Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-06-19
PINS AND NEEDLES.
An Interesting Chapter shous these uss-
ful Domestic Artieiss.

fai Domestie Artieiss.
Pins are OF very ancient invention, as
they were manufactured by the Egyp-
fnns In the time OF the Pharoahs. Many
OF these useful articles were found In the
tombs OF her kings In the Pyramids.
Some OF them were OF quite elaborate
manufacture, and must have been costly,
ns they had gold heads and were six TO
eight inches in length. Needles are also
supposed to be OF great antiquity, and
their introduction in Europe Is said to
have taken place nj the time of the Sara
cen invasion and conquest OF Spain. The
first needles made in England were man
ufacturcd at London by negro who
came there from Spain during the reign
Of Queen Mary. He died without i'm
parting the secret Of his art; but ii was
subsequently recovered in 1865 by one
Elias Growse. A century later one Chris
tophcr Greening was instrumental in cs-
tablislIing factory Mt Long Crcadon. in
Buckinghamshire.
he first pms manufactured in Eng
land were made at Gloucester in 1926
but subsequently this industry was es-
tablislcd in Birmingham, and that city
II now the headquarters of the pin trade
of Great Britain. The best English pins
are Of superior excellence, and are put
up in green paper; but inferior pins are
also put up in the same way, and are
frequently palmcd of upon the unsus-
pccting purchaser ~ the genuine pro-
duction. When pins were first made in
England the raw material passed through
fourteen different processes before COM
plction. and each of these processes en-
ployed a separate operative. The op-
crations consisted Of strai iglltening the
NIFiF4 t.linftnf ia int r.tf, lft al
twisting wire for heads. anncaling
heads. stamping heads, cleaning, whit
rning, washing. polishing. winnowing,
papcrpricking and putting in papers.
The business Of pin making was cstab-
lished in this country in 1912, when, in
consequence Of the war with Great
Britain. the price rose from six cents to
one dollar per paper. Invention was
consequently stimulated. and pins were
manufactured nj Greenwich. New York,
or what now constitutes that part Of the
metropolis in the vicinity Of Christopher
street. west side. At the close Of hos
TITLES the effort was abandoned, rs we
could no longer compete with English
cheap labor and low rates Of interest.
In l~20 the business was resumed al
Bellevue Almshouse but soon was again
abandoned. In 1924 Lrmuel Wright. of
hi'tN-ttA hNl@'lAH. lUNtHlst anu pAlAntTl
in England the first machine that made
solid-hcaded pins. hut the enterprise
lacked encouragement. and il was nearly
ten years subsequent before pins Of his
make were sold in London. Perfect pins
10y this process were manufactured dur
ing the revolution Of n single wheel. and
this machine. since considerably i'm
proved. j. the one used at present in the
largest manufactures in Birmingham.
Since 1924 several Americans have
patented machines for making pins. hut
the most successful invention was the
work Of Mr. Fowler But the entire
process j. mystery Ia the uninitiatcd.
and the secret is carefully kept hidden
from curious eyes. Most of the best
American pins are made iraC Connecticut.
after Fow.cr's process. In 1Ie establish
mcnt are eighty-iiyc machincs. which
consume annually many tons of brass or
iron wire. and turn out millions of pins.
Brass pins are whitencd by long boiling
in copper vessels containing block. tin.
Tho process Of making white iron pins
j. still secret. There are eight pin
Factories in the United States. with an
annual production Of about 1000. coo. 600
pins.
Pin-papcrs are marked hy the use OF y
nodded piece Of wood. which cor
responds to those portions representing
the small folds. through which the holes
are made for the pins Ia he secured. The
pin-stickcr. usually girl. gathers two Of
the folds together. and places these be-
tween the jaws of a vice having grooves
10 serve as a guide for the entry of the
pins. When filled the paper il released
and held up 80 that the eye Of the cx-
pert at once detects every defective pin.
and causes its removal.
Needles differ from pins in being made
Of steel. and having an eye for the recep-
/ tion Of thread. n sharper point, and a
highly-polished body English needles
Of the best makes are very elastic. the
metal being suitably tempered. and the
| eyes all finely finished and FURNISHED. so
as not to cut the thread. A great many
needles are spoiled while in process OF
tcmprring. as the steel of which they
are made Is apt 10 be 80 variable in
quality. and in heated state. while un-
| dcrgoing chemical action. they are easily
| injured. Securing is also a delicate
I operation. and needles when not properly
hardened and polished are always Of in
ferior strength and quickly accumulate
rIist.-NeW York Mercantile Journal.