The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-10

out on a sulphur-tipped splnt and being
rubbed quickly against a piece of cork, ig-
nlted almost spontaneously The VIAL
cork and matches We're kept together in
a small receptacle called phosphorus
box"
Another somewhat similar apparatus
was prepared 10y putting piece Of phos-
phoruS in small vial and stirring it
about with hot wire passed through the
cork BY this process the phosphorus was
partially burned in a confined portion OF
air and converted into oxide of phospho-
rus To procure a light a common brim-
stone match was inserted and a small por-
ton of the substance withdrawn on its tip
by which flame was instantly produced.
M. Chanul's discovery mentioned above,
was utilized in England some twenty
years after it was made I'm which was
called an instantaneous light box" The
box was made of tin, and in Il were
placed small glass-stoppered bottle con-
tanning sulphuric acid with enough es-
bestos Ga ibrous mineral unaffected by
fire or acids) to soak it up and prevent
Il from spilling, and a supply of small
splints of wood that had been dipped in
melted sulphur and tipped with a COM
pound of six parts of chlorate of potash
two of powdered loaf sugar and one Of
powdered gum, mixed together in paste
with water. On touching the prepared
But there were several Disadvantages to
this device, especially those arising from
the use of the acid, which, aside from its
destructive properties, possesses great
power of absorbing moisture from the at
mosphere, and, consequently. soon became
inert from dilution.
To do away with the acid bottle a
match called the 'promethean" was pat
ented by s. Jones of London In 1880. This
consisted of short roll of paper, with a
small quantity of chlorate OF potash and
sugar at one end, to which was attached
a tiny glass globule containing sulphurc
acid. A slight blow broke the glass, the
released acid mixed with the paste, an
the match was lighted. The invention was
dangerous, as wen as costly, for an ac-
cidental fall or blow would ignite box
of these matches In a room or even In "a
pocket, with disastrous consequences.
In the meantime, the 'luclfer match
so named, probably, from 'Lucifer, son
of the morning" isaiah, 1412)-gained a
footing 1t was a strip of either paste
board or wood, tipped with an infiamma-
BILE mixture composed of chlorate Of pot
ash and sulphuret of anthony, with
enough of powdered gum 10 render II adj
hesive when mixed with water. These
matches we're ignited by drawing them
through a folded piece of sandpaper. So
popular did they become that, although
lnGN were lOtlE dEO ulhuHSbs AitS haNt itAh
their name behind TO be popularity applied
to other kinds since invented.
A friction match with phosphorus tip
was experimental with by M. Derosne In
Paris as early as 1876, but the first really
practical phosphorus friction matches
were made in England In 1927 by John
Walker, a druggist OF Stockton-on-fees,
who called his production 'congreves' In
honor of Sir William Congreve. the In
vendor of the war rocket known by his
name. They We're not widely used for a
number of years afterward; but they
sprang into favor as soon as their good
qualities became known, and were the d.
rect ancestors Of the matches used az the
present day. The body of the 'congreye"
was originally Of wood though very
thin wax taper subsequently came into
limited use The igniting composition,
which required very little friction TO in
flame 1t. consisted of phosphorus and nj
tire. or phosphorus sulphur and chlorate
of potash, mixed with gum and colored
with vermillion red lead, umber, prussian
blue. SCOT, or other pigments.
The safety match was invented by
Swedish manufacturer of Jonkoping nam
ed I.undstrom in 1856. The employment Of
phosphorus IN the "congreves'' rendered
them liable to accidental ignition. and 60
Inndstrom left il out Of the composition
aDDlied to the match, and, instead, mixed
il with the sand on the friction surface.
thus separating the highly inflammable
material from its intimate and dangerous
connection with sulphur and chlorate of
potash. The safety matches Tight only
on the box" In theory, but they may be
ignited by drawing them rapidly across
a polished glass surface, like a mirror or
a plate-glass window.
ONLY the so-called Portland matches
and few other varieties OF the wooden
IN s1r.uv 60 rtt
or paraffin having been substituted to ron
der the splfnts more infiammable. There
is a Roston man who ilis his matchbox
ana ticket pockets with Portland match
esq whenever ne goes to New York., and
takes great delight in Offering them TO his
fiendes there to light their cigars. This
brand Of matches ts little known on Man
haitian Island, and, as the smokers,
thinking they have their customary lights,
annIv the "Portlands" to their cigars and
hea1n 10 Duff Immediately the TIP Is ig-
nited they generally inhale a sulphurous
ubief mat nearly chokes them. Whereat
Tho Postonian laughs consumedly.
Until the Introduction OF amorphous
nhoenborus (Which was made by Prof. An
IN von Scroethe Of Vienna in 184O the
trade of matchmaking was very un-
healthy. The emanation Of phosphoric
acid. when common phosphorus was used,
gave rise to necrosis, a disease which de-
stroys the bones and fatal effects often
follow. AmorphoIs phosphorus, being en-
tirelv fixed az ordinary temperatures,
workmen now enjoy absolute immunity.
II is only inhammable when rubbed In
contact with chlorate of potash or blaNk
oxide Of manganese and safety from acct
dental fire Is insured by separating these
materials the chlorate being placed on
the match and the hosphorus on the fric-
ton tablet.
"Vesuvians," or fuses" for smokers
use which no wind short of "a tornado
can blow out and which will light in a
rainstorm as well as in dry weather, have
dubious heads made of some slow-burn-
ing compound, such as mixture of char
coal, saltpetre. sand. and gum, tipped
with the ignlting composition of ordinary
matches. Amadou or German finder Is
considerably used In this kind of lighters.
Sometimes VesuWans and fusees are
mounted on a thick, round. woven braid
instead of splint Of wood Planners"
for the same purpose, have thick heads Of
flaming mixture. on either "a wax taper
or a wooden stick
A. 4