The Washington herald., 1908-02-09
OUR MATCH BILL ENORMOUS
Every Minute 100000 Luoifers Are
Struck Into Fire.
Hundreds OF Factories Turn Out
PrOduct-Fine Timber Is
Necessary.

Frum the Kansas City Star
The civilized nations Of the world
strike 100000 matches every minute
Of the twenty-four hours. Nearly one
half Of these are ignited in this country.
Americans use up the enormous total of
700, ,0OO.O000OO a year and have a larger
match bin than any other nation in the
world.
Hundreds OF factories over the coun-
try are engaged in this industry Some
Of the plants are very large one on
the Pacific Coast covering 2O acres,
with thirty-tWo miles Of railroad which
supply the match machine with 100000
feet of sugar pine and yellow pine logs
a day.
a statement OF the number of cubic
feet Of wood which actually is con-
verted into matches each year would
convey only an inadequate idea of the
number of trees required for the in
dustIy. For the manufacture of the
match the best grade of wood is neces-
sary. Sapwood, knotty or cross
grained timber viii not do This makes
liz necessary 20 search the best forests and
pick outs the choice trees only. and
nothing but the choice portions of
the choice treeS so 10 the match ma
chimes It may be seen that the lUm-
herman sweeps over a wide area in
search of suitable timber TO feed into
the match machines.
Seldom is the little splinter tipped
with sulphur. or some other substance
TO be ignited by friction, given even
scant mention in the consideration of
the depletion of the worlds finest for
ests, Yet the manufacturer OF these
little fire sticks are as much concerned
over the timber supply question as any
other class Of men engaged in an in
dustry whose welfare depends on the
use of forest products
II might be supposed that because
matches are small the makers Of them
would utilize scraps and left-overs.
This IS never the case; matches are not
by-products. The match machine takes
the finest timber and what it re-
jects goes to the by-product yard, and
the by-prOduct end of the match bust
ness becomes the largest end. so far
as bulk is concerned. Among the by
products turned out by the large Pa
cifc Coast factory just mentioned are
900 doors and 500 sashes daily.
As matter of fact. 1t would be,
impossible 10 carry on the match busi-
ness at all, at present prices. if the
rejected lumber were not worked into
something else. The room where the
matches are made is frequently the
smallest department of a match fac
tory. The larger portions. contain the
sawmills.
Matches are manufactured in many
ways and with numerous kinds OF ma
chimes and for that reason n descrip-
ton Of an operation in one factory
would not apply to another. Nearly
every manufacturing company has ma
chinery made especially for its use. and
covered BY patents. and 1t also en-
ploys processes discovered or devised by
its own chemist and mechanics, and
kept secret to prevent rivals from
obtaining and profting by them 4
single machine has been known 70 turn
out 15l.926. 400 matches in one day-boxed
and labeled ready for shipment
Some matches are shaved with the
grain from sawed blocks. some are cut
both ways by saws. IN some factories
the blocks are boiled to make them
cut easily BY some machines a boiled or
or steamed log is revolved on its own
axis and shaving-the thickness of
match-is cut round and round This
shaving is at the same time cut into
lengths and split into match sticks
There is hardly d limit to the varieties
Of methods employed. Round matches
are made by forcing them through dies
The Japanese make paper matches, which
are wood after all