The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-05-15
THE SEWING MACHINE COMBINATION.
History of the First Patents and sHbse-
QMent ARRANGEMENTS

THE SEWING MACHINE COMBINATION.
History of the First Patents and subse-
| qHent Arrangements.
Ihose who have never been connected with the
sewing machine business, either directly or indi-
rectly, can have but faint idea of the eommotion
in such circles over the recent expiration OF cer-
tain patents which gave to q combination of
manufacturers the monopoly at extravagsnt
prices Of these useful household articles. After
all the apparent enmity and rivalry existing be-
tween the several large companies leading the
trade, it is now developed that this was
| A SORT OF BUSINESS SHAM,
and that the several proprietors OF different makes
were in combination with one another, both as
regards the number Of machines to be manufae-
| tured and the style or make.
short history Of the pa ented
| MECHANICAL COMBINATIONS a
OF the sewing machine will serve materially to
explain this.
Elias Howe, Jr., in the year 1866 or there
ab1uta, /. M. Singer b Co.. Grover b Baker and
Wheeler & Wilson entered into contract, or, as
it is now better known, combination with re-
gard to certain named sewing machine patents,
about which the prsss of the country are not
|
agreement was to sustain the m onopoly OF manu-
fac.ure among themselves and to prevent out
elders from competing with The public buyers.
1t appears that this Howe and A. B. Wilson,
| AS EARLY AS 1850,
had issued TO them patents on machines, as also
did Singer and Mr.. Blodgett.
In all of these patents there was not one COM
plete in itself, and all of them stepped so closely
upon the others heels one could lot be legally
used without the other.
| Howe's was for o needle with an eye in the
point and the shuttle, and adopting the feed used
in aw-mills applied that also. A suit was after
ward entered by Howe against his rivals, and
they were compelled, in using this combination,
to pay Howe royalty of s25 per machine, which
| Of course
ENHANCED THE COST
to the purchaser.
Things went on thus smoothly for awhile until
one day Singer filed suit against their rivals,
who, it was claimed, were using single-thread
| feed.
Wheeler & Wilson ard Grover & Baker were
| DEFENDANTS IN THIS CAUSE.
A battle royal was promised in sewing machine
circles, and heavy lawyers were employed on
either side. The case came up for trial, but the
presiding judge, seeing long and tedous litiga-
tion ahead, continued the case, advising compro-
mise and
AMICABLE ADJUSTMENT.
The respective attorneys met the next day,
talked over the matter, and there was an agree
ment between Wheeler & Wilson and Howe
which. as the reader can see, the machine men
were not as bitter toward one another as has
been generally supposed. The following is
the purport Of this agreement:
| |. Howe agrees to take and the others to pay
IS license fee on each machine made after Octo-
ber, 1855, and 81 for each machine exported.
/ Q. Wheeler & Wilson agree to continue making
the kind of machine they are now making, and
not to use certain specified changes; and they
are OF liberty to use l. H. Singer q Co.'s improve
ments, except communicating motion to the
needle carrier by rotary shaft
3. Grover Il Baker are to contnus as now, and
can use all Singers improvements except the
| rotating shaft
d. Grover b Baker are bound not to make more
than certain specified number in the next two
years, and are to pay Singer & Co. IS a machine
for the use OF certain improvements.
s. Singer Il Go. agree to make q certain kind OF
machine and permitted to use all improve
ments except the vibrating arm.
6. Specifies the right OF all the parties to use
certain improvements.
7. All agree not to grant licenses to others
without common consent, provided that certain
Of them reasonably supply the demand Of the
market Tor sewing machines. and this they agreed
| to do.
8. If further licenses are granted, the purchas-
ers must pay sl5-s5 TO Howe, IS TO Singer and s5
to Grover 4 Baker and Whee Il Wilson. SIC, 900
being set apart for the protection and enforce
ment Of the patents.
| 9. Specifies when license shall end.
10. Grants the license to certain named par
ties, and regulates the number OF machines they
a1yn ktxaEt
must not nndersell |. NJ Singer & Co. in GER
| tain make of machine.
II. This contract is subject to all existing con-
| tracts.
IL. All suits pending in tho United States
Court are Withdrawn, each party paying his own
| costs.
OF the Wheeler & Wilson's
| THAT HAVE BEEN SOLD
under this there are nearly 1900, 900, averaging
$50 to $50, the profit being to the company about
$50 per machine or s45, 100000. out Of which has
to be deducted $l00O00O spent in litigation and
81, ,O00, 600 in printing.
1t seems that within the past few years many
companies have had to succumb-the Florence
Beckwith and others-the effect doubtless of the
combination.
WHAT THE AGENTS THINK HERE
about this condition Of things is very plainly dis
eernible.
| In an interview with Mr.. D. p. Perry OF the
Howe agency, on Canal street. he stated that now
the combination had been broken prospects were
very uncertain about the future prices of ma
chimes. The agents in this city would be guided
entirely by what was done at their respective
headquarters, although some arrangement might
be entered into by the agents Of the several COM
panies. He said that this expiration Of patents
would affect the poorer classes very much for the
reason that when the prices Of machines
HAVE EEEN HR0uaur Dnwu
under the severe competition, where it was open
to all, time Gales can take place on such favor
able terms as now. He show ed the reporter his
sales books, and how some poor women, who are
now making living with their machines,
NEVER GAVE ANY CASH
on making the purchase, and how others fre
quenty gave only one or two dollars per month.
III all the purchases were for full cash, the re-
duchon could Do Wlthstood easily. He admitted