Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-09-30

Few men, used as they are to labor-saving ma
chinery reflect on the vast advance made through
its means by the human race during the last centu-
ry and a half One invention, invention, indeed may
be said to have built up the foreign commerce of
the United States laid the foundation large
featuring cities in England as well as here and in
directly created sectional strife by its own action.
This is the cotton gin. The planning machine, now
thrown open to the public, the machine reaper, the
mower, the electric telegraph, the locomotive en-
CINE and such, are labor-saving machines, each and
ALL To appreciate them precisely, just suppose for
moment that we should lose all of these inventions
both the machines themselves and their modes of
construction Back goes the carpenter to his bench
plane the farmer to his scythe and sickle, the cot
ton planter to SambO and Dinah's finger, and Uncle
Sam, with his mail bags and the public with its
bodies, back to the oldfashiOned. napaced, four
in-hand "commodious, Troy-built," sufocating jolt
ers called coaches"
But the progress which the use of the machines
we have enumerated has made, is slow compared
with another-the Sewing Mechine. Connected as
it is with the comfort of families, and priceless
luxury both to the overburdened mechanics wife,
and the dawdling lady of fashion, it is becoming as
kettle-a piece of furniture in fact, without which
no family can get along The time is coming when
even the poorest family will have one of these little
ircn and steel laborers, singing with its low and
pleasant tones the pleasant song of the shirt The
rate of progress to that time seems to be wonderful
Let us look at it.
Prior to Mr.. HowE's invention, patented in 1876,
all attempts to adapt machinery sewing had proved
abortive His is tie basis Of all successful machines
Their differences however, are marked and impor-
tant The Committee of the American Institute
classified them according to the stitch made and the
purpose to which the machine is to applied in four
classes. LIST, I'd, 81, and 4th classification adicat-
;raq the general order Of merit and importance.
Glass lst includes the Lock Stitch Machine for
family use and for manufacturers in the same range
of purpose and material. The Committee has assigned
this class the highest rank account Of the elasticity,
pernaaence beauty and deSirGbenesS Of the stitching
aoher,done," and the ,oide range of It's application.
Glass ID, includes the Lock Stitch Machine for
heavy manufacturing purposes
Class 3D. includes the Double Chain Stitch Machine.
The GROVER BAKER Machine is placed at the head of
this class The Committee objects to the stitch made by
this machine nasmuch as consumes more thread than
mn OTHER stitch, ard leaUsS a ridge projecting from one
side of the seam. This in the Committees opinion mas
impair the durability Of the seanl and Cten the beauty
of the garments or other articles stitched though soms
of the Machines making this stitch may be used very
successfully for e1nbroidering purposes.
Glass 4th, includes the single Thread Tambour or
Chain Stitch Machines. The tendency of this stitch
to ravel, the Committee considered an objection so
serious that they refuse to recommend the Ma
chimes making it. for my premium.-N. Y. Com.
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