Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1850-11-07

There I. nothing very remarkable IN steel
pen manufactory, as regards ingenuity of con-
trivance, OF factory organization. Upons large
scale Of production, the extent of labor
gagged in pEcdUoing so minute article, is
necessarily striking. But the process is just
curious and interesting when conducted in
small shop, as in large. The pure steel,
as it comes from the rolling mill, Is cut up n
10 strips about two inches and half in width.
These are further cut in.o the proper size for
the pen. The pieces are then annealed and
cleansed. The makers name is neatly inn
pressed on the metal and the euiting-tool
forms the slit, although imperfecly at this
stage. The pen shape is given by convex
punch pressing the plate into concave die.
The pen IS formed, when the slit is perfected.
! 1t has now to be hardened, and finally cleans
ed and polished by the simple agency Of
! Fiction in cylinder. All the varieties Of
the form of siccl-ren, are produced BY the
I punch all the contriyauces of Sits and apeg-
trres above the nib, by the cutting-tool.-
Every Improvement has had for its object to
overcome the rigidIty Of the steel-to Initiate
the elasticity Of the quill, whilst bestowii.g
( upon the pen a superior durability.
/ The perfection that may reasonably be de
mandel in a steel pen, has yet to be reached.
But the improvement in the manufacture is
most decidej. Twenty years ago. to one who
might choose. regardless Of expense, between
the Quill pen and the steel, the best Birming-
ham and London production was anabomina-
ton. But we can trace the gradual acquies-
cence Of most men in the writing implement
Of the multitude. Few Of US, in an age when
The small economies are carefully observed,
and even paraLed, desire to use quill pens, at
twelve shiIlings a hundred, as Treasury Clerks
once luxuriated in their use-an hours work
and then new one. TO mend pen, IS
J troublesome to the old. and even to the mid
dle-aged man. who has once acqai ed the art !;
the young, for tie most part, have not learnt
it. The mos, pains-taflng and Pennrlons an
thor. would never dream Of Initiating The
wondraus man who translated Piiny with
- one grey goose quill ieel pens are SO
cheap, that if one scratches and spluuefs, II
may be thrown away, and another may be
tried, until suitable one is found. But
whom a really good one is found. we cling TO
it, as worldly men cling 10 their friends; we
u-e it till it breaks down, CT grows rusty
We can do no more; we handle it IS Isack
! Walton handled the frog upon his hook : as
if we loved him. We could almost taucy
some ana!ogy between the gradual and dgei-
ded improvement Of tie steel ren-one Ct
the new instruments cf education-and tie
effects Of education itself upon the mass Of
the people. An instructed nation ouput to
present the same gradually Per5cting combi-
nation Of strength with elasticity. The t.
vorites Of fortune are like the quill, readily
made fs7 social purposes, with little ser1-
ping aud polishing. The bulk Of the commu-
nity have to be formed cut Of ruder and
tougher matcrills-to be converted, welded
and tempered into pliancy. The manners Ct
the great British family have decidedly ia
proved under cuiiurc--'' e5noiH Enores : may
the sturdy set-reapect cf the Tece never be
impaired !--Li-hen's {oas h94 IJ0ras.