Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1908-02-01
FIRE DANGERES FROM MATCHES.
Large Number of Fires Caused by
Carelessness with Matches.

Reports made to this Office show
that ten per cent of our six million
dollar annual fire waste and the loss
of several lives is dne to car 'lessness
with matches. Six hundred thou
sand dollars year is too much to
pay for the privilege of using poor
match instead of a good one.
Nearly all fires caused by careless
use of matches are due either to the
explosive qualities of the head of the
match, or to the fact that the wood
in the stick continues to glow for an
average interval of forty eight
seconds after the fame is out. In
ignidng, the head often explodes or
the stick breaks; flaming chemicals
fly and ignite waste paper, sweep
ings, lace curtains and clothing.
After using the match twirl or a
toss given to it without looking to
see if it is still glowing will often
place it where it may start q fire.
And large proportion of match
fires result from one of these hot
sticks being thrown upon infiamable
substance. Matches lying loose in
drawers or on desks Or on the floor Or
walk are liable to take fire from
rubbing or from a blow. On the
mantel piece they are often ignited
by heat from the CRATE or stove. In
each one hundred match fires,
forty -one are from flying match
heads or glowing sticks thrown in to
rubbish, which fact says 'sClean up
the place." ..u...
The name "Parlor', is given to all
matches except the "Safety." They
are made without sulphur, ther eby
avoiding the odor given out by the
"Lucifer" match. It's head conta ins
phosphorus chloride of potash, rosin
whiting and powdered flint, held to"
gether by glue. Phosphorus ign ties
at 140 degrees Fahrenheit. The heat
produced by the friction of the par
ticles of flint in the head when it is
struck ignites the phosphorus. The
chloride gives up the 80 per cent of
oxygen it contains, with explosive
spluttering and intense heat which
fires the rosin and they together fire
the parafin, with which the stick is
saturated, and the stick itself. By
substituting either saltpetre OR sulphur
for chloride silent and slow match
is made which does not snap and
fly.
The use of the "Parlor'' match,
and in fact all other matches except
the ''Safety'', should be discontinued
and prohibited by law. This would
be no hardship to the users or to the
manufacturers because the s'Safety"
matches, which can be lighted only
by rubbing them on the box or q
special place prepared for that pur-
pose, are made on t1e same machine
and at practically the same price as
other matches. The exclusive use of
the ''Safety" match would not only
lessen the fire loss and reduce fire
insurance premium about 10 per cent,
but it would also serve to keep door
castings, windows and furniture all
around the house free from the ugly
looking scratch stains of the ordin-
ary match. And no match should be
used the wood of which is not inn
or saturated with q saline
acid or other solution to prevent the
formation of glowing coal follow
ing combustion.
The legislatures now in session in
several states are considering the ad-
of prohibiting the use of
any other but the ''safety" matches.
Any manufacturer can make them
without changing his machine and
the increased cost to the consumer
would be too small for consideration.
EDWARD PETERSON.
State Fire Marshal.