The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1870-02-03
The Careless Use Of Luoifer Matches.


We believe that many of the fires an'
nounced in the journals as believed to be
the work of an incendiary, have thelrrea
cause IN the careless use of matches; and
we propose to point out some of the ways
in which property is thus endangered
We feel quite confident that in many in.
stances risk is incurred from want OF
knowledge.
There are several kinds of matches in
popular use. Of these probably the safest
are those in which sulphur forms a con.
siderable portion of the compound used
for tipping. Such matches require con-
siderable friction to ignite them, and un-
less some defagrating substance like
cholorate of potash, and kindred salts, is
used, they do not detonate when .ignited.
Some matches in quite popular use are
so explosive that they detonate almost
like a percussion cap; and when they
chanced to be tipped too profusely, the
burning material will scatter to some dis
tance by the sheer force of the explosion.
We have seen the fused burning COM
pound from such match fly from one to
two feet. The material thus scattered,
would, in many cases, do no harm but in
a comparatively few instances it might
kindle disastrous confagration. Fall
ing into loose cotton, indammable liquids,
fine shavings, etc., it would be quite like
ly to ignite them, but as in such cases the
fire is generally at once discovered, and
is smoothered out by the hand or the foot,
the cases in which fires thus caused
become disastrous, are still fewer than
those in which they might become so
were the persons who use matches al
ways needless, or worse, intoxicated.
Unfortunately, there are occasionally
needless and tipsy people, and 80 far as
we are aware, they are not prohibited the
use of matches; hence it may be fairly
inferred that occasional fires do occur by
the use of matches which violently deto-
nate. when with O. safer kind of match no
harm would accrue.
In the hands of such people, the fuses
used for cigar lighting. and which hold
fire for considerable time, are exceed
ingly dangerous. Thrown down often
before the fire is extingyished, a glowing
hot coal, they are, of course liable to ig-
mite almost any highly combustible sub
stance with which they como in contact.
The writer once oxtinguished a fire in
a wooden box Of saw dust, used as a spit
toon, caused by tusce cast away by an
intoxicated person, and which would,
doubtless, but for its timely discovery,
have done immense damage.
The dropping of book once ignited a
bunch of decorating matches lying on our
table. Such an accident occurring at
night, through the agency OF some inquisi-
tive cat, might we'll pass into the papers
as the work of an incendiary.
Such matches are often dropped upon
floors by persons too careless to pick them
up, and are subsequently, ignited by
stepping upon them. Others who would
not think it worth their while to attend
to broken piece, although the latter,
perhaps, is the tipped end, and just as
dangerous as the whole match would be
should it chance to be stepped upon.
We have tried somo experiments to as
certain the liability of such matches to
set FIRE to buildings, and have found thai
shavings, cotton waste and even carpet
with cotton warp may be ignited in
this way.
Not to dwell too long upon what may
seem 70 some simple matter, we may
sum up as follows.
The careless use of matches, is, in our
opinion, the most fruitful of all the causes
OF fires of mysterious origin.
There are kinds Of matches extensively
used in offices, factories, and dwellings,
which ignite so easily as to be danger
GUS, and which the insurance companies
oug hit to include in the list of prohibitions
in buildings insured by them, and which
proprietors should refuse to allow on their
premises.
Those matches are safest which require
considerable friction to light them, and
which, when lighted, only furnish suffici'
cient heat to ignite the small dry splints
which constitute their bulk.
Finally, all matches ought to be. kept
in a tightly closed box or safe, the best
material for match safe being tinplate ;
and wholesome appreciation of the dan
ger of careessness IN their use, should be
early instilled into the minds of children.
Servants, proverbially careless, will prob
ably continue careless in spite OF instruc'
ton and reproof; and the only thing that
can be done with them is to allow them
only the use of matches as safe as can be
purchased Scientific american.
STARTLING STATIsTIcs.-Some statistl-
o;on hoe hoan frnrinr on the cost of an