The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-08-26
MADE FIRST MATCHES
 FOR FOREIGN TRADE Woodbridge Man Started Bus mess Over Half a Gen.
 tury Ago, N. D. SHERRY REMINISCENT Congressman Tells of the Early Manufacturing
 Methods.
N. D. SHERRY REMINISCENT

Who made the first friction matches? That is a question which has been much debated of late and there is a decided difference of opinion about it. But one thing appears pretty certain and that is, as Congressman Sperry said yesterday to Journal and Cour- fer reporter, "the first to manufacture friction matches as business enter prise of genuine importance and as an article for commercial and trade pur- poses, was old Tom Sanford of our neighboring town, Woodbridge" lover siXty-five years ago." continued MT Sperry, "the manufacture of 1ucifer or friction matches was begun in Wood bridge by MT. Sanford and was con- tinued by him not for local or neigh borhood supplies, but as an article of convenience used all over the United States. From recolleetions on the sun- ject by Congressman Sperry and his brother, E. Knight sperry, the follow ing historical facts are gleaned. Mr. Sanford manufactured matches for years, first In a small shop which was on Town House corner, now called Paine's corner, and not far from where Frank Barnes has erected his beautiful home.
 Later, the business requiring larger quarters, it was removed to a shop erected by MT. Sanford for the pur, pose, with improved machinery on the Seymour road in Woodbridge. about a mile from the original match shop, just below what Is known as the Nor throp saw mill. The new shop was well adapted to the business and the girls mostly worked on the upper floor which was well lighted by many win dows. This match shop Is still stand ing. It his been unoccupied for years and Is in dilapidated condition. Some of the plastering of the ceiling in the upper room is gone, and the lathing is exposed to view, the old stone steps which led from the road to the building are still there but overgrown with weeds, and underbrush and the factory walls are weather-beaten and aged looking, but there the old match fact ory is. a reminder of days long gone by when scores of Woodbridge people found employment either daily at the factory or in making the match boxes The latter work was mostly If not wholly done by people of Woodbridge and Bethany at their homes.
 The material would be delivered al the homes by teams from the factory and the boxes would be called for in like manner for delivery at the fac tory Lots of families added to their income in this way. Another thing of interest in this connection is that the wood from which the match sticks was made was cut on our old farm, the sperry farm near the sperry falls. The trees which furnished the best wood for the match sticks being found there in profusion The wood and sticks were cut by the use of water power and machinery.
 "The old original match shop spoken of above was in part converted into a dwelling which Is occupied and in ex- cellent condition to-day.
 Tom Sanford lived for a time in a small dwelling which stood near where the second match factory is to-day When his business increased, he found 1t necessary to build much larger
 house which was used in part as a boarding house for girls employed in the factory especially those who oth- erwise would have a long Journey tc the factory from their homes. This house is still standing and is kept in excellent condition by it's owner and tenants.
 MT. Sanford, tradition says. sold his receipt for the mixture of birthstone used on his matches to townsman, w A. Clark, and for the small stun of S25 MT. Clark thereupon started in tht erected a shop some distance up tht road further north, and there made matches for years.
 "The Tom Sanford match factory was practically the beginning of what k now the Great Diamond Match compa' ny's industry that employs thousandi of people.
 Mir sanford's son. when the father gave up business, became superintend ent of a match factory in Cincinnati and continued for years in that capaci. ty and this factory had its share 1T the developments which led to the es tablishment of the great friction mattel trust.
 Tt is well remembered in New Ha, ven, of course. that there was in later years large match factory in West vile, and that the late Mir Beecher wa, | identified with it, and with the consoll dation of match factories which camt later
 "Tom Sanford was a stiff democrat and a local politician of note, and a, the late C. S. A. Davis, himself sturdy | democrat of the old school and thor oughly posted in local history used tt remark with his customary emphasis Tom Sanford ought to have been very wealthy man. He was a sound democrat and was for years the sol, manufacturer of friction matches in tht United States MT. Sanford's matches were sold all over the United States and lots of them were exported to tn West Indies and other points.
 go old WOodbridRn. thanks to tbf