New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-23
EARLY MATCHMAKING.
GLANCE AT THE HISTORY OF THE
MOST USEFUL OF DEVICES.
THE MooRs FIRST MANUFACTURED STEEL
NEEDLES, AND THIS NOT EARLIER THAN

THE MOORS FIRST MANUFACTURED eiSSN
NEEDLES AND THIS NOT EARLIER THAN
THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY.
DR. Johnsons remark that many man has COM
rnitted suicide because he did not know now 10
darn his stockings shows how closely cohhec.eu
with the greater part of LIES history Is the heeoie
There are few implements upon whose services we
are so universally dependent. for 1t enters INTO al
our existence Our first garments are fashioned
nv Il and at every step in life find 1t most
necessary Few people ever think OF the time
when needles did not come put UP in smai o'acn
paper packages marked in the direrent Sizes an"
yet needle. like everything else mas n n's'o'
II seems strange indeed. when the antiquity Vi
the art of needlework Is considered. that the hrs'
notice in history regarding the making OF wire or
steel needles Is no earlier than the niteehth cen
fury The sewing implement In early times ap
nears n have been the thorn pierced at the blunt
end TO take the thread. while ivory or cora' NEE
dies for tapestry work were used IL Is supposeu
that the manufacture of wire needles originated III
snain The finest needcwork and rarest point iaces
were made in that country many years before o'h-
ers took up the industry. and the greatest periec-
ton In these branches OF work was ATTAINED III
early centuries under Spanish auspices
The first trace of needle making In England Is
noted in Slows Chronicles. where he tells ho" IN
i5i5 a Spanish Moor came over TO England anu
engaged in this manufacture. but this artisan reso-
lutev refused TO divugt his secret to any one ana
after his death the art d out. 1t ola not re''e
again until 1856. when a German. with the heip OF
some skilled French workmen, came TO the bri's"
Islands and began the process Of matchmaking
FOR the second time From this the Industry gre"
steadily but the makers seem never to have to'-
gotten the Spanish Moor. and when the Guild OF
Needle Makers formed they adopted as their
mark or coat-of-arms a crest, surmounted by
negro's head.
wire FOR tho needles was brought from Germany
-ixt
being cut into the right length II was iiattehea az
one end on anvil TO form the head ana eye
then put in the IRE ana sIienSS through the
large or fatened end: then II was turned oyer anu
nerforatinr it and forming the eye Afterward the
rough point rounded off by mana ne, .le
mean Then the needles were laid OUT iron
pan and put over fire of charcoal until the Pan ,
mediately thrown into cold water to harden QUICK
lv: after this they given few taps Win 4
Vext came the opcrat ton OF securing. which was
accomplished by sprnkng them with ., emery OUT II,
and when several OF these rolls were lied toSctncr
they were placed under the feet Of the "orkma IN
fe"t while he busted himself with some Other pN:t
Of his work with his hands. After wn''e NC
washed dried in bran. sorted as to size ana use use
and then they were ready for sale No wonuoi !
vcn whtn sold FOR tho price asked. how near coult
the noodle maker come to getting a far reco'hp'''
for all ms time a.o.J,,
by single workmcn In their cottages. as were ~
most all tho industries in Engl9nd for Ion. nn r
PREVIOUS 10 the Introduction Of water ana steam
hover instead Of hand work, and most jealousy
was any NEW device for making better ana edste1
work Guarded by tho inventor. Account IS given
OF one worker waiting until tho whole Village Wa
US not biz 10 keep his secret for rivnl wachrd
him from outside and then stole his improvement H.
Rut IL was no, until the full force o, machinc,,y
and its greater speed and accuracy mad pccn iuy
demonstrated that the needle kcrs would adopi
mechanical apparatus is uscu
a, everv turn in the manufacture OF the needle i
still has to undergo seventy different processes
/ bcfor, the piece Of steel wire comes out OF me
factory tho slender polished instrument OF usctui-
ness with which are so FAMILIAR