The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1866-05-12
ACuriosity for the Ladies.
We clip the following from the New Yor

We clip the following from the New York
Commercial Advertiser ;
ssThere is on exhibition at the salesroom of
Messers Wheeler i Wilson, No. 625 Broadway,
the first sewing machine Mol made by that com
pany, the present number being about 22o ,OU0-
Let the interested compare the machine sold IN
1851 for 81 % with those now offered Tor ST. The
former owner of this machine gives it's history as
follows:
This machine was finished early in 1851, and
l learned its use from Mr.. Wilson himself. was
thus you see, the first to work the Wheeler W IL
son machine, and learned on the hrst machine
they ever manufactured
s'In 1854 earned with the machine 1926, be-
sides dong my own Homework and taking care OF
my baby. In 1856 we came to Davenport and
brought the machine with US. believe 1t was the
first machine ever brought to Iowa.
81 run that machine almost constantly for more
than fourteen years, on all sorts OF work, from the
finest dress-making to the heaviest tailoring
quilted ull-szed bed-spread with It, winch has
been exhibited three times at the fair. 1t took me
three weeks to do 1t with my other work but 1t
could not have been done by hand IN as many
years. l have even stitched leather with it, and
at the time exchanged it, in 1860, for No. l93,
800, it worked just as well as when made.
alt is, perhaps, unnecessary for me to add, that
l believe the Wheeler & Wilson to be vastly su-
psrior to any other machine made.
"Yours, respectfully,
sep. L. b.
| Time tries all things. Use only furnishes
| the final test. Opinions of the skillful may
| he of value. but to confirm them. All fail
ures have had their advocates. 1t is note
worthy that the sewing machine for which
| the highest premium was awarded at the
| Worlds Fair here, in 1853, long since sank
into merited obliHion. The past FIFTEEN years
have seen numerous machines, with high
sounding pretensions, rise with a flourish
confound the simple, and vanish. So will i,
be while credulity lasts.
The Wheeler & Wilson Company fixed upon
| the lock Stick rs the one best suited Il
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 1
cost of less than 10 cents each, can adapt it,
| lock.stitch machine to make the chain stitcl
as we'll ne the lock stitch, but not believing
in the stitch, has steadily refused to give i
any kind of Endorsement.
.tWhiIe this company has given to the public thu
best fruits of inventive genius. 1t has guarded l
| from a multitude of traps. Attachments nav
been added for various purposes las hemming, bind
ing, braiding, cording, &C., but 1t has been KEEP
free of all useless complications. Simplicity o
| parts and adaptation to the widest range OF work
| has been the constant aim Instead of boastlng o
| a variety of useless stitches and movements,
| claims to make but one kind of stitch, and tina
with the fswest movements possible. Hence tn
| machine may run constantly for many years, hk
the No. above mentioned, Lifetime, even
and work Just we'll when new. With
complication of parts and movements it would re
quire monthly repairs and adjustments. As tn
purchase of a sewi ing machine is, may be, a
act for a Lifetime, care should be had in gettin
| what time and use have approved. "-Chacdgo Ira
bune March 81, 1866.