Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-06-09

WELL IN AEVANCE.-Tne New York Trib-
une Of the ed of May, contains long article
on the origin Of the invention, and history, Of
the SelOing Machine, giving to John q. Green
ough, Of Washington City, the priority of the
iaDention of machine to sew as substitute
for hand labor, for which patent was grant
ell Feb. 2Ist, 1912.
IN the Tribune of the 9Th inst. we find the
following article from Joseph W. Briggs Of
this city, correcting the article in the Irib-
une of the ESD of May, in regald to the origin
of the invention of machine to sew as a sub
stitute for han I'd labor. Simple facts are stub
born things to deal with, and with such facts
Mr.. Briggs app ears to be well surrounded.
By comparison Of the two articles, it is on ly
doing justice to Joseph W. Briggs, to say
that he is the fret, and original inventor, of
a machine to sew as a substitute for hand
labor, and to his inven. tive mind the world is
indebted for the combination of all the lead
ing features embraced in that valuable inven-
ton, the Seloing Ms,chiae- Read the following
article from Mr.. Briggs, to the Tribune, he
dares 10 face the m usie, and assert the truth !:
sEWIz5e MACHINES.
To the Editor ofthe Ne10 York Tribune.
SIR: In your al tiele Of the 23d inst, in
regard to the origi of the seWing-mac5ine,
you say: " The first patent ever granted in
this country for q machine to sew, as a
substitute for hanul labor, was issued tn John
J. GreenOugh, Of Washington City, February
q, 1872"
The following article is copied from The
Painsville Republi, an, of Thursday, Novem-
Der I6, 1887:
" NEW AND VALUAA'LE INyEyTION.-Messrs.
J. W. Briggs and J. s. Garner, of this village,
have recently invented a Stitching Mackine
for stitching saddler's work, which promises
to be Of inestImRble value to the trade, and
viii doubtless prove to be fortune to the m
ventors. We have had the pleasure Of seeing
it in operation, and confess that we rarely
have seen so much utility in so simple a con
struetiOn. The machine is remarkably sim
pie in its const ruetion, and embraces three
important parts, all Of which are very desi
rable to Saddle, Harness and Coach Mixers,
namely; exp edition, beauty and saving of
labor. By this machine novice at the bust
ness can stitch with perfect regularity and
beauty, and with an expedition equal to the
labor Of two experienced workmen. The for
tunate and eRterprising inventors are about
/ ebtAlnlub patent.
A patent for the above invention was
granted on the 26th day Of March, 1888, No
/ 638, aud was the first patent ever issued in
/ this or any other country for a machine for
stitching purposes. The patent Issued to
John J. GreeF.ough in I842 Is palpable in
| fringement on Briggs & Gamers invention
Of 1888, as cs n readily be seen BY reference
/ to the models in the Patent Office. am n
harness maker, and was the originator Of the
invention, and proposed to the Messrs. Car
ner to join me in the inventiOn., They did
/ so, and a joint patent was obtained by US for
| the imprOV ement, which in our specification
wo declare to be "a Stitching Machine for
stitching Harness, Thorough Braces, &o"-
| This invention was on exhibition in many of
the different States, and attracted general at
tention. In the Spring Of 1889, L visited
your city with it, and stopped at the hotel
| No. So Pearl street, and when carrying the
machine ON my shoulders through the streets
Of your city, I was prevailed upon to show
its operation. 1 therefore set my machine
down upon the sidewalk and began my task.
large number Of persons gathered about
me to witness the working Of the machine,
when a servant came out Of the house before
which ] was performing, and requested me
very politely to remove my exhibition. This
was, without the least doubt, the first time
and the first machine ever exhibited in New
York, as an improvement on hand labor fol
stitching purposes A number Of these ma
chimes were made and taken TO different sec
tions Of the country.
This vas an original invention. No ma
chine for like purposes had ever preceded i
IN any country in the world. A b..
On the 18th day Of April, 1862, a patent
was granted to me for improvements on the
Stitching Machine Of 1883, and which said
J improvements consist in the employment Of
/ an eye-pointed needle, for the purpose Of
stitching leather textile fabrics, &C., and
which eye-pointed needle did apply to nay
machine as now patented in 1888. This Is
an improvement on hand stitching, and Of
such a nature that all the sewing machines
now in use using an eye-pOinted needle, in
connection with feed mechanism, infringe
on my late patent, unless the inventors Of
said sewing machines can date their inven-
tions previous to the year 1888.
Truly YOURS, JOSEPH w. BRIGGS.