New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-05-23
NETWORK DAILY TRIBUNE, FRIDAY, MAY 20, Ioo1.

on bspoh and see pass through all this long hne o
,sv hands until il comes out 10 finished noodles al
the other end. d.
TIE first man briggs the wire under the operation
- cnt,ino machine, which divides it into lengths
su,abe TO make two needles These pieces are then
p,,eed srgly upon a little anvil, upon when a hau'
mer drops and forms the groove at the eye ana Ut
tLe same time congresses the wire more hrm'y 10
gether. and develops any flaw that may exist.
These dies are 70 formed that portion OF the metal
:. ,uedped of at the sides of the wire toward tue
noiut and the square form given to the head OF the
needle. ,u.
The next oreration 10 drilling the eyes. This, TO
o,e who has never seen this delicate and curious
orera,iop, must APPEAR to be very slow one ""o
ftiounz TO tie eyes of the operator, aud the cause
Of The principal part Of the expense OF making
needles. We found that "practce makes perfect,
in ts branch "a well an Others and that the work Is
done mu h more rapidly than We had thought posi-
b,e The nan takes about q dozen needles between
Tie thumb and finger Of the left hard, bringing them
one after another under the point of the drill which
il running constantly in m upright position on the
bench before bim and we observed that each needle
as it approached the drill seemed to place ifelf 60
sligit was the touch Of the operator, in the exact
position necessary for the operation, and that the eyes
wee bored faster than we can write the words de-
scribing how it was done.
From the drller the needles pass along the line OF
workmen successfully 10 one who holds each
moment in a little machine that cuts away The EUR
plus metal toward the point; to another who grnds
and finishes mp the points on an emery wheel; to an
other who cute the two needesapart; TO another who
ni.hes the heads and 20 on, operation after opera
ton, until the needle is fnishod Every needle IS
handled separately many times. Every eye Is care
fully smoo,hed by having thread saturated with OIL
end coated with fine emery passed rapidly back and
forth through it by hand.
Every needle has TO be bent to the exact shape re-
quired; and finally, after being tempered, every one
is subjected separately to test, to prove its
temper and all carefully examined as to insh before
they ore counted AID packed for sale.
The most tedious and expensive part OF the pro-
cess appeared 10 us to be the polishing OF the eyes
s each needle has TO he separately threaded the END
of the thread being held in the left hand the needle
il moved rapidly by the right hand until finished.
We were told that this process was peculiar to this
est tblshnent. In the manufactures OF common
needles, they are strung in quantities upon copper
wires and those attached 20 revolving wheels, work
ing in oil and emery that the eyes are polished by
mech anical operation, which cannot be applied 10
sewing -nachine needes, owing 10 the situation OF
the eyes lear the points. II il the great amount OF
/ hand labor, in a country where mechanics wages
are 90 much higher than in Europe, that makes this
Kind Of Ieedles 81 expensive. All attempts TO sno-
,tue the cheap labor Of England in the manuiac-
ture OF needles for American sewing-maehnes have
proved aboriive.
The Wheeler g. Wilson Company have several
times hired English needle makers, who had served
long apprenticeship at the business, aud in all cases
found them inferior to Americans who had no pre-.
Won, know edge Of the business. The latter were
ready to learn the former hard TO nn!earn.
HOW TO INSURE ACCURACY.
Beside Il accuracy OF machinery, each workman
i. provided with hardened steei gage for the par
ticular work at which he 10 employed the standard
Of which !. kept in the iron safe in the suqefn-
tendents Office. Then, most OF the men woI. by
the piece, each days work Of Gnisher is carried to
the inspection room and il all passes inspection the
work nan credited 10 that they from - TO =
day.
From the inspectors room the parts are taken, a.
required, TO the plating, gliding japannng' and or
namenting rooms and 10 tbs workmen who put the
machines together all of which after being carefully
adjusted, are thoroughly proved but are never
ready tor rale until they have passed final nspec-
ton by man who see. that each one works perfectly,
no matter whether high or low cost one, and tia
each has is quota of needles and boJbins and little
too.. Wnen packed for shipment the cases are low
ereo from the inspection room and placed directly
upon cars of tie New-York and Now-Hayen rail-
10. d.
THE STEAM POWER.
| Tie machinery Of the iron shop is driven by twin
engines each rated ut IS horsepower, 80 that both
may run together or separate. ~ may h. Convenient
when cleaning repairing. The work shops
are I'll warmed b. steam. The machinery OF the
God shop, which 10 tue other side Of tie quad
rspgle is driven by another engine.
TIE WOOD WORK FOR CASES, &C.
This branch Of the establishment lie much more ex-
teusive than we anticipated. We judge it must o.
cupy one hundred woIkmen. la making tables, MI
are formed Of layers Of wood crossing the course
of the grain, five layers deep, firmly glued and press
ed together, 60 they can neither split nor warp.
| The cases, some Of which very rich roeewood,
or other costly material, made in the same way.
We counted some of the sides OF the in
Of construction of ten thcknesses.
| Then there is vast quantity of lumber made into
packng boxes, in which machines are shipped TO al.
most all parts Of The civilized world.