Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-07-30
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.


of the Star fail to be aware of the fact that ii
totally discards the definition OF " American
progress, - as the term is used by new lights in
politics, theology, morals, DC. II has steadily
maintained that the fashionable changes of the
times in such matters have done far more harm
than good to society, corrupting youth, making
middle age self-sufhcient and presumptuous
beyond any possible good end, and entirely
Grazing old age when overcoming its natursl
inclination to conservatism. Nevertheless, it
(the STAR watches with unfeigned solicitude
the march of the true pr ogress of the times
of that progress in which we outstrip all
other nations, thanks to the thousand and one
incentives (which we have no room to explain
here) by which all are surrounded in the United
States. A day or two since, we saw at the store
of our neighbor, Woodward, very simple and
ingenious little implement, in which was en-
braced more sound and useful progress than is
to be found in all the new-light sermons
preached in New Englsnd-''compounding sins
they are inclined to, and damning those they
have no mind to'-though it scaS but a mere
broom for sweeping carpets 1t was a covered
box containing revolving hair broom (of stiff
bristles,) and a receiver to hold the dust and
dirt taken off the floor by the broom. 1t is
worked by pushing or pulling it over the floor,
and the effect of its operation is to take up
from the carpet every particle of dust, dirt, or
" trash" tumbling it into the receiver, where
it is snugly kept until the operator may please
to empty it. Not a particle of dust is raised in
using it. Every housewife will, on the instant
comprehend that the invention of this simple
little implement embraces true progress.
That is, it emphatically improves the morals of
studiOus husbands who, dominating carpet
sweeping dust, are as prone to swear at it as
We are; while it involves great economy in
saving furniture from much of the depreciating
effect of gritty DUST dust, dust-whch, in this
city of ours, as in every other city, is the chief
source of the I" wear and tear of household
property.
But we are DEPRESSING, in our love for escap-
ing from thought concerning the intermnable
theme about which all the world around us is
essentially mad-politics Our design is to
dilate upon a more important thesis than the
capital carpet sweeper, though that will very
properly gladden. the hearts of thousands of
matrons and diminish the muttered oaths of
half as many dust bedeviled husbands.
In driving around few days since we had
occasion to enter the " door, sash and blind
factory of our fellow-citizens, Baldwin Brothers,
at the corner of Indiana avenue and First
street west. We were so struck with its exem-
piihcatlon OF the true American spirit Of the
time-true progress, industrial progress-that,
crediting the Stars readers with the possession
OF real soul, We cannot resist the temptation to
describe 1T baldwin Brothers factory, or work
shop-call it which one will, ~ in detail
AS young as we are flor we yet aatter ourself
that we are zone of the b'hoys'D we recollect
wnen the elder Baldwin came to Washington a
Yankee mechanic with a shrewd
mead and light heart, and a shilling in pocket.
In time, seeing the wants of those around him
In his line of business, he commenced a ma
'hinery-made blind, sash and door factory"
with all the advantages of the tools of his
time, which, when compared with those of this
era, are as far behind the latter in results (sf-
IechVeness) as tho ordinary tools of the jour
neyman carpenter and cabinet-maker are of
The latest Improvements in the machinery in
their respective lines of business His perse-
vera nee and industry some years ago enabled
Dim to relinquish his business to his sons-men
n the business spring-tim of life-who now
larry on the most extensive business in their
inc, We apprehend, in all this region of coun.
ry; manufacturing not only for the District
II Columbia, but for q considerable portion of
irgir1a and Maryland, selling their wares at
he very boundaries of the city of Baltimore,
She re there are in operation many somewhat
Jim liar sets of machinery.
j.he main building fronts forty feet on First
street and has depth of 100 feet and is of
three stories. 1t has an L building and an out
store house connected with it of appropriate
The lower (basement story is
used as store room and lumber room wherein
uni nished work is kept; also for an engine
room, In which the 2O-horse engine that drives
their machinery works; the boiler of which
one OF the latest Improvements of our enter
prlsing ncighbors, the brothers Ells-occupies
wing building large enough to afford room
IN 1t for drying at one time many thousand
eet of lumber, which is effected by the use of
he waste steam of the engine conveyed in all
directions around and through it in pipes, with
The addition of three huge plate stoves.
There green timber is duly seasoned ere being
for the most part, by the use of the saw dust
and shavings made above.
On the second floor, we found the machinery
OF the establishment That requires, perhaps,
the attendance of an average of a single com
petent hand at each piece of it, and turns out
each piece-an average, perhaps of quite one
hundred times as much work as could be exc
cuted by mechanic with ordinary tools. The
at work in this department of the
establishment it was, which struck us as en-
bracing the apt illustration of the value of the
true progress of the times 1t is designed to
make banisters, sash, blinds, newels, pivot
blinds, doors, mouldings and other inner and
outward wooden requisites Of every house built
any where in these times, and to dress plank
with mathematical accuracy previous to its
submission to the operation of either of the
many machines manufacturing those articles.
Our attention was first attracted by the huge
planning machine in which the lumber received