The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-12
The Once Ouer
The Truth About Msteh..
ny N. |. rHILLIPs

The Truth About Matehes .-t,
 During the past year 4,675,650,0 ,000,- 900 matches were used in the world, ac, cording to an estimate issued by the National City Bank of New York. Of course there's chance of a mistake of four or five matches one way or the other, but that's the banks estimate and you can take it or leave it.
 Despite the fact that so many matches were in circulation, something like 234,- 77S,9S7, 3,000. men were encountered on the streets of American cities alone who, when asked if they had one, replied in the negative.
 The only inference is that somebody's been holding out. s..
 While no official estimate is made it may be safely stated that of the grand total of 4,675,650,000,0 ,000 matches, over 3,46e, 900, ,O00, 900 wouldn't light and fully 27,O00, ,O0O. 900 went out almost inn mediately. 2Ai.
 Any American wife, quizzed on the subject, will swear she found 11,2S8,- OO0,087 burnt ends on the window stills, under the rugs and in the piano.
 The per capita consumption of matches in the entire world is given in the bank estimate at T. matches day. Any man who ever has smoked pipe will insist, however, that his per capita con- sumption of matches has been something like seven million matches an hour.
 America leads the world in match manufacturing, the bank statement de- clares. If all the matches produced in the United States in one day alone could be placed end on end they would reach from point just east of the glue works in Muskogee, Okla, across the Atlantic ocean and thence overland to the city hall in Amritsar, India. It would be impos- sible, though, to lay the matches across the ocean in this way because of the rough weather. And besides, it would get them all wet.
 The fact that big banking institution has gone to the trouble of giving the public the truth about matches may mark another step forward in the de- ICl OI Ddlho IO UC VI every POo- sible service to their depositors. The following conversation between bank teller and depositor is now mere mat ter of time:
 Teller: An, good morning.
 Depositor: wish to deposit SIS.
 Teller: Delighted. By the way, have you heard the latest data on hairpins?
 Depositor No.
 Teller: Exactly three billion, four million, eight hundred thousand and eleven hairpins were found in Pullman berths on American railroads during the year 1922.
 Depositor: You don't mean it.
 Teller: Yes. And here's another in teresting fact. Over forty-eight million pens placed in post offices from June, 1921, to March, 1922, were useless. The other six could be written with if you had the patience.
 Depositor-: Do tell.
 Teller: And elastic bands! I must give you the lowdown on elastic bands. There were over five billion produced in America during the last fiscal year!
 Depositor: Amazing!
 Teller: And take the matter of white threads: Exactly 345,678, ,234, ,0OO white threads were removed from the shoulders of black suits worn by Ameri- can husbands from March 5, 1919, to September II, 1922.
 Depositor: Oh gosh
 Teller: Let me see |. that's all the accurate data we are giving depositors today but next week I will have all the production figures on hooks and eyes, shirt buttons, toothpicks, and the oiled paper in which they wrap safety razors.
 Depositor: Good.
 Teller: By the way, what did you come in for?
 Depositor: l forget now. Good day.