The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1888-08-11
the OLD TlnDta BOX.
The Times When it Was Difficult q
Light . Light"

The Times When it Was Difficult {
Light . Light"
Probably there are few childre,
of the present day who have eve
seen, or even heard of, the old-fash
ioned tinder box and matches. Ye
fifty years ago the friction match
now so universally used, had bu
just been invented and did not com
into general use for many years
Before the year 1886, or thereabouts
housekeepers were obliged to uss
matches of domestic manufacture
These were small pieces of whit.
pine wood, perhaps twice the siz,
of our match, the ends of which
had been dipped in melted brim
stone. A small iron skillet in which
to melt the birthstone was once {
common kitchen utensil in man,
families in New England, if not
elsewhere.
The only way to light one of these
birthstone matches was to bring il
in contact with a spark of fire. Fol
this purpose there used to be kept
in every house small tin box filled
with burnt rags and this was called
a tinder box. In order to obtain a
light common gun flint was
struck with considerable force
against piece of steel made OF
convenient size, which produced q
few sparks; these, lodging upon the
burnt rags, made sufficient fire to
enable one to readily light the
match.
These smoldering rags (for the
sparks thus obtained did not pro-
duce blaze } were afterward extin-
guished by a round tin cover called
a damper.
To thus create fire required
some experience, especially in damp
weather, or with cold fingers on
winter mornings. We have known
people to make "a bad piece of
work" with the flint and steel and
to succeed only with great patience
in striking a light"
If one happened to be cross and
nervous the chances were that he
would not succeed at all; nor was
it an infrequent sight to see the
good wife of the house running
across the street with a shovel to
borrow shovelful of 'live Goals"
from a neighbor, the chimney
smoke ofwhose dwelling proclaimed
that she had a good fire. The
change to the match of commerce
was one of the first of what we now
consider modern conveniences.
In many families it was one Of
the 'children chores" to prepare
wood for the matches and to dip
the ends in melted birthstone.
These matches were sometimes to
be bought in shops, but New Eng
and economy more frequently led
each family to prepare its own.
Still it was not uncommon for poor
, hildren to make trif1e of money
by selling punches of matches to
heir more fortunate neighbors.
In sparsely settled neighborhoods
great care was exercised at night
~ the head of the house to "keep
he fire." He took precaution that
here should be a good bed of "live
'oals" at the hour of retiring these
,e covered with many shovelfuls of
shes to prevent them from burn
ng out. The next morning the
oals were usually found to be
alive" on raking open the ashes,
nd served to start the days fire.
t was not an impossible feat to
hus preserve the family fire through
be year, without recourse to tinder
oxes and matches.
The modern friction match was
7elcomed by most housekeepers,
Though here and there some old
eople objected to it, considering it
dangerous article, as no doubt it
, when carelessly used or left ly-
1g about.
The first friction match invented
equired to be drawn across piece
f fine sand paper in order to pro-
uce a light. This was called a
lcifer, and was much safer, al
nough not so convenient as the
resent match.
Then came the present patent
'iction matches, which used to be
allied "locofocos." There were no
lncy match-boxes in "old times"
nd the tinder box was not consid-
red an ornamental article, but was
ept out of sight in the cupboard
r on the kitchen mantel-piece.
We find in Salem newspaper of
une 80, 1886, the following: Not
outstanding the convenience OF
lose dangerous little articles, fric-
on matches, which are in almost
,erybody's hands, but which with
/ charms bid fair to prove heavy
1rse to the community, we learn
lat there is one man in Salem,
tradesman, who keeps
store where we should generally
kpect to find such things, but who