, 1863-09-28
Tho Sewing Machines at the mfchiran
At1tA Rnfr


We copy from city eotempor1ry's report Of
the Late Michigan State Fair, that portion Of tho
letter referring to the action taken By several
Representatives Of prominent Sewing Machine
Companies. identical with their course at the 10 wa
Stats Fair, and declasative OF their intention to
tnsiet upon fresh and thorough safeguards 70, the
integrity Of committees The matte. has created
much attention. What We publish below pre-
sents In more detail the same points given in onr
necessarily br1eter dispatch. As co,1obo,stlye
Of the correctness Of the former, and an interest.
ing resume Of the whole matter, It viii be read by
Al Who are watching the Development Of this
movement which bids fair to be contagious among
exhibitors 1t fairs who desire to seo In on their
merita:''
From the Chicago Times Report>
have air. ady furnished you by telegraph dali
iyfeeume Of sights and doings at the 4ais. and nv
hfss !etter contained general sketch ofthe exhi-
ott'oa. In both these allusion was made to the
sewing machine controversy which would have
been gladly dismissed bnt for the remarkable per
versenens OF the Executive Committee. The
preparations to compete for he 1neiss and and dpio %
nothing but Girnesai lie awards 81 these prizes
play Of machines. numbering nearly forty Of The
var1ona styles aud kind. The display contributed
not little to the attractions Of Floral Hall. A
WIS found thrt four ont OF dye members Of the
awarding committee In this class had become
ow wners Of the Grover & Baker machine. Moro
sgent. 0iher circumstances besides were In the
highest degree prejudfcIal TO the rights Of the
agents of the seyts competing machines, 90 that
perfect faIce. On ascertaintng these fscts The
agents Of Wheeler l. Wilson, Singer i Co., Flor.
e1ce. and Sloat held consultation, and deter
mined to expose the barefaced fraud to the Ex-'
&Cnk1F& Committee. 5n7a
mittee., IN order 70 secafe thai sssaI-
Of their respective machines, to which they were
entitled; Their statement, protest and request
were fully and clearly set forth to The Executive
md unbiased oonmtes @ oS %bom Wsra
kn3wn to be pledged to the support Of the Grover
Baf mashne sheod be pct aside; th.t new
lectcd and that the latter should be qualified for
their duties by certain conditions contained ia a
xsa %ast A b ths ss sn
mitted. to the Executive Committee, whose
dee11 deeis,on ,I3,,n.ths II their favor was conf
IT, il sbe pietes u
On the presentation Of the protest the Executive
Committee directed three Sf its number to inSes.
lerted made inquiry concerning tho allegations
and fontd them strictly correct. They therenpon
reported to the Executive Committee that four
ont of I've Of the Awarding Committee on sewing
machine.
The SCENTS did not doubt for moment that the
Executive Committee would be aetuated by DE-
sire to do Justice to competitors. But the Exec
uttve Committee lacked the nerve, II indeed they
possessed the Siah, to DO wh1t was right. Rcfua-
1DE to appoint q Eew committee, they continued
the Judges originally selected, the majority Of
whom, rs stated above, were entirely incompe-
Thereupon the agents Of the Wheeler 4 Wilson,
Singer, Florence, and Eloat machines, being de-
MED what they had the right to demand, Withdrew
from the contest, as stated In the following:
KALAMAZOO, Mich, Sept e9.
To the President Of the State Agricultural So
sm: Since your Executive Board concluded
committee appointed to award premiums to Sew.
ing Machtnes although ne have proven, and your
boa1d acknowledges that four Of the i've commit
tee have Grover & BakeI machines, and believing
award at the hands Of committee thus coasti-
tuted dive beg leave respectfully to withdraw our
machines from your fair.
We join In rendering our thanks to the Pfesi-
deLt, Stcletaly, and the other gentlemen upon
the board. who have 50 heartily co operated With
Ill Sewing Machines.
Uufairntss winked at must impair the exhibI-
tfon Of chinery in all departments OF State
Fair, as it surely will do hereafter in the Sewing
Machine department of your own,
WHEELER i Wnsos Mfo Co., perP.
SINGER MIRO Co., Per c.
FLORENCE s. ID. Co., rreerS =.
SLoATs 8. II. Co., per NJ
The withdrawal OF these machines from a con-
test 70 maufestly unfair and unequal has received
general approval. The public feel that their Inter
ests were 1t etake, and exhibitors recognize In II
the vindicatioD Of great principle which touches
the very existence and usefulness OF State Fairs.