Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1866-12-13
A Mechanical Triumph.

No invention of similar labor-saving char
acter ever resulted in the same practical bene-
dts to the people, or has come into such general
use as that wonderfully simple piece ofmechan.
ism-the Sewing Machine. What could we do
without itg Where would we now find hands
enough TO accomplish the labor which these
busy little workers are doing? These are ques-
tions which determine the usefulness Of an in
vention, and by them we may gauge the i'm
portance of Sewing Machines. The history Of
this discovery is full of interest. As early as
1886, an ingenious and prolific inventor, named
Walter Hunt of New York, invented the first
machine that was Of any practical value for sew
ing. Being of rather indolent disposition,
and disinclined to undertake the labor of in
PRODUCING so novel an invention into general
use, he neglected TO patent his discovery, and
sold the right TO manufacture such machines to
a Mr.. Arrowsmith, who, however, neglected to
test the practical value of his purchase or to Sc
cure it by patent.
Six years elapsed before any further action
was taken toward the introduction of Sewing
Machines, and then, on the 18th of February,
1912, the first American patent was granted to
John j. Greenough, of Washington.
The next recorded attempt at an application
min W. Bean, of New York. In the same year
QS43) Sewing Machine was patented by Geo.
r. Cories, of Greenwich, N. Y, but no one
seems to know much about it, an evidence that
its practical value was small. The abortive at
tempts had the effect, however, of calling the
attention of inventors to the subject of Sewing
Machines, and on the 10th of September, 1916,
Elias Howe, Jr, of Cambridge, Mass, patented
Al, G. hot.
proved so as to be adapted to general use.
Although the machine patented by Mr.. Howe
would now be considered worthless, if COM
| pared with the more recent inventions of
others, yet he stands at the door Of the Sewing
| Machine business, as it were, and levies tax
of one dollar on each finished machine in which
| the principles he invented are used. A fortune
closely approaching two million dollars has
| thus been accumulated by Mr.. Howe-a very
| fair return, considering the fact that the Howe
| Machine has been LETT far behind by those whose
| subsequent inventions have effected a revolu-
ton in the manufacture of clothing, shirts,
caps, boots, shoes, embroidery, and house fur
nishing goods.
The utility of a Sewing Machine for family
use depends upon its adaptability to the great
est variety of work; and this article would be
incomplete, if, after tracing the rise and pro-
| gress of the idea, we should fail to point out
| from among the many varieties the one that
comes nearest to perfection and combines the
greatest number of useful qualities. For GER
| tain kinds of work there may be machiues more
peculiarly adapted than others; but for all the
| numberless requirements of a family, we I'M
hesitatipgly pronounce the smoothly, silently,
and swiftly running Grover s. Baker Machine
| the best.
One great advantage is, that the thread is
drawn direct from the spools, and requires no
previous winding on shuttles and the simph-
city ofall its parts and the easy adjustment of
needle, thread, and work, makes it easier to
the learner than any we have yet seen. An
other important fact is that they perform, with
out an alteration of the adjustment, a much
greater variety of work than is possible on
others. We might thus enumerate quality after
quality in our own way, but we think we do the
inventors and makers full justice, and at the
same time relate our experience in terms which
| there is no mistaking, when we say that the
| Grover g. Baker Machine may be chosen as the
best simplest, and most reliable Sewing Ma
chine in the market
The trade in these necessities, which have
now become SO indispensable, is assuming gi-
gantic proportions. Grover 81 Baker alone send
many thousands to foreign markets, and this
popularity abroad is an evidence of their merit
and superiority. American Sewing Machines
are used all over the world, and, like American
pianos, have furnished the principles which
have been adopted by great majority of for
eign manufacturers.-HelD York Citizen.