The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1882-05-17
STRIKING A LIGHT.
How Il Was Done Before the
Days Of Friction Matches.

ny Lne INSTANTANEOUS iBlIitlUii VI lIiV
tion matches, have, unless they are
old people, very little conception Of
the labor and tribulation attendant
upon the same process fifty years ago.
Every well regulated family at that
time was provided with tin box of
finder, produced by the combustion
Of rags and flint and steel and match
es which had been dipped into brim,
stone. When fire was wanted the
flint and steel and finder were pro-
duced, and the finder being ignited
by sparks precipitated from the steel
by means Of the flint, a match was
touched to the burning mass and be-
ing lighted, was applied to some pre-
pared kindlings and a fire thus pro
duced, the whole process occupying
from FIVE to fifteen minutes, accord
ing to the skill or luck Of the opera
tor. This was attended with so
much labor, and productive at times
Of the use of SO many naughty words
on the part Of the person operating,
they were generally kept burning
all night. This was done-there
were few stoves, and hard coal had
not come into very general use then
by covering the huge and blazing
backlog in the fireplace with ashes,
and in the morning there were gene
ally found in its place a bed of live
Goals; which, by the application Of
fresh wood, and with the aid Of the
then universal bellows, usually pro-
duced.a blazing fire in from fifteen
minutes to half an hour. Some.
times, however, from some cause the
backlog would be wholly consumed,
leaving nothing but bed of ashes.
In this case, particularly if there
was an abssnceS;of dry kindling in
the house, some member of the fami-
ly must take the shovel, and often
times, through the snow knee,deep,
trudge to the nearest neighbours "aft-
er fire." Andsometimes, indeed, the
nearest neighbours fire would be out
too, in which case the walk would
have to be extended till the fire was
procured. The live Goals were borne
home upon the shovel, often careful
ly guarded with the hand to prevent
blowing of, placed between two
brands, the bellows set vigorously to
work, and the fire thus set ablazing.
In lighting candle, live coal was
taken up with pair Of tongs and
blown upon with the mouth until q
blaze was, produced. Pipes were
lighted by placing live coal upon
the tobacco, and cigars by holding
the burning coal to the end and puff
ing with all ones might.
The first improvement on this in
New England was the substitution
of q bottle of phosphorus, into which,
the cork being removed, a birthstone
match was thrust, and being thus
ignited the bottle was quickly closed
in order TO retain the strength of the
liquid. This was such an emancip.
alton from the thralldom of the tin
der-box and flint and steel and other
veniences of the old method
that people rejoiced greatly, and be-
lieved that the ne plus ultra in this
direction had been reached, and every
well-regplated family was provided
with its bottle of phosphorus, while
the flint and steel and Undertook
were laid aside to be used only in
case of emergency. This invention
was known by the name of 'loco-foco
Matches Directly, however, there,
was another invention, that left the
phosphorus bottle as much in the
shade as the other had the flint and
steel. This was the application Of
preparation of phosphorus and brim-
stone to the tips of matches, which
only required to be drawn between
the folded leaves of a piece of sand.
paper to produce a light, so that the
smoker had only to carry his matches
in one vest pocket and his folded
sand.paper in the other to light his
pipe at any moment. These latter
were known as "Lucifer Matches"
as taking, it is presumed, of the
character of the scriptural "son of
the morning" But the spirit of in
vention was not satisfied TO stop here,
and the result was the present world
used friction matches. that nike