The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-01-26
SAFE TY MATCH
LAW AIDS TRUST
Virginia Merchants and hide
pendents Oppose Measure
on Tha; Ground.
BUTTON IN FAvoR OF 1T
Long Hearing Before Commit
tee, al NNhleh Inside Facts
Cc-,e Nu,.

--
Representatives :: ,a&;cA u,aaufae-
tu-ers ar1 ~>s.s$s1c S-ccSrs crowded
the COMMITS. -@naa AMI took issue
with advocates :: sst measure when
the Senate Co;H:ats;sc a. Insurance and
Banking nc; YES svsisy afternoon TO
near arguments fct Ar6 against SEN
Ator EarmRn's match bill The meas
ire proposes 10 make unlawful in Nir
tinia the sale OF the criminal, strike
anywhere" parlcr match. iegalizins
only the sale OF those matches which
require specially prepared surface for
ignition
The argument by opponents Of the
bin directed attention TO the fact that
no State in the Union has enacted any
such law. and that 10 do so would be
70 place Nirginia's wholesale and reta!l
merchants AT serious disadvantage
compared with dealers in other States,
who labored under no such restrictions.
In favor Of the bill it was advanced
that the "Strikc-anywhere" parlor
match Is the frequent cause Of tire ana
loss OF life. The committee reached
40 decision. hut il was evident from
The questions raised by its members
that the bill will leave tho committee
room with Important notifications.
Cnnsc OF Many Fires.
Commissioner Of Insurance Joseph
Button and L. :. -.nonson, president of
Peoples National Fire Insurance Com
pany. of Philadelphia, opened the arGu-
lnent for the measure. Ten per cent
off all fires. they stated. were directly
attributable to unsafe parlor matches.
III Chicago. said Mr. Amonson. a re-
ctrit report placed the number as high
as 20 per cent
Aside from the property loss which
thcir use entails. said the Philadelphia
man. they are the cause annually OF
Ill" loss of between 1000 and 1900
aivcs. Women. with their flimsy sum
,ncr draperies. ne saId. were frequent
victims. Parior matches present an
'lnfatlinE source OF attraction TO chill
drcn, who pick them to hear them pop
and fires are started In this way which
frequently result in loss of life.
Norfolk Protests.
A. B. Goodrich appeared for TIA,
wholesale dealers of Norfolk with
vigorous protest. Only 5 per cent o
the matches In use, he told the com
mittee, are of the safety type. Til,
people do not want them. For ycHr:
both kinds have been ON sale side b!
side. but only the parlor match ha-
met with popular favor
Carelessncss In disposing OF tn
stump after the match Is used an,
not tho parlor match per sc, he thought
charged up against It. To enact sucs
@ law, he stated, would be 10 daniag &,
The annual match sales OF Norfolk Il
shc extent of 100000, and the business
of other cities in the State proportion
Etely. He Expressed himself AS bcini
sn hearty accord with the movement I,
lninify far possible the fire los
of the country, but thought that onl.
The Federal government, by the enact
nlent OF u law nationwide in its aDpli
cation, could deal wisely with til
match situation.
Opposed by Manufacturers.
L. W. Woods OF the Ohio Match Com
pany, appeared before the com!pitte
with complete exhibit of the differ
cnt Kinds OF matches in use in .hi
country and Europe. and spoke agaiGs
ahe proposed law from the standpoin
OF the manufacturer. The measure h
thought. while excluding tho convcnien
match now IN use. would permit tn
use OF matches equally as dangerous.
The real danger. he pointed out, 1
not In the fact that IL match strike
anywhere, but in It's improper disposa
after IT is Iii and IN the glowing Goa
which lives after the iiamc is out Man
matches OF the type which, under lii
law proposed, you'd be admitted a
safe. are IN reality most danEcrou
because of the long life OF the gowns
coal, due TO improper iinprcgnutiou.
y serious consequence VI the law, i
81 were adopted by all the States. woul,
be. nc declared, the destruction OF al
Independent match ntnnufacturin!
plants in the United states exccptln.
one. the Diamond Match Company
(which alone is equipped TO supply tn
eo-callcd safety match in cOmpct!tiu:
with Europe. This company is enable,
TO do this because OF It's subsidinr,
plants IN sweden. where cheap labo
and cheap wood are able 20 produce thi
match casapcr tlsan they can be mad
In this country
Would iinrm Virginia Compun,
The proposed Law would seriousl,
sftect our new plant IN Roanoke" sal
". Hutchinson. OF the Salvation
Match Company, OF New Jersey. II,
look the same stand As M Woods a.
70 the probable effect it would hav,
II playing into the hands o. Tho mattel
combine. NJ match nc reminded Tn,
committee. IS dangerous unfu il Is II,
and propcr disposal OF arunps woul,
accomplish tho purpose -uught
modification Of The pill to Ir5uibi, th,
use Of Improperly impfcgnated .nItcno
ead those matches .htca leave 4. Ion.
nite.glow In MS opinion would be ia
more desirable
Chief Joynes, % the Richmond FIR,
Department read from 1851 cora
az the department numerous instance
~ ire arising from cavelcss use d
matches 4 petition wa ~, sre.,,
from the wholesalers and iUsJcr- i!
Jacamond asking r.lr Genera Assem-
E!y ~ REGISTER Us yc' againAl In.
bin