The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-02-04
SCREWS FOR ALL ooRKs.
One Factory Makes Enough to Give
One to Every Man.
From the New York Tribune.

Newark, n. j., Jan. 27.-Hard times
have made no difference with the cork
screw. More Of them than ever were
turned out during the last year. New
ark is the birthplace of most of the cork
screws of the world. Hence, this is a good
spot to get statistics on the subject.
When it is stated that one firm in this
city alone made 10000, 900 corkscrews
last year, the size and Importance of the
industry will be understood. This beats
the record The Wilson bill isn't sup
posed to disturb the traffic in the least.
1t is hard to see just what is done with all
the corkscrews that are manufactured
every twelve months. There must be a
tremendous lot of them broken and lost.
The fact that the last years yield was
big enough to supply every voter on the
globe with one, and leave enough over to
supply the advocates of women suffrage, is
proof of the statement.
The average length Of the corkscrew is
three inches. If the corkscrews turned
on the market by one fra, in 1893, could
be laid length to length they would have
extended from New York to San Fran
cisco, would have spanned the Pacific
ocean and reached half way across Japan.
This, be it remembered, was the work Of
only one establishment. If all the new
corkscrews of 1898 could be numbered,
they would doubtless be sufficient to sup
ply every inhabitant of this sphere with
one of the articles
1t requires nearly 100 men simply to
twist the screws for the 160, 900, 900 nipple
ments. These men worked full time, too,
aud every day of the year, except Sun
days and holidays. It took a number
more hands to make the wooden and
other styles of handles There are nearly
fifty varieties in the market. Among
them are the ring handle, steel wire
screws tor demijohns and large bottles,
the folding screw and the broad wire
handle screw. Several years ago an ice
pick and cigar box opener was made with
screw concealed in the steel tube han
die. The tube can be slipped of, and the
ice-pick forms the handle Of the screw.
Another novelty has a brush in the
handle, SO that the waiter in restaurant
is not Obliged TO run his fingers around
the inside of the neck of a wine bottle in
order to remove the particles of cork and
dust. For champagne bottles a screw is
made with o blade in one end Of the
the handle TO cut tbs Irvine around the
cork. Another handle contains both the
blade and the brush. The power cork
SCI ew is an ingenious and popular
arrangement, which saves the knees and
arms from a tussle with an obstinate
cork. A cone of steel fits over the neck of
the bottle, ana the screw draws the cork
while the cone presses on the bottle.
Cheap novelties out of twisted wire
have also been invented and patented by
those in the corkscrew trade The spiral
thumbscrew is one of these. 1t can be
pushed into board and easily removed,
after serving as a temporary hatrack. It
can be purchased for 81 gross, and re-
tails at 5 cents. Spiral paper hooks, wall
hooks, hat and coat racks and stair but
tons, card surpenders, and holders, bill
files, soap holders, pickle forks, toasting
and vegetable forks, and spiral shoe but
ton hooks are also manufactured here in
Newark. There is also a left-handed
corkscrew. The original was made for a
left-handed bartender, and it has been
popular A Newark firm turns over 300,-
900 pocket corkscrews every year.
The query has already been raised as
to what becomes of all the corkscrews
OF course, loss and breakage cut quite a
figure. Large New York restaurants buy
corkscrews direct from the Newark
makers, and they get hundreds at a time.
1t is no unusual thing for big hardware
houses in Boston, New York, Philadel-
phia and Washington to order 10000 cork
pullers at time.