The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-10-08

All the way from Auburn, Maine,
has journeyed ]. M. Clough, the prin
cipal stockholder of the Pacific Match
company. He thinks he will in the
near future reopen the Pacific Match
factory, located on the tide flats. This
means something to Tacoma. The
factory employees about rs men. The
capacity of the plant is about ITO gross
a day and Yesterday at The Tacoma,
where he is stopping Mr.. Clough some
what gladly told of his aims and plans.
For nearly an hour he talked enter
tainingly of his business and gave
some hiYt OF his immediate intentions.
81 do not know how soon l shall
start up" he said, "it all depends upon
so many things and my decision will
be based largely upon the opinion of
my manager, Mr.. Whitaker, whom /
have not yet seen. We are not in the
trust, but that makes little difference.
We do not have to compete seriously
with them. There are other things
that worry us. In addition to the
natural competition we are compelled
to struggle against the Japanese pro-
duct and the cheap California match.
But business is improving. Since
left year ago all lines seem to have
tbrived and | am much encouraged at
the general outlook, Even the city
looks larger to me and more lively
air seems to pervade all walks of life
and lines of trade.
81 have great hopes for the future
but am afraid the coast needs some
education i'll the use of home products.
We used to ship great deal Of our
product east but the high transporta-
tlon charges are almost prohibitory.
So | think | shall be compelled to ad-
vertise or to, in some way tell the peo-
pie that we have match factory here
and that they should patronize home
products.
"At the present time there are about
40 or so match factories in the coun-
try having an aggregate capacity of
$4,000 gross a day Now gross of
matches comprise IA 400 sticks. That
makes grand total OF 5O4 900 900
matches per day and statistics show
that these are all consumed. In other
words every man, woman and child
in the United States uses at least 1O
matches every day in the year. And
yet there is no article of common use
sold at so close profit.
GAS enormous as it is the trade has
all grown in a few years. Prior to
1880 the match was unheard of and
the old flint box and tinder was the
sole method of kindling light. Then
we had a chemical produced by M
Chancel, a Frenchman. This was put
on the end of stick and then another
solution was carried around in a bot
tle When light was wanted the
stick was poked in the bottle. In ad-
dition to the light vile odor was also
obtained. The mixtures were danger
Gus also COR they were liable to explo-
sion.
"There were several inventions, but
the first really successful match was
made by John Walker, an English
man. These were known as econ
gerver." In 1880 Mr.. Jones pate Mt
ed kind called "prometheans." These
were made OF paper, but Preschel
solved the problem at Vienna in 1888
and it is his match with variations
that we have today. The old "blue
heads" were patterned after his match
and were at first called "siXties. "
They were sold for nickel a bunch OF
sixty and a man and boy did good
days work they made half gross.
"Now you can buy that kind two
punches for nickel, while anywhere
on earth the parlor match may be
bought at the rate of 500 for nickel
We are living in swifter age and we
can no longer wait for the sulphur tc
burn from the stick before we car
light our cigar or lamp.
eyes, l shall take run up and
down the coast and if the business il
here shall open my factory at once
No, there is nothing certain. That Is
one thing we must wait for. How
ever, there is a fair probability and
shall know more about it tomorrow.
Ledger.
L