162 ON THE MANUFACTURE OP MATCHES IN NEW YORK. 



We use them by hundreds, and so little are they esteemed, that " I care 

 not a pin for him," expresses almost the superlative degree of contempt ; 

 and yet there is a vast deal to write about, talk about, and think about in 

 the pin. "Who values a match ? What so important as a single match ? 



" Ding-dong," rings out from the great fire-bell in the alarm tower, upon 

 the crisp, cold air of midnight ; it falls upon the sleeper's ear and wakes him 

 with a start. A crowd of men rush from their houses to the street, the engines 

 rattle over the hard stones ; the air is filled with shouts and cries ; a lurid 

 glow is in the sky, and volumes of dense smoke wave like the black banner 

 of destruction above a burning pile. The flames increase, the din grows 

 louder, a ruddier glow is in the sky, and falling beams and crackling walls 

 mark the course of the tire-fiend as he licks up with his forked tongues 

 the result of years of toil and energy, A city is in flames, the millionnaire 

 is pennyless ; the wealth of " Ormus or of Ind " vanishes in a moment ; 

 hundreds are homeless, the stately monarch of the waves " lies a sheer 

 hulk " upon the waters, and a wail goes up from all over the land. — " What 

 has done all this ? The incendiary's torch !" We call it that, but it was 

 nothing half so great or dignified. 



It was that single match, which within its little gummy point contained 

 the cause of all the havoc. The slightest friction irritated the fiend within 

 — with a hiss he awoke from his hiding-plaee ; with a ghastly, sickly glare 

 he grew into full life, and in a moment it was beyond the power of man to 

 quell the demon he had raised. 



We all use matches. What should we do without them 1 Let us see. 



Wayworn and weary since the early dawn, a party of emigrants have 

 toiled on across the barren plain, and now, as night begins to draw her 

 dark curtains, they halt beside a river's bank, and unpacking their mules, 

 prepare to make their camp. The tents are pitched, and now for supper. 

 Supper is easily cooked. Fuel is plenty ; it only needs fire to set it ablaze. 

 Aye, there's the rub — how to obtain that fire. " Light a match, to be sure." 

 " But matches there are none ! " " What, no matches ?" " No ; the matches 

 were wet crossing a rapid stream this morning, and will not burn." " But 

 we must have fire ; the night is cold and dark ; coffee must be boiled ; the 

 venison must be cooked. Besides, without fire we shall perish with the 

 cold." 



How valuable now becomes the poor despised little match. What 

 would we give for one ? But as none are here, and they do not grow on 

 trees, what can we do 1 Why, go back to the days when we had none — 

 when nobody had thought matches out. Do as the Indians do — draw the fire 

 from its hiding-place. It exists in everything — even in ice and snow. It 

 lies there latent, and nrast be wakened from its sleep and made to crackle 

 and to burn. Come, let us rouse our servant — so faithful while in servitude, 

 so tyrannous and cruel when we are slaves to it. 



Take two dry pieces of wood, and placing the end of one against the 

 body of that tree, bear against it with your breast to keep it firm ; now 

 take the other by both hands, and bearing down, with all the force you 



