The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-01-08

sTREss-Mr. Allen b. Wilson, of Pittsfcld
Massachusetts, has recently obtained patent
for machine, by which sewing Of all descrip-
tons is executed in very rapid manner, and In
firmness and strength superior to hand work..
The simplicity of the mechanism, its dmnutivc-
ness, and the amount Of work which it accom-
plishes, are truly astonishing A single machine
occupies so little space that 1t can be put inside
of mans hat, and yet by the turning of small
crank, the instrument will sew ten lines faster
than any semptress
Sewing machines have been invonted and in
use in this country for three or four years past,
but none of them have ever been of much benefit,
since they corld only be used for coarse work,
and were otherwise so announcement rs to be
only partially able to compete with hand labor
The invention we are now describing obviates
all these difficulties, for it can be used for any
kind of sewing, fine or coarse, and for embroid-
cry. Every part of a mans dress, coat, vest and
pautaloons - button holes excepted can be
made by this machine, also ladies' dresses, shirt
bosoms, caps collars, &c In fact, there is scarce
a single branch of needle work to which this in
strument cannot be applied, sewing ten times
faster, finer and stronger than by hand. The
curious may see this invention in operation, BY
calling at No 1913 Fulton street, up stairs. Its
well worthy Of inspection. TO embroidery
upon silk, or whatever fabric, in colors OF with.
ont, it is admirably adapted, and will be extern
sively used. So easy in its movements as to be
operated by child, and not liable to derange-
ment the invention will doubtless become as in
dspensablo to the female as are now the scissors
or the thimble. :3e9
To the poor seamstress, and all who depend
upon their needles for support, the Introduction
Of this invention seems franght with the direst
mischief Doing away with their present occu-
patons, as it inevitably will, it threatens them
with utter loss Of employment, and consequent
starvation Dealers in clothing, who now give
employment to thousands of poor people-at
starvation prices, it is true, but still employment
will have no further need of hand labor, but
use these machines, one of which is equal to
ten pair of hands. Families who now employ
poor seamstresses, will apparently have no use
for their services, since these automatons will
step in One machine would do all the sewing
of family Of sixteen persons, or even more.
What need, then, of seamstresses any longer.
But this is moi the operation Of this invention,
nor of labor saving machines generally, nor of
anything which permanently does away with the
necessity of labor In any given field. For every
field Of employment thus removed, or rather
saved, the new ones open, greater demand for
labor consequently springs up, and the poor are
thereby greatly benefited. The printing busi-
ness is an illustration. Previous to the inven-
ton of steam presses, printing was done By
hand. Does any doubt that there are now n
Thousand times more people employed in the
printing business, than there would be if no
steam presses were used Every sensible per-
son answers no. And this will be the operation
of the sewing machine. 1t takes the needle
from the seamstress' hand, but replaces it with
crank, and gives her far easier employment
and better remuneration than she now receives