Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1857-03-18

OccaSlOnal snSnl mOOllcatiOnS, Win
view to more complete adoption, the
machine works its way among different
classes of tradeSmen.
There are now three firms which man.
facture on an average 1000 machines
in year. and eight or ten in all that are
well established. Many other parties
are experimenting, with various success.
Singer is the only firm which manufac-
lures in this city. He employs about
900 men. Wheeler & Wilson manufac-
ture in Bridgeport on an extensive scale,
having recently removed from Water
town, New York, and purchased Je-
rome's clock factory, for about $50. 600,
which is being fitted up with machinery
for the employment Of at least one hun
dred hands. Grover d Baker. another
firm of some note, are erecting build
ing in Boston two hundred feet in length
and FIVE stories high, which will employ
about 100 men, with room for eIpan-
sion, as business increases. The system
of making the several parts in each in
strument exactly correspond with SINH
lar parts in any other SO prevalent in
gun making, is being initiated in this
department of mechanics.
Sewing machines are very extensively
used by manufacturers. Douglass d
Sherwood, manufacturers of ladies'
skirts. in Broadway, have not less than
$50 machines, costing $4,000. which
is believed to be the largest number any,
where employed, by single firm
Each one is calculated to do the work
of ten ordinary sewers. Tie uses 10
which they are employed is exceedingly
curious and persons of an iuquisitive
disposition. who are not satisfied 10 Judge
simply by external appearances, may
derive much satisfaction from the oPpor-
tuniiy here afforded for minute investi-
CATION and scientific research. Three
hundred hands are employed, and the
execution done may be inferred from the
following statistics: There are cut up
weekly 275 pieces of muslin, or l43, 600
per year; ditto 1000 pounds of jute
cords, or 100000 per year; 600 dozen
of spool cotton per week. or 81 200 doz-
en- per year. For the single item of
round whalebone { boiled in oil and per-
fectly flexible. the enormous sum of
$4,000 is paid every week. Besides
there are s5 looms in the city constantly
employed in the manufacture of hair
Goth, for the initiation of ladies' gar
ments, making 5000 yards per week,
and 100 looms engaged on other fabrics.
With these facilities. the force employed
turn out 5000 skirts per day. exclusive
of wooden goods ! Pile | up in the lofts
OF the factory, they form barricade al
most as formidable, for dimensions as
General Jackson's cotton bales. 1t is to
be hoped that this department of enter.
prise may meet with such encouragement
that the cumbrous materials formerly in
use, with such destructive physical ef-
fects, (according to medical testimony,
may become obsolete. The new skirt.
for which the sewing machine is doing
such wonders, weighs but four ounces
and half
Another object worthy of notice is the
great improvement which has taken place
in the quality of sewing silk, twist.
thread, &C., made necessary by the
rapid and accurate movement of the
sewing machine. We now produce
thread in this country which far exceeds
any Of foreign importation, in strength
and evenness OF texture. If the foreign
and domestic are locped together and
jerked asunder, the former, even of the
best descriptions, has been found TO
yield in the greatest number of instances.
Several thread factories have recently
been started, or are contemplated, TO
meet the increasing demands. The Will
limantic manufacturing company is ex
tensively engaged, and the works are in
course of enlargement. There is large
silk factory in Florence, Mass, the an
nual sales Of which are now estimated at
S1OO, 900, and another al Newark, n.
j., is doing large business.
The celebrity of the sewing machines
in their various movements is almost in
credible. Woman's powers, whatever
their cultivation, are unable to compete,
either in rapidity, precision or fAish.-
From I 900 to 9. 600 stitches per minute,
according to the description of work is
not unusual. On shirt bosoms, the rum.
Der per minute is 500; in cording and
binding umbrellas, 1000. Full one half
Of the machines now made are sold to
the laborious class of people known as
needle women, sewing girls, and em-
ployees in manufacturing concerns
though very many are made for family
sewing. several families often uniting in