Progress and Technology

Where it surfaces

• St. Catharines

  The poem highlights the canal as a driver of commerce, industry, and urban development.

• Lines on Credit Valley Trip

  The poem celebrates the new Credit Valley Railway as a means of exploration and enjoyment, highlighting the transformative impact of rail travel on rural life.

• Hope for Ingersoll

  The resolution of railroad bond concerns highlights the importance of railway infrastructure and economic progress for the town's future.

• The Joys of Prairie Farmers

  Celebrates the rapid transformation of the prairie landscape through agriculture and the invention of agricultural implements by Ontario, suggesting technological progress as a key to settlement.

• London West

  The construction of strong dams and embankments is presented as a solution to flooding, turning the river from a threat into a source of ornament and wealth.

• Lines on Stratford

  The railway and railroad shops bring work, wealth, and joy to the community.

• Lines on Beachville

  References to lime kilns, quarries, and mills for flour and flax highlight the village's industrial growth and technological advancement.

• Lines on Woodstock

  The poem celebrates Woodstock's factories, farm implement workshops, and new college, emphasizing industrial and educational progress.

• Lines on Salford

  References to the dairy plan and factory system illustrate technological advances in cheese-making.

• Lines on Thamesford

  References to water stored in a dam to drive flour mills, and steam power used for saw mills and flax processing, highlight the technological advancements of the era.

• Farrington, 1866, Factory System

  The introduction of the factory system and the expansion of railways are presented as key drivers of industrial and community development.

• Lines on Tilsonburg

  Celebrates Tilsonburg's water works and silo as symbols of modern advancement.

• A Civic Holiday Trip

  The use of the Grand Trunk Railway for the trip reflects technological progress and modern transportation.

• The Great Fire of Ingersoll

  The poet emphasizes Ingersoll's enterprise and the need for water application to prevent future fires, reflecting a forward-looking attitude toward technological solutions.

• St. Thomas

  The poem emphasizes the transformative power of railways and steel, portraying St. Thomas as a modern industrial centre connected by bridges and railroads.

• Oxford Cheese Ode

  The poem highlights modern cheesemaking techniques, such as soiling cows with green feed and using scale boards for large-scale cheese production.

• Thomas Campbell

  Contrasts Campbell's poetic predictions with the rapid rise of cities, towns, and industrial development along Erie's shores.

• The Power of Steam

  The chapter glorifies steam power as a prodigious force, highlighting technological advancement over traditional methods.

• Musings on the Northwest

  Forecasts cities, trade, and industrial workshops replacing Indigenous and natural landscapes, emphasizing technological and economic progress.

• Galt and Dunlop

  The radial street plan of Guelph and the systematic layout of towns illustrate the application of innovative urban planning in the pioneer era.

• Agricultural Implements and Machinery

  The poem documents the technological shift from hand tools to combined machinery (mower, reaper, binder), emphasizing the relentless advance of innovation in agriculture.

• Lines on a Typewriter

  The poem contrasts the new typewriter with the traditional quill, reflecting tension between technological progress and established practices.

• A Canadian Romance

  The poem contrasts early pioneer life with the rapid modernization seen in railroads, telephones, and improved farming tools.

• Dried Apples

  The poem highlights the transition from an old, unsanitary method of drying apples to a clean, efficient evaporator, celebrating technological improvement.

• Millar

  The poem celebrates Millar's achievement and the progress of civilization in California.

• The Shires on the Moray Frith

  The mention of the Duke plowing hills and rocks by steam reflects the introduction of industrial farming methods, contrasted with the 'cruel clearings' of the past.

• A Modern Wonder

  The poem contrasts the natural optical illusion with the electric light, highlighting the interplay between natural phenomena and modern inventions.

• Electric Light

  The poem celebrates the advent of electric light as a marvel of human ingenuity, comparing it to the fictional 'vrill' power that brings peace and artificial illumination.

• Dick and Edward

  The use of simple tools like a hammer and pick symbolizes early scientific progress and the pursuit of knowledge.

• Transformation Scene

  The rapid transformation of a plain building into a modern frame structure illustrates local progress and innovation.

• Canada's Future

  Mentions of rail cars at 'speed terrific' and a powerful fleet highlight technological and industrial progress.

• Canada's Resources

  Mentions of railroads, canals, furnaces, forges, and looms underscore the theme of industrial and technological advancement.

• United by Steel Rails

  The railway is portrayed as a transformative technology that binds the nation and enables colonization and trade.

• The Old Snake Fence

  Contrasts the old snake fence with modern wire and board fences, illustrating technological advancement and changing agricultural practices.

• Patriot Fighting for His Home

  The 'engine’s scream' and 'great railroad' symbolize the peaceful conquest of steam power and technological advancement.

• Windmills and Stone Stables

  Windmills represent technological advancement in rural life, solving water supply issues and improving animal husbandry.

• Queen’s Jubilee Ode

  Celebrates the triumph of steam power, the use of lightning for communication, and the advent of electric light as symbols of scientific victory.

• River Clyde

  The deepening of the Clyde via steam dredge and the resulting ability to host large ships and steamboats illustrates the theme of technological progress and human mastery over nature.

• High in Masonry

  The mason's claim of reaching the top of the Washington Monument reflects human ambition and the era's fascination with monumental engineering.

• Lines on Canada

  Celebrates the unifying power of railroads and law as engines of national growth and connection.

• Prophecy of a Ten Ton Cheese

  The invention of a powerful machine to turn the cheese highlights technological advancement in agriculture.

• An Average Rule to Judge of Cheese

  References to factories, large-scale production, and efficient shipping illustrate technological and industrial progress.

• Lines on the Pioneer Exporter of Canadian Bullocks to Britain

  Highlights the innovative enterprise of shipping live cattle across the ocean, advancing trade.

• The Canadian Horse

  The shift from the Indian pony to the Canadian Horse and the mention of the powerful Clyde reflect advancements in horse breeding and agricultural technology.

• Nickel Mines

  The chapter emphasizes industrial progress through mining and railroads, transforming the landscape and economy.

• The Steamboat

  The poem celebrates steam as a 'mighty monarch' that overcomes the limitations of wind-powered ships, symbolizing technological progress.

• Reflections After Reading “The Coming Race” and “Looking Backward”

  The discovery of Vril power ends wars and ushers in a peaceful civilization, highlighting technology as a transformative force.

• Strange Water Wheels at Beachville

  John Cross's invention of water wheels to pump quarries dry represents local ingenuity and technological adaptation.

• The Present Time

  The poem celebrates the shift from gas to electric lighting and the surpassing of steam power, highlighting the era's embrace of innovation.

• Bear and Buzzsaw

  The buzzsaw represents industrial machinery and its power over nature.

• Lightning Rod Agent

  The poem satirizes the marketing of technological devices and the public's selective fears.

• Short Route to the Orient

  The poem celebrates the technological achievement of the Canadian Pacific Railroad and its steamships, which dramatically shorten travel and mail routes to the Orient.

• Endnotes

  Mentions of cold storage warehouses, the Canadian Pacific Railway, and advancements in cheese manufacturing.