The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-10-08

Trick % Trust @ Cat Wed - II
VIII Break.

Trick % Trust - Cot WeoA - Il
Wu1 Break.
Millions IN bad matches! By the simple
trick Of cutting the wood across the grain.
or OF cutting Il with the gratu 1t such IN
angle that it viii split almost IengthWise
when friction b applied. II In asserted that
the match trust II adding to its profits By
enormous sums yearly.
II has been noticeable to any user of
matches. during the last few weeks in par
ticulAr. that the wood II Of bad quality
ana that the match n apt to break Just
below the birthstone. or to split Just above
the nngerA
10 II because nature has ceased % guide
the grain Of wood - beforsf
II It because the workers In the match
factories are any les skiiIful. have b.
come bungiins In their work?
On II Il because the concerns that make
matches. being incorporated IN . powerful
Alliance. have lift upon Z way to Increase
their profits br creating q demand for
matches that II not proportionate with the
needs Of the match users?
Whatever the reason, the fact remains
that the matches are bad-perhaps not one
OF ten. sometimes two Of three. And with
out ascertaininx the cause. figures can b
made to show that the people ara paying
to the dealers-which. In turn, means the
wholesalers and the mAnufactursrs-moee
than 3. 600 900 a year more than they would
pay were the matches Of good quality.
The average consumption Of matches .
day for each person can. perhaps. b placsd
At ten. The cigarette smoker often Will
use az many - seventy-five and the cigar
amoker a. many a. twenty-five. The
housewife hardly could use lees than ten
and the small boy nnds many 1esds for
the name producers.
Counting the populatjra Of the country
ut 7ooo0,ooo the number Of matches used
each day would be 100 ooo.ooe On q basis
OF three In every ten matches being bad.
the number Of useless matches for which
the people Of the country are forced to
pay each day would b 21o. oo0. coo. Quite .
few. 20 be sure: but Walt till the figures
for Q year are shown.
In . week the total multiples to 1.<7o,-
100000 In . month. counting thirty days.
$500 100000 bad matches. have helped 10
enrich the men who make distribute and
sell them.
The figures are already In billions. but
when the numter for one day 10 multi
piled by 3s6 the astonishing total Of 1885,
00o. 900 II reached. Take this many match
20. pile them In . heap. and their bulk
could better be understood They would
keep q small town In fuel for the winter.
The ordinary box OF parior matches con-
tains 200 bits OF wood and birthstone. Tho
price varies. but the average can reason
ably BE- placed At W cents a box Reduce
the total Of 1880 900 bad matches to
boxes and $50. 90 Is the result. AZ ~
cents per box, the prtce paid q year for the
ingeniousiy croes-cut matches represents
the comfortable sum Of 35.74S75o
And this II not the amount paid BY the
American people for matches. II II mere
ly what they pay for the matches that
cannot be used.
prominent Wholesaler. when asked 10
explain. only looked owlish and smiled.
But can the figures b deniedr was
asked.
They are mathematicsliy correct" he
answered. and then, a. an aftsrthought.
suggested: But you DO not take into
consideration the girls and old maids. and
Cinnamon. and babies. who do not use
matches at all. or more than one or two
day"
He might have mentioned the small boy
who plays with matches In his fathers
barn, but he didn't II was not In line
with his argument.
but do the makers purposeiy weaken
the matches In cutting the wood
II don't make them" replied the grocer.
dryly and can't say"
He admitted. however. that there had
been many complaints recently from the
retailers. but could not remember that his
firm had reported the matter 10 the manu-
facturers. Chicago Tribune.