New-York tribune., 1867-10-19
PROGRESS OF AMERICAN MAYUFAcrURES

From time to time we wish TO note the pro
grcs Of our inventors In supplying our wants WITH
kinds Of goods The subject broad and IL will he
useful least showing what branches present oppor
tunies for the Of further skill on this occasion
will speak Of buttons on visit 10 the large whole
sale establishment OF Alexander Harthin, No. Broad
way gather the following facts The manufacture OF
buttons in this country Of origin aud growth
Many can remember when they were always stamped
with the names OF the English towns where they
manufactured Although there has been great change.
st we do not manufacture more than half our supplies
and may say that, al rough estimate annually
send much 10000 10 Europe to pay Ion buttons
Ornamental buttons COR ladies' occupy place In
commerce little thought Of and extensive has the bust
ness become that they form almost the exclusive stock
OF wholesale dealers, who have at times from $4,000
20 100000 worth hand The immense variety aud the
large investments fancy buttons is astonishing They
are both imported and dome site and the imports amount
10 $4,000 month equal 10 three quarters Of million OF
dollars currency per annum. Here and Ia Europe much
of the work is done by women and girls the youngest
girls sometimes being most expert and n all departments
they assisted by machinery Large quantities IN TINS
country made Waterbury and bridgeport, Conn.
and In Newark and New Brunswick n j. The following
arc the varieties made Cloak. dress horn lndiarubber
Jet silk crochet and bead, mirror and crystal glass,
ivory steel agate aud brass also, velvet In all varieties
made IN this city. In Bridgeport, and n New England
generally with which Europeans cannot compete SIX OF
almost every color and style also made here and pearl
from the slirtbutton TO those for the elegant manta,
which made in Europe, and which range price from
% cents 20 Sl2O gross.
This the cloak buttons Of domestic manufacture
are ahead of anything workmen have done be
fore and they have largely used than the
ported except the jet hutton which generally from
Europe The Of Jet imported buttons Is greater than
all other fancy buttons combined They madewholly
in Bohemia Here opportunity for our inventors to
supply o home demand. The prices OF fancy buttons
run as high az sl2O and $50 a gross stl Judgment
required and it Is apparent TO Us IN considering
not only this. but other manufactured articles, that
We would have great assistance II young
persons educated in schools OF design, for the
style and device often decide the value Of art
Gle when put upon the market. Sometimes a manufac
turer will spend much money In getting up styles which
do not take but II the contrary the he viii have
an article which will keep him running the entire
When "a button is introduced and is found TO please
IL ia sure 10 find way the shelves dealer in
the country matter how large his stock OF other kinds
may be.
silk crochet and jet beads made largely in
country being used cloth mantles and silk sacques
and they furnish employment hundreds and perhaps
thousands OF reputable young women who do the work
at home Mirror and crystal buttons OF which
very elegant and sell from $50 10 slOO gross, Of En-
glish French, and German manufacture. Glass buttons
make heavy items for the Spring and Summer trade some
OF which are made here by tc0rBen from Bohemia rival
ing some OF the best designs OF foreign wOrkmen and at
prices which prohibit importation In horn buttons the
French decidedly excel In beauty Of design and excel
ence Of finish One will be surprised that no horn but
tons are made In America where we have so many horns
hut the Yankee has got up an imitation Of various cOors
well adapted to prevailing styles. Ivory buttons, made
from vegetable ivory growing in South America, are OF
dark coors and foreigners have hard work TO compete
with the Americans steel buttons are made from the
ze of min head 10 that Of half dollar and in every
STYLE but they are Of foreign manufacture We, however
make what are called steel nail heads used for trim
ming ladies' dresses which answer all purposes OF the
Unmarried and they cost much less Agate buttons, both
ulan and pearly white, made OF mineral substance
i France only India rubber are Of purely domestic
work large quantities are made, finding ready market in
all parts of the world and they rival the French horn
They are made under patent at NeW-BrunsWick' "
j. Brass every conceivable stye' thongh not much
worn. are made at Waterbury and Newark. At the
los, named places all the army buttons made
durinc the war Crochet buttons have become staple
article and are made by French peasants, mostly by
hand. ,.,,. .,ttoa - ,......
Bugle gimp trimmings are so closely aned TO buttons
that they are sold by the establishments These
are very fashionable and becoming ana there s the ad
vantage that they be taken OF ana used on other gar
meuts The prices range from 10 cents TO $40 a yard
These are OF foreign manufacture such are the leading
,c With regard 10 the trade in buttons TO get clearer
idea Of the business, one should make 'iS't 10 Mr Hart
bIs establishment and he will he asonished To find the
r,le In endless variety automatically arranged and
in quantities so to speak, by the tun
FACTORY BURNED AT NEWCASTLE.
Nessrs. Isaac and William llasted's cotton and
burned to the ground Wdnesay night iht Ere which supposed
10 have been i,a.a ~ , , . "a 10 have re-, insured on, the