Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1901-12-19
4 CHAPTER ON MATCHES.
Chenpcnine the Product--Aspen
the Favorite wood Used.


II was found years ago that each
Of the inhabitants Of Great Britain
consumed on an average eight
matches day. The consumption in
this country per capita is consider
ably larger, though exact statistics
cannot be given because treasury
returns Of the imports Of matches
convey no idea OF the number
brought into the country, which is
certainly large. The foreign matches
are not so cheap as ours, but for one
reason or another there is consider.
able demand for them, says the New
York Sun.
II we figure on the British basis Of
eight matches per capita a day the
home consumption is O10,427,09
matches day. This enormous lg-
ure may be accepted as approxi-
inatcly the home consumption of
home made matches in addition 20
the foreign matches that are found
In ali our markets, but IL by no
means represents our total output,
for considerable quantity of Amer
lean matches arc sold in European
and other countries.
srcccss in matchmaking, at the
present time, is largely a question Of
machinery. Matches are sold at a
price so exceedingly small that the
machinery for eliminating hand la
Dor and producing excellent matches
at minimum cost have a great ad-
vantage in trade. IL Is next TO inn
possible for one match factory to
compete with another unless its ma
chinery is equally efficient. It can
not buy the machinery used in rival
factories, for it IS almost invariably
the case that manufacturing con-
Germ absolutely controls the patents
it has thought Il advantageous to
employ. In order to compete sue
cessfully in the match industry, now
adays, it is practically essential to
own machinery that is at least as
perfect as any used by rival estab-
lishments.
American matchmaking machines
are the best in the world, which ac-
counts for the success Of the Amer
ican concern in England the other
day in absorbing the plant and busi-
ness Of the largest British establish
ment. In the meeting held for the
purpose OF voting upon the proposal
20 amalgamate the two concerns, the
president Of the American company,
addressing the shareholders Of the
British company, told them plainly
that though the American enterprise
had occupied the British feel only a
few years IL was competing success
fully with their own industry on
their own ground. largely for the
reason that American machinery was
superior to that of British invention.
Our public is paying for matches
to-day less than half what IL paid 20
years ago. though they were then re-
garded as very cheap. Elderly per-
sons can remember the time when
matches were husbanded with con-
siderable care, for II did not take
very many of them to represent the
value Of a cent. But now, thanks to
machinery and improved processes.
nobody cares very much how many
matches he wastes trying to light his
pipe on windy day. In fact, match
es are so cheap that the cost Of sup
plying a great country with all the
matches IL wants does not reach an
impressive figure. The total product
of all our match factories Is sold for
less than StO,OO0,000 a year, which
cuts a very small figure when IL is
remembered that the value OF ma
chimes of all kinds that are produced
in this country every year is. alone
about SiOO,0O0,OO0. Match manufac-
turing is a small industry after all.
Not many establishments are re-
quired &c turn out the matches this
country needs. over In New Jersey,
only few miles from this city, there
are two factories with capacity to-
getber OF 0O,0OO,000 matches a day.
The largest factory in the country,
at Barberton, O., can turn out io0,-
100000 matches a day, probably a
seventh OF the entire consumption.
This country has a great advan-
tage In the abundance OF aspen,
which tree IS superior TO all other
timber for match making on account
of its natural qualities and the ease
with which II is worked. II is light
spongy, and splints easily, and
though pine, lindeR birch and other
woods are also used in this and
other countries, aspen is preferred
to them all. European match manu-
facturers have been engaged in Q
scramble for years past to secure q
sufficient quantity of aspen. Ger
many is importing from Russia every
year about 100000 cubic feet Of as
pen TO supplement her own supplies
Awhile ago the German manufac
turers petitioned the minister of ag
riculture and forestry to cause the
foresters in the district where match
factories are situated to give more
attention TO raising the aspen.
similar appeal has been made "a
/ their government by the matchmak,
ers of France. Russian manufacture.
ers have been opposed to the whole.
sale depletion Of their forests by for.
eign matchmakers and have not been
slew 10 appeal 10 the government to
stop the expectation OF aspen. For,
. tunately for our matehmakers, the
home supply OF aspen Is very large
and the wood Is little used for other
manufacturing purposes.
BOTH FOOD AND MEDICINE.