Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1856-09-04

Cured at one of these parties. 4 merchant
who has heretofore held a respectable posi-
tion in society was selected by some friends
to call on. TWAS surprise party indeed to
all concerned. They found the husband in
sensible from the effects of liquor, laying on
the hall stairs, and his wife with bruised
face and black eye, bathing his temples
with ice water. How many such scenes oc-
cur unknown to the world.
albany KnickerJocher.
HISTORY OF FRICTION MATCHES.
I notice in No. Al, VOL XI., Scientific
American, an article upon Friction Matches;
perhaps I may be able to give you little
light upon the subject as to who was the
first American inventor and manufacturer,
or at least tell you what I know to be fact
In the latter part of August, 1885, a
friend handed me two friction matches as a
curiosity, the like of which I never saw be-
fore. They were tipped with red compost
ton, and were said to be imported he said
that he had purchased whole box full of
them and snapped them nearly all off, ':just
to see things" Being engaged at that time
in the manufacture of lucifer matches at
Mechanicsville, N. Y, received them as
treasure. Immediately set my wits to work
to unravel the mysterious little sticks, or
rather the compound upon their ends. Not
being much of a chemist at that time, I
found it ono co." for 1 did not like to try
any experiments with such small and pre-
cious treasure. After trying all the chemi-
cal heads and NJ. DIS in the neigborhood, l
found them to be quite as much puzzled as
my own self.
| now took my two matches to Albany
distance of twenty miles my sole business
was to find chemist that could anal we
them. was referred to Prof. Beck, pro-
fessor of Chemistry in the Female Academy.
The professor told me that the quantity was
so small that he did not like to undertakeit,
but if I would bring him larger quantity
he would analyze them for me; but this I
could not do, for there was nothing of the
kind in market. carried my matches
home again, and examined them with care,
and made up my mind from the smoke and
light that they emitted in the dark, that they
contained the article of phosphorus. The
next morning I obtained piece Of phospho-
rus from one of our physicians, and little
gum arabic, and went to experimenting,
trying to combine them in a clam shell, on
some hot Goals The first batch took fire
and burned up. Nothing daunted got an
other piece Gall he had, aud went to- work
a little more systematic, and succeeded well
on adding little chlorate of potash.
My next job was to furnish myself with
match sticks strong enough to bear rubbing
(for my lucifers were too thin to bear much
friction) and this I did in the following
manner: After saving some pine blocks of
suitable length, | took a common case knife,
hammer and lap stone, and stabbed them
off; after this l slit them up with my pen.
knife until 1 had on hand about ], 400 match
sticks; 1 then charged them with birthstone.
1 now procured shallow square box, and
filled it with damp sand, and commenced
dipping my matchess one at a time, sticking
each match in the sand, charged end up,
until dry. These l, 400 matches sold to
one man for fourteen shillings. then star
ted for Troy in search Of phosphorous; scar
ched the city through, then went to Albany
searched all the drug stores, and got but
about tow o~nccs in both places, and paid
at the rate of s., 400 per pound; and this, I
think, was the first of Loco Foco Match Ma
king in the United States.
l had manufactured matches of this kind
for about fourteen months prior to the issu-
ing of Mr.. Phillips patent (but used no
glue or chalk.) You state that in June,
1887, John Hatfield obtained a patent for
dipping matches by planning them in conf
cal tube. This is true, but the name ought
to have been Jehu, instead of John-the
mistake occurred at the Patent Office, I
wrote to the Commissioner who told me that
he would have it altered if l would send
him three dollars. But I thought it would
not pay, from the fact that I had, in the
mean time, invented better plan, namely,
by glueing one end of the block before split
ting it. Iapplied for patent on this in
1880, but unfortunately had let it run too
long, and was rejected on that ground.
l find at the present day the same old
match splitter, in all of the small shops,
which l first invented and used. But to
give you but faint history of the "little
blessings" would require more time and pa
tience than | am able to bestow at present.
In all my experiments I was associated with
Mr.. Joel Farnam, (now deceased,) of Me-
and Martin Day, of Westfcld,
Mass, who can attest to the above facts.
1 would say that if any other man will
step forward and give better evidence of his
being the first American inventor and man
lfacturcr, then "I'll give up the skates"
JEHU HATFIELD.
Troy, N. Y, 1856.
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