New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-06-28
ABOUT NEEDLES AND PINS.
AN ENGLIsHMAN WANTS TO KNOW. YOU KNOW.
From The Washington Star.

From The Washington Star.
There is an ola distch that thus; Needles
and pins, needles and prs When man marries
his trouble begirsw This shows that needles and
pins may become very vital subject Of inquiry to
some men They may be topics that lie very close
Mr. j. Russell Endean. of Castario Cockngton
Devon, England is just now following up this in
teresting. not to absorbing line of Investigate
l; may be that he Is trying to solve thai ola and
needles. 1t is query that Is worthy OF the atten-
ton of the most learned men Of both continents;
his recent letter TO we'l-known citizen OF WASH
ngton may be taken as an index
Mr.. s. W. Woodward. president OF the Washing
ton Board Of Trade, was somewhat astonished this
morning to find Mr.. Endeans letter in his mai 1t
addressed ITO the Right Honorable the Pres-
dent OF the Board Of Trade, the Board of Trade
Offices, Washington. L. 5: A." NJ Woodward Is a
ever and he somewhat at loss to comprehend
the reason why his unknown correspondents shoulc
have honored him by the superscription Then 1t
occurred to him that in London the president OF the
Board OF Trade is a member Of the Cabinet. and Is
a very high Official, and he made a mental bow to
the writer at Castaro.
But the contents OF the epistle puzzled him more
than the address. 1t read as follows: Il am making
interesting researches into the history and manu-
fac'ure Of pins and needles IN the United states OF
from your side Of the sea the information want
trust may appeal to you 10 render your valuable
que -tions which shall be greatly Obliged II the
Information connected with pins and needles, and
the address OF the chief makers OF both you may be
able give. i shall esteem nlgn nOnOr, anu fo4
which shall be deeply grateful
Now Mr. Woodward knows good deal about pins
and needles commercial commodities but the
queries propounded staggered him somewhat. There
twenty OF thern-nlne about needles and eleven
about pins What Mr.. Endean wants TO know about
needles would probably h book. For example. he
asks when II that the first needle factory was
set I'D I'm the United States, and where, ana VINO
was the positive inventor OF the sewing machine.
Next he wishes learn the name OF the first POSI-
tive inventor OF the sewing machine needle and It's
the annual value of the output OF needles import
cd from Great Britain in 1850 and the latest value.
or the value the latest return He also desires
TO know the yearly value OF the output OF needles
in the States and value Of its exports Of needles.
But needles alone do not absorb all OF Mr.. En-
deans interest under this head for the next ques-
made in the States?' The list ends with the re.
ouest for the names and addresses OF the principal
needle makers In the states
The pin question runs thus: When and where
was the first pin factory set up? What kind Of pin
was In use in the States 100 years ago? Can Tougn
sketch OF IL be sent obtained? Are there many
p!nmakers In the States? Are there many pms now
made by hand, all made by the machine?
What was the yearly output OF pms IN !sD! w nat
was the yearly export OF pins in 1850? What Is the
yearly output OF ems IN the b en s nf .h
import Of pins into the states IN 1871 w hat was me
value of the import OF pins into the States In 1897
Mr.. Woodward Is just now looking up an tne
available Information under the head OF pinoogy
He Is by nature a polite man. and ne dlsnkes inc
idea OF sending no reply whatever TO MS English
CORRESPONDENT or OF sending back word that he
really cannot tell him all the things he wants to
know so he is reading up on the subject: IL II
good deal like the proverbal task 81 hndlng
needle in haystack FOR people seneraIy TAX pms
and needles very much for granted. just as though
they grew bushes. and seem never 10 give any
Thought 10 their sources OF production ANY lnior-
nation on the subject OF needles and pins mat any
one I'm Washington may possess VIII be grateinIiy
and gladly received by the president OF the Board
OF Trade.