The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1859-12-24
rne Grover 4 Baker Sewing Machine.

Few persons have any conception of the
vastness which the business Of the manu-
facture and sale OF sewing machines has
attained in this country. There are pro-
badly fifty different makes of sewing
machines; of all these, however, four Or
five have taken the lead, and are sold
nearly in equal numbers. One and in our
yer Il Baker machine, OF the history of
which, and the extent Of its manufacture
we have the following interesting sketch
in the Scientific 1merican
In lS4S, we were sitting. with several
gentlemen, i'll an Office in Broadway. in
this CITY, when person came in and invi-
ted u 10 go up the street Il few doors to
see a new Invention which he had To ex-
hibit there. Some of the party went with
the gentleman, and in the course of half
an hour they returned and made their re-
port. They said it was all Il humbug-
They found the room full OF tailors, and
the man had a little machine tor SEWN.
cloth. 1t was worked by treadle. and.
AT first sight. seemed Ia be perfect, sewing
with surprising rapidity, and making .,
straight, handsome seam. But one OF the
taitors observing that the exhibitor, before
he handed the finished work to the spec
tators, very deity tied knot in the
thread, took the liberty of breaking the
thread. when the wi.ole seam unravelled
rs readily as knit stocking The compa-
ny separated with a laugh of derision at
the mortified exhibitor 1t seems IA very
short time since this incident occurred, and
when we Yesterday recalled the recollcc-
ton OF 1t While standing in Grover 4 Ba-
ker new and magnificent establishment
for the sale OF their sewing machines, we
were impressed. more iorcibly than we ev-
or were before with the marvellous rapid
~ with which the arts, and especially new
arts, are developed in this wonderful age
in which we live This establishment oc-
cupies All entire building in thu, most fash
loaable part of Broadway. with - feet
front, and running through 300 feet to
Mercer-strect. The front i u single iron
Gothic arch, three stories high the twS
lower stories being formed of eight pancs
OF plate glass, four in tn, lower story. each
Il! by , feet, and four in the second story,
each j! 10y feet. The basement i, used
for setting-up and packing the machines,
the space under the Broadway sidewalk
making a nice shop for repairs. and the
space under TIE Nercerstreet sidewalk;
being occupied for generating the steam
10y which the building is heated
On the first floor i, the beautiful sales
room, - by 40 feet, 80 feet in the rear
being used for receiving, delivering and
storing the machines "a they come from
the mandatory. In the second story. di-
rectly over the >ale>room Is the receiving
room, where ladies vino purchase machines
are taught The art OF using them This i
an elegant drawing-room. richly carpeted
and furnished with the most costly rose
wood chairs. lounges, tete-a-teteS. sofas, a
piano. &c., and i To Ice supplied with a Sc
lect library. The bronze chandeliers in
this room We're made 10y lIau-hwout n Co,
in style corresponding with the architec-
tuce Of the building Adjoining the draw
lngrooln, is the ladies toilet room, CON
tanning looking-glass. a marble wash
stand, pins Tor hanglr Z cloaks, &c,
We were informed that this company
have already sold about 10000 of their
machines; this, at an average of 500
apiece, would amount to 100000. Tie
machines are made IN Boston, and more
/ than 400 men are employed III the manu-
/ facture.
/ The machines manufactured by this
/ company are too we'll known by the public
I ut large to need any recommendations III
! our hands. and We will simply add that
we have had one OF them in use in ouI
! family for some time past. ana il Is cnnsid
! cred the most useful article in the house
next 10 the cradle, and no less indi-pen>a
! bic than that. In No > Of the present
volume OF the Scse.st.fc im,ricaH. we pub
I lished an illustration showing the mechan
zeal principles OF the Grover 4 Baker ma
! Chine By reference 10 that illustration
the form of the stitch will be seen. and It's
security from ripping, as we'll a. its supe
/ r;or elasticity, will be readily understood.
! Some three months ago we purchased
one Of the Grover d Baker machines, al
/ their establishment in y. y. and n Fart OF
our agreement with the company was that
after giving the machine fair and full
trial, we should candidly aud honestly
without prejudice or bias on one side o!
( the other. state our experience and Judge
ment a. 10 lis merits We shall take oc
casion to do so probably in our next, a,
| more length: but we cannot torego the
present qualification of saying. that the
machine has proved all that was anticpa
ted, and that j, has become such a pet il
our household that we should as 500,
think of speaking lightly or disreSpect.ul
" of our dearest friend, rs this decide,
family iavoIite.