376 



MEMOIR OF DANIEL TREADWELL. 



Combined with the top, it is intended to hold it back in a more equable manner 

 than the rope-tails, and thereby give a more equable hardness to the rope. 



The figure represents a tail to make a four-stranded rope, a a is a disk of wood 

 or iron, having through it the hole or opening bb. c c are four blocks screwed 



upon the face of the disk a a. dd are four 

 solid cylinders, or rubbers, which pass from the 

 centre to the circumference of the disk, each 



having on its inner end a ridge to fit the 



crease between the strands. 



f f are springs 



which, with the thumb-nuts G G, press the rub- 



bers against the strands at ee. h h are 



holes 



in the disk, through which pass rods or ropes to 

 keep the tail at a proper distance from the top. 

 To use the instrument, the strands of which 

 the rope is to be made are passed through 

 the disk between the rubbers ; if the top is 

 then put in place, and secured at the right dis- 

 tance from the tail, which is so held that it cannot turn round with the rope, it 



■ 



ay the strands even and smooth one up 



ther. with 



starting the 



In 1831, after Mr. Treadwell had observed the working of his machines for 



months he declared 



quiries of 



of 



Com 



Navy, Commodore Charles Morris, that the same amount of cordage from the same 



9 



material which by hand-spinning would cost $30 a ton could be made for $15.6 

 a ton. " After a full consideration of these subjects, I have concluded that I will 

 furnish any number of Gypseys, from fifty to one hundred, with all the roving and 



at $1,000 for each Gypsey 



preparing machines, 



produced is of a better quality, and 



Inasmuch as no spinning grounds will be required 



was 



also shown that 



ope 



than that made from hand-spun ya 



the cost of buildings will 



be 



much le 



and, again, the work can be 



d on at all seasons, which is not 



possible with hand-spinning. The offer to furnish the 



m 



for the Charles 



Navy Yard 



pted. In 1832, a factory was also established by Mr 



Treadwell on the Mill-dam, in Boston, capable of manufacturing nearly 1,000 tons 

 annually. 



Previously to this, a joint stock company was formed, under the name of the 

 Spinning Company, by Francis C. Gray, Horace Gray, and Daniel Treadwell. This 

 continued until 1833, when another and larger company was organized, the Boston 





