The Polynesian., 1841-08-28
s L L E C. TIE D.

BCTTONs The making OF these indis-
pensabe articles is taking an honorable rank
among cur domestic manuiacturcs-so much
SO, that the force of the adage, " Having a
soul above buttons, - is somewhat diminish
ed. The Northampton Courier gives the
following account Of the process
Perhaps not one man in thousand sus-
poets that almost all the buttons which orna-
ment garments in the United States, are
made in a small village in Hampshire Coun-
ty, Mass But such is the fact and it is
actually new to US, as it will doubtless be to
the reader. Not many years have elapsed
since foreign buttons were exclusively used
in this country. More recently sewed but
tons were introduced, made up by the girls;
but these have been almost entirely super
seeded by much more superior article, man
ulactured by machinery by the Nlessrs j.
J HAYDEN, for MIR Samuel Wilston, Of
Easthampton.
We are indebted to the politeness Of Mr.
Joel HAYDEN, last week for an ample insight
into their extensive establishment, located in
the beautiful village Of Haydenville, on the
road to Williamsburg, about seven miles
from town. The process by which they
manufacture buttons is not merely new, but
entirely original; the machinery being the
product of the skill, test, and ingenuity Of
those gentlemen The button itself consists
of five parts-first, the outer covering Of silk
or Iasting-second the tin mould over which
that is drawn-third, thick, flexible stuff
fng of pasteboard, to give firmness to the
whOle-fourth, bit of strong cloth which
forms the eye-and fifth the ring through
which the eye projects, which any one can
observe by merely examining his own coat
buttons.
In the manufacture of the Williston hexi-
BILE shrank button, each one passes Tough
fifteen different hands from the raw material
to the finishing stroke. The tin which gives
form to the button, is cut into circular pieces
by machinery, and by another person the
edges are turned up for future use. All the
other parts of the button are formed sepa-
rately by various ingenious processes, the
labor upon each being classed, so that the
different parts are thrown OFT with great ra-
pidity.
After all the parts Of the button are made,
one set Of hands are employed in adjusting
them together. OF course they are in a loose
state and need some curiously nice and yet
powerful process to interlock the parts, and
give symmetry and strength to the whole.
This is performed by an accurate little appa-
ratus moved by girl-and the button, from
loose number of pieces, is instantly consol-
idated, the ring pressed into the circular tin
which shapes the button, closing in the edges
of the covering, and goving it the compact
ness and strength it possesses when on the
coat A finishing process follows, by which
the convex shape is bestowed, and this con-
sists of another exquisite machine, something
like hopper, revolving horizontally, the
button going in on one side unfinished, and
dropping out on the other in perfect state.
This establishment supplies the button
market for the whole United States. They
possess great strength and durability, and
are made with astonishing quickness by
classifying the labor; so that at this factory,
which employs about two hundred girls, over
a thousand gross, from the most simple kind
to the most elegant satin figured buttons, are
manufactured daily, In one part of this ex-
tensve concern, iron or pea jacket buttons
are made, and the little machine which takes
straight wire and instantly forms it into eyes
for buttons, seems really to possess intelli-
gence as we'll as the most perfect action.
We are glad to learn that these gentle
men are abundanty compensated by inces-
SAINT demands for their article-the just re-
ward Of such intelligence, skill and unwea-
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