The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-30
WAYS OF GETTING ALIGHT.
1HRliHeEkr ~ FRTCTroN WOW, ~
III WAS IN THE BEGINNING.
nat the Process rs Easter Than n vSas When
rive Pieces 90 Esoa WE'VE nusbed Ts-
Essber-Ths Evetution 81 the Watch.

u. .|Ntf FN
ne. the Process rs Faster Th.s n Wa when
Two Pieces 90 vvsoa we've nubbed Ts-
Gsther-Ths RveiutIsn er the watch.
Fron the Bosion Herald.
Tho announcement that Sir Isaac Holden, NJ.
p. who died recently in London. was tho in
ventor Of tho lucifor match may be correct, but
there 10 strong evidence to the contrary. Phos.
phorus friction matches were made in Paris as
long ago a. 1919 and In 1927 they were manu-
featured in considerable quantities In England
They were introduced on q commercial scale in
England sixty three or sixty-four years ago. and
appear 10 have been brought out almost stimuli
tapeously In several other cities In Europe.
The name most prominently connected with
the carly stages Of the invention is Pros
chel Of Vienna, who in 1883 had a factory in
operation. making. besides phosphorus matches,
fusees and. amadou Tor German tinderl slips
Tipped with an igniting compound. At the
came time also matches were being made b.
Moidenhauer In Darmstadt.
There IL good authority for the belief that the
friction match was the product Of the ingenuity
Of John Frederick Komerer, who. early in the
century. was Imprisoned in the penitentiary at
Hohenasperg, In Germany. He began manu-
featuring after he was released from prison. but
was ruired by viennese competition and died q
paupcr. Up to 1869 the manufacturer OF
Austria and South Germany controlled the
match business Of tho entire world. :
The primitive method Of kindling q fire was,
no doubt, the use Of friction. Two piecesof wood
were rubbed together until the dust evolved by
the operation ignited by the heat produced.
This mode was still In vogue q few years ago on
some OF the smaller islands Of the Pacific. which
had not enjoyed the advantages Of sufficient
with Europe or America to keep them
supplied with moro modern contrivances. The
usual way OF performing this operation Is to
press the sharpened end Of n stick Of hard wood
agafnsraa pipco OF soft wood, notched to re-
eeiSo the point. and twirl It rapidly back and
forth between the palms Of the hands. The
small particles rubbed of are kindled after q
while. and q littIe dry moss Is added TO increase
the flame, until II IL large enough to
cate to twigs and splinters. While this method
answers well with the unciviliEed people who
employ, II. II requires much habit and great
strength, az shtpwreched mariners and match
In Terra del FueEo, at the exirsmity Of South
America, early trayellers found the natives pro-
aesins "ri fi II stono ana catching hing tRosparSs
upon q dry, messy substance, which was quickly
Up 70 the enSof the drst quarter Of the pres
only Instruments OF getting light in the civilized
world. Various forms of apparatus were used.
out the shark. Minute fragments Of steel were
thrown n OF ~ striking IsnSsr T. ' fntans,i the mi ain f. 1 tsa
friction. were caught on timber. finder was
made by partially burning linen or cotton rags
IN Hn = s, n9.s as,sun ns%sin sia.s o. 4 faf Is v sqs s SassSe
and will not immediately communicate fire
others that retard. rather than Ala. com.
other and moro infinmmable substance. there.
and this was found in sulphur. The pointed
enda Of thin slips Of highly resinous or very dry
sS1s p pfspa MsE' i instant 3 y i %Sissd when sahienu applied SpSdi
to the incandescent finder. These bits OF pre-.
They. were exceedingly maiodorous.. and to
avoid Their use match paper. OF touch pa
o es. smsd saies 3 s ssla:iit isn !ssstsnss. p prsp. sslstPss soS
t sl%s sss ssSs, fStssG for tf SSsssn az the r gsFS sSn Of
mnnicate fire without the intervention of the
Riacksmiths occasionally ignored flint and
iron wire smart blows with hammer. making il
little heap Of powdered brimstone and sawdust.
which It Immediately kindled.
ntiiiasd the weii.known fact that the rapid com.
preston OF air creates intense heat, ina light.
the end. Placing amsdod in the closed end and
forcing the piston down with great force. sufi-
and q HaSt could be procured from Il with a
birthstone match. This. apparatus was uncer-
tain and easily put out of order. and never came
Phosphorus. discovered by Brandt in 1868.
cSss, nEss S SPpIsi s a sS%%sr TanEw Il c Of n non%o Of
IhS In 1850: under d ths direction ,h Of Robert
ties. Small particles were rubbed between folds
Of brown paper, and sulphur matches were ig.
nited from the resulting flame. But az phos;
DANGEROUS the INVENTION was not long employed.
II was mot until 1905 that attempts were made
n Spe use IN se sSat year Sf II. Sha lSr .S assI RaSaatftt To- PrO Z!
Thenard Of Paris. discovered that a mixture Of
shlorate Of potash and sugar would ignite II
ia 1929 a phosphorus match was proposed.
phe sr' we're srse ee eaaea Sffi minsisd O II a glass tint tube s@ or
.v,iaL which was kept securely corked. When a
was taken out on . suiphpf.tippsd spiint. and,
being rubbed quickly against o piece Of cork,
ceptacle called a .I.phosphofus box"
pr ano1ssfs b. sS oa.tin. p si%ile Of p SEPps5bSsrs IN Ta 8
small vial and stirring It about with a hot wire
l,assed through. the cork BY chs process the
portion Of air and converted into oxide Of Phos.
phorus. To procure q light a common brim.
haIne was instantly produced.
utilized in ENGLAND sons twenty years after It
was made. in What was called an "instantane;
containing sulphurlc acid. with enough as.
DeSIOb Va uUfOuo Blutfat undHeCUou Dy Hfe OF
acids) to soak It up and prevent 10 from spilling,
and q supply Of sI1al lsplihts OF wood that had
been dipped In melted sulphur and tipped with
y compound Of six parts OF ohlorate OF potash,
Two OF powdered loaf sugar. and one Of powdered
elm, mixed together In q paste with water. On
Eouching the prepared ends to the acid they
burst into flame. But there were several disad.
from the use OF the acid. which, aside from its
destructive properties. possesses great power Of
absorbing moisture from the atmosphere. and,
consequently, soon became inert from dilution.
To DO away with tho acid bottle a match
Jones OF London In 1880. This consisted of a
short roll Of paper. with a small quantity Of
which was attached q tiny glass. globule con-
tanning sulphurie acid. A slight blow broke the
glass, the released acid mixed with the paste,
and the match was lighted. The invention was
dangerous as well as costly. for an accidental
fall or blow would ignite a box of these matches
In . room or even In a pocket. with disastrous
conseo uences-
In the meantime the .~lucifer match so
named, probably. from "Lucifer. son Of the
morning" isaiah, xiv. l2t-gained a footing.