Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-07-19

that 1t was impossible to compete with the
Americans. They sent their agents all over
the world for patents that they might get
new match making machinery, but there
were none to be had. Then they tried maxi
ing safety matches, but they did not I'M
derstand the business and the matches
were not success. The heads would come
off or would fail to light. and they proved
generally unsatisfactory.
The English monopoly had been paying
dividends of 20 per cent, but under this
competition they saw their business rapidly
dwindling. The dividends fell to IA per
cent and it was seen that in time there
would be no dividends whatever. Then the
heads of the American company stepped in
of Bryant & May. The Americans showed
them that they knew more about the Eng
lish match business than the English them
selves. and proved to them that they could
easily crowd them out of the markets.
They said they would do this. but that it
would be cheaper to buy them out or alb
sorb them than to fight them. and they
offered them the alternative. The Bryant
& May people gave in and the English
monopoly was swallowed up by the Amer
lean firm. The business is still carried on
under the two names of THE Bryant K
May" and The Diamond Match Com
pany." 1t is now nominally English, but
it is really American.
How the Yankees Make Matches for
England.
1 went out to Seaforth this morning 10
learn how the Yankees make matches for
the English markets. There is a street
car. run by the city, which for a fare of
cents takes you the four miles from Liver
pool to the factory. I had a seat on the
top and could see something of the business
of Liverpool as l rode. We passed through
miles Of warehouses, by teams of great
Shire horses hauling loads of from five to
ten tons. through long streets of two-story
buildings, the homes of the workingmen,
by residences of the better classes, and on
out into the country There were factories
here and there along the way and thick
smoke seemed to hang over the city as we
rode out of it. l aighted at the wrong
end of the factory and walked almost
mile in going about the walls which sur
round the grounds before l reached the
office. l presented myself as an American
newspaper correspondent, and upon my as
surfing the manager that 1 was not in the
match business l was shown over the
works.
American Machinery.
Nearly every bit of the machinery in the
factory is American. The engines were
made by the Buckeye Engine Company of
Salem. Ohio. and the dynamos by the Elec-
trical Manufacturing Company of Akron.
The boilers came from Chicago and the
match machines were put up by men from
BdrDertOn-
But l can give you a better idea of the
factory by describing my trip over it. ]
was taken first to the top, where we found
hundreds of girls seated high above the
ground, about revolving tables, putting the
covers on match boxes filled by machinery.
The girls looked healthy and we'll dressed
and in these respects they are superior to
the average factory girls of this country.
They are far better treated, and the effect
is shown in their general appearance The
shops are we'll lighted and ventilated. Din
ing rooms are provided for the employees
and the American capitalists give them
three meals a day gratis. They get cup
OF hot tea and biscuit in the morning,
bowl of hot soup at noon and at pm. they
are again served with tea and biscuit
There are large kitchens in the basement
and the provisions supplied by the man
ayers are pieced out with the food the
employees bring with them from home, or
they can buy their meals at cost price A
good dinner is served for six cents and
single dishes for one or two cents. The re-
suit is that the factory is a most desirable
place of employment. There is more than
enough good labor always on hand, and the
best Workmen are secured.
The effect of the treatment has been
surprise to other employers Of labor about
Liverpool. and several of the large English
factories adopting similar methods
But come with me and take look at
the factory. l have called it Yankee
institution, and SO it is in its machinery