The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1866-05-16
- - =
4 Curiosity for the Ladies'.

We clip fthe following from the N. Y.
Commercial Adrertiser
;" There is on exhibition at the salesroom OF
Messrs. Wheeler 4, Wilson, No. Cos Broad.
way, the hrst sewing machine (No. y made by
that company, the present number being about
900, 900. Let the interested compare the ma.
chine sold in 1851 for 1926 with those now
offered for $40. The former owner of this ma.
chine gives its history as follows:
This machine was finished early in 1851
and learned its use from Mr.. Wilson himself.
l was thus. you see, the first to work the Vince
Ter & Wilson machine, and learned on the frat
machine they ever manufactured.
In 1854 earned with the machine S206,
besides doing my own homework and taking
care of my baby. In 1856 we came to Daven.
port and brought the machine with us. be.
lieye it was the first machine ever brought to
Iowa. t>t
!" I ran that machine almost Constantly for
more'than fourteen years. on all sorts of work,
from the finest dressmaking to the heaviest tai
loring quilted full sized bed-spread with
it, which has been exhibited three times at the
fair. 1t took me three weeks to do it with my
other work but it could not have been done
by hand in as many years. have even stitch.
ed leather with it, and at the time exchanged
IL in 1865 for No. l93, 800, it worked just as
we'll as when made
:" 1t is perhaps unnecessary for me to add,
that believe the Wilson Il Wheeler to be
vastly superior to any other machine made.
Yours respectfully, P. f. b.
Time tries ali things. USE only furnishes
the final test Opinions Of the skillful may be
of value, but time is needed to confirm them
All failures have had their advocates. 1t is
noteworthy that the sewing nshchine for which
the highest premium was awarded at the Worlds
Fair here in 1853 long since sank into merted
oblivion. The past fifteen years have seen nu-
merous machines. with high sounding preten-
sions, rise witha flourish, confound the simple,
and vanish. So it will be while crejuity lasts.
The Wheeler & Wilson Company fixed up.
on the ct .ocK STITCH" the one best shifted
to the general purposes of sewing, for beauty,
permanence, elasticity and economy Of thread,
and experience has confirmed the preference
1t was at liberty, then, as'now, to make chain
stitch machine and even now, at a cost OF less
than 10 ceRts each, can adapt its lock stitch
machine to make the chain.stitch as well as the
lock-stitch, but not believing in the stitch, has
steadily refused to give it any kind Of endorse
s ment. ~ PISS
while this Company has given to the pub
lie the best fruits of inventive genius, it has
guarded it from a multitude Of traps. Attach
ments have been added for various purposes,
as hemming, binding. braidins, cording, &c.,
but it has been kept free of all useless compli-
catioss. Simplicity Of parts and adaptation to
the'widest range Of work, has been the con-
slant aim. Instead of Boosting of variety Of
useless stitches and movements. it claims to
make but one kind of stitch, and that with the
fewest movements possible. Hence the ma
chine may run constantly for many years,
like No. l. above mentioned, or lifetime, ev.
en-, and work Just rs well as when new. With
a complication of parts and nlOve meii.s it wOd
require monthly repairs and adj ustments. AS
the purchase of sewing machine is, may
be, an act for a life time, care should be had in
what time and use have approved. ~ Chicago
Tribune. March 81, 1866 : r