The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-01-21
THE GROWTH OF THE SEWING-MACHINE
RITSINESS


In lS4S, we were sitting, with several pentIe.
men, in an office in Broadway, in this city, when
person came in and invited us to 90 up the street
lew doors to see new invention which he had to
exhlDlt there. Some OF the party went with the
gentleman, and in the course of half an hour thew
returned and made their report. They said it was
all a humbug They found the room full of tailors
and the man had little machine for sewing cloth
1t was worked by treadle, and, at first sight,
seemed to be perfect, sewing with surprising rapid
ity, and making straight, handsome seam. But
one of the tailors observing that the exhibitor
before he handed the finished work to the specta-
tors, very deftly tied knot in the thread took the
liberty of breaking the thread, when the whole
seam unravelled as readily as a knit stocking. The
company separated with laugh of derision at the
mortified exhibitor. 1t seems very short time
since TINS incident occurred, and when we yester-
day recalled the recollection of it while standing in
Grover Bakers new and magnificent establish
ment for the sale of their sewing-machnes we
were impressed, more forciby than we ever were
before, with the marvellous rapidity with which
the arts, and especially arts, are developed in
this wonderful age in which we live This estab-
lishment occupies au entire building in the most
fashionable part of Broadway, with 25 feet front,
and running through 200 feet to Mercer street
The front is single iron Gothic arch, three stories
high, the two lower stories being formed of eight
panes of plate glass; four in the lower story each
AZ by feet, and four in the second story each
ll1 by feet. The basement is used for setting-up
and packing the machines, the space under the
Broadway sidewalk making nice shop for repairs
and the space under the Mercer street sidewalk
being occupied for generating the steam by which
the building is heated.
On the first floor j. the beautiful salesroom %
by $50 feet so feet in the being used for receiv
ing, delivering and storing the machines as they
come from the mandatory. In the second story
directly over the salesroom, is the receiving-room
where ladies who purchase machines are taupht
the art OF using them This is an elegant drawing
room, richly carpeted and furnished with the most
cosby rosewood chairs lounges, teteatetes sofas,
piano, DC, and is to be supplied with a select
library. The bronze chandeliers in this room were
made by HaughwOut Co., in a styIe correspond
ing with the architecture of the building Adioin-
ing the drawing-room. is the ladies' toilet room,
containg looking marble wash-stand pins
for hanging cloaks &C.
We were informed that this company have al
ready sold about 80 900 of their machines; this at
at an average of SlOO apiece, would amount to
S3,OOO,OOO. The machines are made in Boston
and more than 400 men are employed in the manu-
facture.
The machines manufactured by this comnanv
are too well known by the public at large to need
any recommendations at our hands, and we will
simply add that we have had one of them in use in
our family Tor some time past, and it is considered
the most useful article in the house, next to the
cradle, and no less indispensable than that In No
OF the present volume of the Scientific Apericon
we published an illustration showing the mechani
cal principles of the Grover Baker machine Rv
reference tn that illustration the form of the stitch
will be seen, and its security from ripping as well
as its superior elasticity will be readily under
stood.-Scientitic American
HANDSOME DIvIDEND.-For the Fire Association
the past year has been very fortunate one. Their
total losses during the twelve months were but
S3,043.6S. On Monday evening its trustees de-
clared dividend of S73S.O3 to each fire company
belonging to the Association, the largest dividend
it has vet made. In addition to this handsome
sum is aggregated to the saving fund.
QUICK TME.-The Cincinnati Gazette of Thursday |
says: lot of 500 bags coffee, part of large con-
signment, was shipped from Baltimore for this city
on Thursday night last, via the Baltimore and Ohio
and Cincinnati and Marietta Railroads, and reached
here on Tuesday morning, making the time leav. |
ing out Sunday, only little over three days be-
tween the two cities. This is, we believe, about
the best time vet made