astronomer in the Dominion of Canada
. He had been assiged chief of astronomical observations to be conducted in British Columbia and the North West. He worked on the British Columbia
Railway Belt Survey from 1885 to 1890, and was assigned the task to resolve the United States
and Canada
boundary dispute during the 1890s. Klotz also worked on the Alaska boundary survey in 1893-1894. While in London, England in 1898, he discovered an important cache of Foreign Office correspondence, much of which pertained to the North American Boundary Commission, some of whose Royal Engineer members were photographers.
Klotz was appointed one (1908 as Assistant Chief Astronomer) of two employees of the Dominion Observatory , the nation's first astronomical observatory. In 1916 he was appointed Dominion Astronomer.
His other claims to fame include the oversight of the All Red Cable Route connecting Australia and Canada in 1902, and he has been called the father of the Public Library in Ottawa
University Club. He was also a member of the Astronomical Association of Mexico and of New Zealand Institute. During his work in British Columbia he was the first to determine the heights of principal mountain peaks along the railway and named many of them.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
astronomer and Dominion Surveyor.
He was born in Preston (Cambridge), Upper Canada
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
, the son of Otto Klotz and Elise (Elizabeth) Wilhelm, Klotz was educated at Galt Grammar School, and later headed to University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
, and finished his degree in Civil Engineering
Civil engineering
Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings...
at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
in Ann Arbor, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
.
At 14 years of age, Klotz received a foolscap diary in which he recorded every day of life, except for two days when he crossed the date line. The personal and professional records are entered into the National Archives of Canada.
In 1885, Klotz was the first person to be officially designated as astronomer in the Dominion of Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He had been assiged chief of astronomical observations to be conducted in British Columbia and the North West. He worked on the British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
Railway Belt Survey from 1885 to 1890, and was assigned the task to resolve the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
boundary dispute during the 1890s. Klotz also worked on the Alaska boundary survey in 1893-1894. While in London, England in 1898, he discovered an important cache of Foreign Office correspondence, much of which pertained to the North American Boundary Commission, some of whose Royal Engineer members were photographers.
Klotz was appointed one (1908 as Assistant Chief Astronomer) of two employees of the Dominion Observatory , the nation's first astronomical observatory. In 1916 he was appointed Dominion Astronomer.
His other claims to fame include the oversight of the All Red Cable Route connecting Australia and Canada in 1902, and he has been called the father of the Public Library in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
University Club. He was also a member of the Astronomical Association of Mexico and of New Zealand Institute. During his work in British Columbia he was the first to determine the heights of principal mountain peaks along the railway and named many of them.