Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1907-01-19
NEED OF NEEDLES.
The Daily Output Wouldn't he h'"'
Even In Haystack.

Even In Haystack.
Ono noodle is q pretty small item, but
the daily consumption or soliie'ninS
like 8 600. 600 needles all over tue Won
makes a pretty big total Every 9e"'
the women of the United States ole"N'
lose and use about 300,OOO,OOo Oh lneso
little instruments.
Our needles are the finished product
Of American ingenuity, skill ana work-
manship and yet how many people
threading needle or taking stltcn
have ever given thought to the varl-
ous processes through which the wire
must pass ere 1t comes out neeule!
The manufacture of a single needle III
cludes some twenty-one or Twenty-Five
different processes, as follows: Cu''ins
the wire into lengths, Strengthening oy
rubbing while heated, pointing tho
ands ON grindstones, stamping impress
sion for the eyes, growing, eying' the
eve being pierced by screw presses
splitting. threading the double neeuie
nv the ewes on short lengths OF fine
wire: filing. removing the cheek" left
on each side Of the eye by stamping'
breaking. separating the two needles
on the one length Of wire; heading,
heads fled and smoothed to remove the
bur left by stamping and breaking;
hardening in oil, the needle being thus
made brittle; temperlng; picking, sepa-
rating those crooked In hardening;
STRENGTHENING the crooked ones, scour-
ing and polishing; bluing, softening
the eyes by heat; drilling or cleaning
out the sides of the eye; head grinding;
point setting, or the final sharpening;
fual polishing. then papering and FINAL
" labelling. For wrapping purple pa
per is used because 1t prevents rusting.
There are many sorts and kinds OF
needles. First, there is the surgeons
grewsome outft-the probing needle
made for tracking bullets or hidden
cavities of pus; the harelip needle
the long pins for pinning open wounds
the postmortem needle Of curious pat
tern Some Of these little instruments
are thin some are thick. Others are
long and straight. Others again curve
once. twice or three times. The vet
Urinary surgeon has his special outn
also. The cooks needles are wonder
fully fearfully made. His Harding
needle is used to sew large pieces o
meat together The trusting needle i
made on purpose to insert melted but
ter or sauce right into the vitals of
Christmas turkey. 1t is hollow and ma
a large opening. into which the sauc
Is poured. Nor less interesting are IN
needles which the upholsterer uses
Some are half curved and some hay
round points. He has needles VIII
curious eyes-long, round, egg an
countersunk eyes. The same KIND
needles are used by collar maker
Then there are the delicate needle
used by wigmakers, glOvemakers an
weayers. These are often as fine as
hair. The glove needles are splend
sDecimens of skillful workmanshi
The finest of them have three cornert
noints. The great sail needle, whiC
has to be pushed with a steel pail
would puzzle most people. So, TOO u
broommaker's needle, which must all
be pushed with a steel palm; the cul
Gus knitting machine needle, with l
latchet; the arrasene and crewel ne
dies and the needle for shirrlng N
chimes, the weaver's pin for picking
broken threads, with an open eye IN q
hook. The long instrument used
milliners. the needle Of the rag BALI
the knife point ham needle used
the stockyards, the astrakhan needle
these and other varieties do not call I
special notice.
The needle as we see it today Is I
evolved product of centuries OF inV'
ton. In its primitive form it was ma
of bone ivory or wood. The maxi
of Spanish needles was introduc
into England during the reign OF que
Elizabeth. Point by point the maj
facture has improved until the little
strument Is one of the highly hnlsn
products Of nineteenth century n
chinery and skill.-Scientifc Americ'