rather difficult to describe.

A large quantity of the products of these works is used directly in the
very town, in factories for making clocks, watches, pins, and other
articles.

It is interesting and curious to note how the manufacture of brass in this
country originally started.

During the war of 1812 many useful articles became scarce; among these
were buttons. A man named Benedict, who lived in Waterbury, began to make
them out of bone, and became very prosperous.

About 1830 "Dame Fashion" ordained that brass or gilt buttons should be
worn. At first Benedict imported brass from England, but as he could not
get it of the required thinness, he resolved to make it himself. As copper
was scarce, he travelled about the country, buying up old copper kettles
and other things made of copper, which he melted with zinc, and had the
resulting brass slabs rolled at a neighboring iron rolling-mill. In this
way the great brass industry of the United States started. Its product is
now valued at $60,000,000 a year.

H.H. ROGERS, JR.

APRIL 6th, 1897.




PINS.