, 1859-05-12


EntpIosrd; E5@hf<tn Hundred m ore s00s
:. to u Empfoy<d; What Afnds OF Work
the -nafAsAe Uo<s.
,:e:pouu:acc of tie isee. al.d TFblnc-]
NV loEK MAY S. l5:9.
One Of the curious chapters in the history Of
American llandicraft and mechanism, is that
which relates to the sewing machine. Ten years
ago such machine was unknown. The 'Song
OF the Shirt" was then truthful song, whose
sad tones we're wruny from the heart strings of
n1ul.itudes Of roor women. who soilcd through
tue weary hours, to gain for themselves and
their children, scaut fuod and scanticE raincut
But the lamp by whose magical power such won
derful things were accomplished in the legends
If tile Arabian Nights scarce worked 4 change
more surerhuman than has been wrought by the
manufacture Of these instruments.
light years ago, in an obscure machine shop
III ont vi the tor,uuus alleys Of Boston, origi-
mated Singers sewing machine. At that time
contract was made between George Il. Zteber,
I.aac H. Singer and e.. {. Phelps, whereby Mr.
Ziebcr agreed tu advance the huge capitul of
t"rty dollars to pay tilc rust If building new
sewing machine. Mr. Singer agreed to invcns
and arrange ii; Mr. Phelps undertook to do the
mechanical work. When completed the new IN
yerliun was to be secured by letters patent, lin
the benefits of which each of the three parties
was oparticipatc clualy. lrior to tile issuing
II the orig siuat puttut Ms. Plclp, disposed Of his
interest /" Singer fur unc Thousand dollars cash
down, and lie promise Of three thousand more,
which was subsequently paid. III 1859 Ar.
Zicbcr, being dc,ilous tf visiting Europe, and
the business being considered in Jeopardy in
consequence Of hostile litigation, sod out his in
tcrc>t for six thousand dollars, to Singer and
tlrk, wfln thus brcllnr, and have 50 rell,nined,
SOLE prn,,rie1ur$ ut tIIe business and patents
Ii any ,,.:t su,,y,,sc, that tisr introduction in
to general and profitable Use oi 4 mcriturious
i,,acLnc is thing easy. If accomplishment he
1ul,nrS under great mistake 4 multitude of
industrial Interests we're to hr disturbed, aud
tllusc who 10 be most cllrctually benefited
most active in tllcr hostility Suits for i'll
siin.cn,cit had to be- defended ut vast cx-
rrn,e. and finally were compromised and SET
tied t"r Il large sum nf MONEY. Obstinate pref
nt!ices had tu be overcome, especially that most
prevalent and plausible unc, and that
srwin. machines would opera1c inuri-
nll,y tn hand labor. hut by dilligent and
per @evcring ct'or1 by tic application to the
ina chine Of 1,la1ly new and valuable inventions.
which are the subject Of numerous uuxillary
patents; by force Of III extensive system Of
legal proceedings against infrinrrrs by co,1l.
i,iniu: in tho niost effective n,.il,rr inventive
power, mechanical skill, legal ubility, and prac-
ical business talent, III. business llas been car
ricd tn ii 1unl scarcely surpassed, either ia ben
ctis 10 the pubc Or profit to the proprietor, by
any private enterprise 1T home or abroad
Two years s:o. tlr propri.tors purchased iu
Mott *trrrt, Z; lev r"ds from Broadway and
J,,uo,i,e streets, Il lot uf l,n feet front hy 4.n
tryt ll,t,, and erected thereon m +dicc of irpn
fire rrnit, six stories in height exclusive Of I'M
tfer.ruund tlnorS, which in pnint Of urciitectu-
raj beauty. {hnruu,t,,.css Of construction. and
elegance Of finish, is stt,,E,asspd br up similar
huiItl;u. on tlur continent. Lr, Us eutrrit. De-
scrndng BY iron stairs tu tile sub-l,:1scment we
ruth the cnnnc -ruutn, the iiuor Of which, coy
cred with u llcat uil-clvth, luoks neat aud tdy
enough for latlv's Loudnir. Here IN cnriuc
If 81 horse power runs with noisclcss and al-
mrablv prt.cisiun, driving the many -whcrird
and infinitely co,nplicatpi machinery tIistribu.
trd throughout tile building On utl4rr purts
nf this iiour are pe,l IN in cDrGs, as turner's in
the country .'cnrd IN" their wood. huge rics of
iron. Of which from seven tn rirht tons urc
melted and run through tl,c fur,lace daily,
The tlonr :lov. is used as Il moulding and
castin, roun. and n Ills m,srky s,niilly some
sixty ur seventy men. rooted with Guuiutty
s,,:twd ncws,,;,,rr cans. and clad in garments
uf. drrnrst. Ilnrir,t azure" ary kent constant
Iv At work. moulding and casting lie iIpu parts
The first, ar street Huur, il occupied W q
sturc-room for the machines when flushed and
ready lor sult or ,l,,,tntns. On this floor, alsp,
in :. large apartn,ei,t wherein are stored vast
.autiljt., ut ,rru, and >ii., spu,t expressly for
u,r uu ,l,e>e machines, Til. six il ,uau4{ac
tur,.d ,;in,.it,,lly III <,r. h;y,ntu, Mass. tho
linn tI,,,r.,j Is iu,nu,tr,l i1ym Irell ,,l1,in-
iuy Til, j, what is called thu "Eanrrturut
K,ur,," from wsrl, stranger, und rit,ll,,vers
;t,. NJ, ,llv excluded. Here III, ingenious .cn-
tl,m;;,,@ kent .rduu,l, t1f,}uye.i mixing i11,.
rre.v!..,it> each fresh step forward usually
Suggesting a,lutrr.
1Isr second floor is called the main shop,
where .a:,s IT he different part, uf thr ins,rl,-
nr,1t ::r manufactured Here u1ay l,c {t,unl
,vcr, ,,.etv ,i tnnl 1or cutting, l"riug. rGa.,-
i:,., 81. 4,!,it,. and 1ni>l.in. ~lat!rs Of a1i
kinds, w:r!, ii cy erv conceivable sort; huge
cul,n,.,uaruiar.. n,i>y t,ip hammers. drills
au:,,r,, and b"irrs innu.acr;br The loud
rLix and hmm !, l;h,. 1;,a1 If :, very Hulrl yr,
III IL ,lnu.. d.rrn,3v and in orrr md wit,,
| f}. ;1ccrru,.y ,,t ,',r ;uulti1,:ra,inn t;,ldr
Tjr third str,, is devoted to maxim. the
smaller t,:;rt, Of tl,r machine .uc,, II, rru1,irt
| mare ,lrut.. uu,,iunla,;nu and -l,iuhrr finish
| 4 considerable portion u! this t,nris sl;yidrd ot
ya~ ire. screen, and used Il, Il sl.op fur rrpair
| ill.,, louis nn,l machinery.
Ii, tn. fourth >trr, tie machines glr adjusted
:nl tested, M unS !, ,akru ,i,r,,cr until thor
,rt.uLfy 1.!.trt in every ,r1r;ict,]nr Earh it'll.
rar, ,i III, n,acain,. IN i,;u.. ,lacs in its pro
n,r ro>iti,u. is carefully examined and iii,
whul, instrument ut;trwar.., subjected tn thor
M. tri;l. Ii would no, nav To send uut an in,
! ,u,,i;c, macliur
Th,. ti1Ih tioor is rs uuitt NJ iii, third M,
G,n,,l ,,r n,,.y ,I.r, liz machines ,re na;nt
-, ,,~1,;,',.1 i,L .,i1,l,d sln hcnr},.s rvt.nd
in" ;,lr.;.r tic entire. frut ., III. building ,ur
ar, lusy trua,,cn,i,,.. tic iron work o: tic mn
rhiu : = ;;h unwrrs and curi"u, devices in roll
and Silver Leaf. and The ra,,di,v md nvutl1cs
vi,;4 wL;r}. 1l,yy H,i, ;s .urrii,in.,. ii on
md ut Iii, rn,n ar,. iva la1.,.. iron vaults Il
]ar.. Il, Ill l,i>i,n,an'> ,t,au,;. heated 10 Il lir
| r.nn.r:dur, inside. nj vhi,.h :r,. iron rack
,iu.,.,,, ,t n,,c!,;u,s yr,, n,,rr1 and 1l,. vain
mi ,,,,,;. i, r',,;,i,, ,,ri.1 F~~ i''''
TIN. Xviii .,rr,'; i urt,,,;.*, hv thr nntter
| .,nl t,.,,r,, ,,.t..,. ,,,d .En ,tt;c Er .tnr,r.
w., INV ,,,i, ,'r,,r:,'I ,,;tf' ,.,,.,, r,n.n,.
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nyrr >;y h,,ar.I y,l;>,, w,.., ny,rnr,. f1,,,
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;: ,llH H., ,,,.,,,,.,.,,r,. r., t,,rn ~ nl.o,
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