Daily national Democrat., 1858-08-13
Description of n Hoop SKIRT Mnnuiac-

]
tory.
Our regular New York correspondent, says
the Alta, sends US the following interesting
description of a mammoth hoop skirt man
utactory in New York city. Hoops have
now become an institution of the age, and all
| further newspaper fusiades against "crino
line in any shape may as well cease The
fashion has fairly outived all the opposition
that was brought against it, and there need
be no more said against it, for what the two
men will, they will-so there's an end ont" "
have repeatedly made up my mind to
wander over some of the mammoth establish
ments in this city, and give pen and ink
sketches of them but want Of the necessary
time has, up to the present, prevented me
from doing so. | shall however, as soon as
opportunity permits, endeavor to do so. as |
believe descriptions of some of the wonderful
concerns, of which but little is known to
those outside of them, will prove at least IN.
terestlng II not useful, to many of my readers
l am inclined to this belief from scene |
witnessed on Monday last. Walking down
Broadway with friend, who knew was no
lover OF that strange fashion, the wearing by
ladies of hoops, he took me by the arm and
iSu hiS ihtO DOGSldS ~ CnefWOOuS S ENDan-
sion Skirt and Bustle Mandatory. In ius-
tice to myself it is only fair for me to state
that did not know what | was going to wit
ness. My friend merely told me that he
wished to show me II Sight which | would
not soon forget, land so he did, and hence
requested me to accompany him. Marching
up stairs, he introduced me to Mr. Sherwood
who gave me to understand that none but
privileged persons whose object was to gain
information, were permitted to inspect the
machinery" of the establishment but at
the same time, he courteously informed me
that he regarded me as one of such. and in
his most atfable manner-(he is an affable
man all men well versed in ladies' wants
and who cater so constantly to their tastes
should be)-tendered me his services, while
Jotting down my notes, which services |,
with my most pleasing smile, and ready
thanks, accepted. Now my extreme modesty
must have prepossessed him in my favor,
and my bushes when / first handled
hooped skirt, the weight of which, he said
was but four ounces, must have at once con
vinced him of my modesty, if he previously
had any doubts on the point but if blushed
in his presence what think you was my ap-
pearance when he ushered me into the pres
all of whom were engaged in making up for
the market expansion skirts and bustles. All
the blood | had in my body flowed up to my
head, and for a moment | stood like Grim
son statute, gazing at marble brows and up.
turned eyes. slap or the shoulder, how.
ever, soon set the blood in motion in few
seconds l had got over my fright, and was
busily engaged in overhaulng stopping
and eye-letting" machines, Slides" and
presses" and learning the invaluable fact
there were ten ribs IN each skirt! ! l then
passed on to another room, two hundred
feet in length, where were engaged two hun
drcd young omen, each of whom sat at one
OF Wheeler Wilson's sewing machines,
making skirts bustles, quilts, &c This. to
me, was the greatest wonder of . all, and
from my heart | wished that poor Hood was
living to witness it. When he sang THE
Song of the Spirit" little did he dream that
such wonderful revolution would take place
in SO short u space of time, and that the poor
needle woman, whose sorrows and trials he
so touchingly portrayed, would be redeemed
from her horrible position through the aid of
science. 1t may be argued that the intro
duction of labor saving machines is always
an injury to the masses. and that these sew.
to the poor. 1t was SO argued when steam.
boats first ran on the water; when steam
carriages rushed 'madly" along iron roads ::
when gas" illuminated stores in place of dim
oil lamps or filthy candles; but above ALL
when steam was applied to the cotton ma.
chinery, and to the printing press, vet look
at the incaleulable benefit each and all of
these have been to man. These inventions
have created new trades to take the place of
the old ones, and wonderfully augmented
business of every trade.
| examined these machines minutely, and
was wonderfully surl rised at their simplicity;
and although am not a Judge of stitches
nor do care much about them 50 long as
they hold firm yet | must confess, for the
first time i2 my life, | looked with interest
upon the neatness of these, and cease to won.
der why the female portion of the world so
much admired them, so easily could they
learn to make them. / rested under the i'm.
preston that it would take a long time to
learn to work one of these affairs, but was
surprised when my conductor informed me
that he had number of girls who worked
them after receiving one lesson, and nearly
the whole of them after three, and to con
vince me of the fact, called pretty brunette,
and told her to give me a lesson. She sat
down, andsO did |, but | made bad pupil
Instead ofgazing at the eyes of the needle it
was her laughing eyes mine rested upon, and
she so bewitched me that | let the skirt fall
and placing her in the seat | vacated, at the
risk of losing the good opinion entertained of
me for modesty, | cxcluimed-"Sherwood, ,
the prettiest thing in this pretty world is a
pretty lightning sewer with pretty girl be-
hind it" and leaving him with his four hun
dred girls, his stopping and "eye-letting
machines :" his slides" and his presses" and
what was more extraordinary than all, his
two hundred Wheeler d Wilson's sewing
machines, I, with my friend, took my depar
ture, so well pleased with what | had witnes
sed that have resolved to pay a visit. as
soon as possible, to some Of our great print
ing establishments, and post you upon the
mode in which books and newspapers are
made in New York, after which may, Paul
Pry-like, look into other manufacturing
houses, and report whatever deem of sutfi-
cient interest to jot down.
TIE LIBERTY OF THE Press IN France
The Paris correspondent of the Ne~ York
Herald says:
NJ Villemessant, the editor of the Figaro,