The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1915-11-12
Friday, November 12, 1915.
WAR HELPED NEEDLE BUSINESS

One of the industries in this
country which has been given an inn
petus by the war in Europe but which
turns out a product in no respect re-
lated to munitions or army supplies
is the manufacture of latch needles
used in the making Of knit under
wear and hosiery. From the present
time until Christmas the latch needle
department of the Charles Cooper
Estate machine shops will be run UNI
til 9 o'clock five evenings each week
to fill portion of the orders that the
concern is constantly receiving. Dur
ing the past month Charles S. Kehoe,
the managing executor has received
requests for twice as many needles
as the plant could produce and it is
safe to say that all of the manufac-
turers in this country have had sim
liar experience.
There are no hand needles made in
the United States and the manufac-
ture of sewing machine needles and
knitting needles are not large in-e
dustries. There are less Tran a dozen
concerns engaged in the latch needle
business and more than fifty per cent
of the output comes from Connecti-
cut, There are several small plants
in New Hampshire. two in the state
of New York and there is some pro-
duction in New Jersey and Pennsyl-
vania The plant of the Charles
Cooper Estate is the only one in Yer
mont.
Under the Payne-Aldrich bill there
was tariff OF one dollar thousand
specific duty and twenty-five per-
cent ad yalorem on all latch needles
this country to hold their own against
the competition from Germany where
the larger portion of the needles used
in the world are made. Even while
the Payne tariff bin was in force the
needle manufacturers in this country
did not do an extensive business
Germany secured the patronage of the
customers who bought in large lots
The American. manufacturers best.
protection was dues.to the. fact dhat \
there are not many largeashnder Wear \
and hosiery, tGepterss in this Country, \
most OF the manufacturing in this
line being carried on in comparative
ly small plants distributed through.
a number of different states. AS u
consequence large orders for needles
were the exception and the knit goods
men secured their stocks from Some
manufacturer in their immediate VIC
Unity The Underwood tariff bsll ali
olished the specific duty of one dollar
aathousand on the needles and reduc.
ed the ad valorern from twenty-five
to ten per cent No reduction in the
prices of the needles to the user re-
suited from the change but the Ger
man manufacturer was able to in
crease his profits about two dollars
thousand on standard makes.
When the war opened, England
was no longer able to purchase sup
plies of needles in Germany and the
underwear and hosiery manufacture
ers in that country have been endeav-
oring to purchase in the United |
States. Because of the limited facili- !
ties of the needle makers here it is |
at present impossible for the factor |
les to fill all Of their foreign orders
End many have been refused.
One of the peculiarities of the in |
dustfy is that it is impossible to buy |
needle machinery for the reason that |
eaCn manufacturer has built his own |
machines from patterns which are |
not. like those Of any ether concern |
engaged in the business. To increase
his equipment it would be necessary
for a manufacturer to make additions |
himself and he is too busy trying to |
turn out needles to undertake the |
work. The best he can do is to run
his plant as many hours day as pos
sible and fill the most promising look
ing orders.