Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-07-31
ReuLu of the Editor.

In the 1TSt OF MS inquiries, our IrlenQ
Captain Rouffner," asks us a conun-
drum which we confess ourselves utterly
unable to solve-in fact, we give it up.
Ask us an easy one. If it is essential to
his happiness and peace of mind to learn
how it is that the Singer Manufacturing
company receives so little benefit from
their large number of offices, and sell so
few machines as the result of the united
labor of their vast numbers of employees,
he can doubtless get soothing and salts
factory reply by asking the question from
that modern Sphinx direct.
With regard to his second question, it
is altogether impossible to estimate with
any degree of exactitude the total number
of sewing machines that have been sold
from the inclpiency of that ingenious in
strument up to the present moment, for
the reason that there are no data obtain
able from which to formulate such an es-
innate, except the reports of their num-
by the various sewing machine
ed or still exist; but these reports, we are
obliged to acknowledge, would hardly be
accepted by the general public, or even
by sewing machine man of Captain
Rouffner's" experience, as springing
from sufficiently disinterested, although
authentic source, to be worthy of i'm
pllcit belief. The question can only be
got at on basis of general average; and
even then, an estimate so compiled, no
matter how carefully, would probably be
very wide of the mark. The last census
takers assure us, that there are altogether
on this terrestrial sphere, eleven hundred
millions (1,1OO, 0O0,OOO) of inhabitants
We take their word for it-they ought to
know-they counted them. Of this num-
Der, there are said to be two hundred and
eighty-six millions in Europe, and fifty
millions in the United States and other
portions of North America. Now, these
figures include the most civilized Of the
peoples of the earth, who have, of course,
purchased the largest number of sewing
machines, which is natural, for it requires
very advanced state of civilization to
tolerate the sew1ng-machine canvasser;
certainly, man. in an aboriginal condition,
would not put up with him for an in
slant. Statisticians approximate the per-
centage of families at about one-sixth of
the total, which would give us about S.
100000. If we allow that about per
cent. of this number have purchased sew
machines, we shall arrive at the con-
clusiOn that there are to-day in family
use about 100000 machines; which
number can be fairly increased to over
5000, 900 by estimating about 500, 900 ma
chimes in use in factories, and as means
of livelihood by seamstresses, in the civ
ilized nations. The peoples of Asia,
Africa, Polynesia, Malaysia, Australasia
and South America, as general thing,
consider a breech-clout or straw
hat and dog-tooth necklace sufficient
habiliaments to protect them. against
the climates. of the zones in which they
dwell. But, as there are Notwithstanding
many machines used in these parts of the
world, chiefly by European and American
settlers, who regard the dictates of de-
cency as of greater Importance than
physical comfort, we may lump the whole
lot at about one million machines. This
gives us total of about four million five
hundred thousand machines in use all
over the globe to-day. We.do not see, at
the present writing, any means by which
we can get any closer figures than these,
which we hope will satisfy the curiosity
of our correspondent, although, no
doubt, polling themanufacturers of the
present day, and search among the
dusty archives of those who have fought,
bled and died in the good cause, would
swell the total at least 100 per cent; but,
alas! for the unchristian incredulity of
men and brethren, we are afraid that the
figures would inspire but little faith.
C8pf. Roridner asks how MANY SUBJ