Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1875-03-16
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The !SehcinO-mdchine.

The SeUinq machine is an American in.
venlion of the last ioriy years. As was
previously remarked OF reaperS, the
European attempts at making machines
TO supersede the hand method served TO
exhibit the difficulty Of the problem. but
no important degree TO solve it. The
shoe sewing machine OF Thomas Saint,
patented in England in 1890, had single
thread, which was driven by forked
needle through hole previously punched
by IN awl. and was then caught by a
looper which held the loop 50 that 1t was
entered by the noodle and thread in their
next descent, making q crochet stitch.
The feed and the stitchtlghtening move.
mepts were automatic.
The sewing machine Of rhimonnier. OF
PARIS. was used in 1880 Tor making army
clothing. Eighty OF these machines.
made Of wood. were destroy ed by "a mob.
which regarded them as an Invention
of the enemy They were aiterward
made OF metal. Adams and Dodge, OF
Monkton, Vermont. in 1918. and more
especially J. j. Greenough. OF New
York. in 1912. added improvements.
Walter Hunt. 1925. made and sold
lock stitch sewing machines, but neglect
ed to pursue the business. which conse-
quen,ly attracted but little attention at
the time. His extreme versatility pre-.
vented success; his inventions absorbed
his time, and he seemingly had none
lett for securing The pecuniary results OF
his genius. He just missed and by mere
inattention. one of the grandest oppor-
tunities OF the century. Elias Howe. with
inferior inventive abilities, but with an
adaptedness 10 follow out single object
persistently. and with bu.iness. ability
reaped the field. The world, as we have
had occasion 10 remark previously.
thanks the man who gave an improve
ment into It's hands. The name OF Elias
Howe is indissolubly associated with the
success of the sewing machine. This
machine is no exception TO the ordinary
rule that an invention is q growth rather
than an inspiration. and the discussion
onthe relative merits OF inventors has been
both voluminous and acrimonious. EI.
aminers, commissioners, judges. each in
their turn have found it very knetty
question how to apporlion the respective
credits. 1t is NO small matter to con-
ceiye the need and apply ones mind to
the intricacies OF the problem. Then
came came the details. The original
machine had simple needle, and made
running stitch; next we see machine
which made a succession of loops. form
ing crotchet stitch; here tue machine
paused awhile. A score OF years was
passed in devising modes OF feeding
continuous or intermitting. by various
arrangements of parts. The greatest ad'
vance up 10 that time was the lock stitch
invented by Hunt, and made by passing
shuttle containing lower thread
through the loop of an upper thread car
ried down through the cloth by an eye
pointed needle. This was also the
feature OF the Howe" machine. Fol-
lowing this were many improvements,
variations. and nice adjustment. such as
A. b. Wilson'S four motion feed rota
ting looping hook. the latter OF which
draws down the needle thread, and drops
through il the spool containg the lower
thread. There is no room here even tc
recite the prominent Improvements
Finally, the machine is much indebted tc
the skill and enterprise OF the mechanic:
and tradesmeu iu whose hands it pa;
grown TO the wonderful proportions IT