The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1909-10-21
A COMPLETE PLANT.
The Fred Fear Match Company is one
of the best of its kind in the
United States.
CONTINUALLY IMPROVING.

Inc SeHeIaI puDiIC 10 uSOaI IL"
from the plant of the Fred Fear
Match Company, owing to its in
flamable product, and because of
the disturbance that many visitors
would cause it. Is likely that few
people in Bloomsbury realize how
complete, we'll equipped, and inter
esting is this newest local industry.
A reporter was admitted yester-
day, and was courteously shown
through the various departments
by Mr.. Fear. He vas surprised at
the extent of the plant, and ad'
mired it's completeness; he was in
terested in the wonderful machines,
and would have tarried many min
utes before each one, had not Mr..
Fear, who kindly gave him half
an hour of his time, been busy i'll
planning improvements, and led
him OH to explain the complicated
workings of the next machine.
The match makers start with
lumber sawed at the plant, make
the matches of it, and pack and
ship them in boxes made there.
The rough boards, taken from the
dry-house to the thoroughly equip
ped saw mill are cut into blocks
and slid into bins, whence they are
automatically transferred to the
match making machines. To these
same machines the inhammable ma
terial for the tips is brought in
liquid form from the chemical de-
partment which is filled with all
sorts of mixers that look like big
freezers filled with many hued
kinds of ice cream.
The match making machines are
probably the most interesting
in the plant; huge queer looking
arrangements, twenty-five or thirt,
feet long and some fifteen or TWEEN
ty feet high. Into these are fec
blocks of wood, and from them are
taken matches at the rate of ovel
eight thousand a minute, which are
dried. sorted, and packed, ready
for shipment.
In another department the boxes
are made in machines which per
form many operations; some on the
lids, others on the boxes. Into
them are fed a strip of card board
from a large roll, which is cut
glued, and folded in proper shape
the completed boxes falling rapidly
into receptacles. The lids are like
wise cut, printed, sanded, glued
and folded into complete shape from
the cardboard rolls.
One of the most admirable feat
ures Of the plant is that the machln
cry is manufactured there i'll the
machine shop, At present there
are additional matchmaking ma
chimes in course of erection.
Several kinds of matches, OF dlt
ferent sizes and grades, are being
made, and they will burn Blooms
burgers, need not fear that they
will have the same experience as
they did with the product OF the
match factory which was run tor
short time some years ago III wha
is nov the hosiery mill.
A large force of men and girls
are at the factory now, but more
arc needed. As fast as more hands
can be secured the output VIII De
increased. 1t is now ten millioi
matches day.
"When we get thoroughly set
tied" said Mr.. Fear, I'VE VIII
have as we'll equipped match fac,
tory as there is in the world, ano
certainly one of the very best in the
United States"
OF all this, Bloomsbury may Zee
Justly proud that it numbers among
its industries the Fred Fear Matcl
Factory, and among its citizens sc
nrAnSaee:,,a 4, ,,,a,, nc Mr. Erpd rear