Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1881-01-15

\ III which machinery Tor cotton mills was
made. But two years afterwards, hnau-
cial crisis came upon tho country; the
| Lowell Mills were closed aud Young Howe
was thrown out of employment. He found
work ut Cambridge, near Boston, but in q
/ few months quilted it, having obtained n
| place in tho shop of Ari Davis, n phlo-
| suphical and mathematical instrument
maker. Mr.. Davis was an eccentric man,
/ but thorough genius and remarkably
| skillful mechanic; and when consulted by
/ inventors. no frequently suggested inn
| portant improvements in their machines
In tho year 1899, rich man. but n very
! poor inventor came TO his shop with n
! knitting machine which would not knit,
aud while Davis and his workmeu were cx-
aiming it, tho former exclaimed, "Why
do you bother yourselves about knitting
machinoP Why not make n sowing ma
chino }"
81" | wish | could, " snid his visitor 4" but
| IL cant bo done. "
can do IL - | can make q sewing ma.
chine, rejoincd Davis.
! "Well, If you can, remarked the other.
/ | will ensure you an independent fortune. +"
! These words were uttered thoughtlcssly
/ by Davis but the conversation made n
| deep impression upon Howe, and from that
| time the desire to make sewing machine
was the dream of his life. But it was
some time before he made much progress
| towards the attainment of his wish. He
continued journoyman machinist, and
married when he was twonty-ouo and it
was not until tho additional labor imposed
upon him by tho wants of an increasing
/ lie, oil oil, ,t L..
I began his experiments in real earnest. He
first attempted to make n machine with the
double pointed needle, but failing in that,
he at last hit upon the idea of needle
threaded at the point and, in October,
1874, satisfied himself by n rough model
that he could make sewing stitch by
using two threads and u shuttle. He was
at this time living in poverty in garnet,
and his family would have starved but for
the generous assistance of n friend who be-
licved in the practibility of the young me-
chanic's idea. The name of his old school
fellow, George Fisher, must, therefore, be
ever associated with his own in connection
with this important discovery for others
/ thought him visionary, and without the aid
which he thus received his invention would
never have been perfected. In December,
| 1874, Howe, according to arrangement,
took mp his abode in the house of his friend,
and during the winter was actively en-
ployed in carrying out his idea. In April
he sewed his first perfect seam, and in July
he sewed by his machine all the seams Of a
suit of clothes for Fisher and another for
himself thus proving the substantial
value of his contrivance.
But even in America, where the people
are usually quick to adopt an Improvement,
| the sewing machine at first made little pro-
gress. Its cost was too great - $50 dollars,
or, ESQ. The taiors would not, or could
not buy it, and it seemed to be emily a toy,
after all, to amuse the people. 1t was
patented however, on September 10th,
! 1916. Mr.. Fisher had now advanced o.
600 dollars, and no prospect appeared of
any return for his money. In these cir.
cumstances, Mr.. Howe determined to send
his invention to England, and in the month
| of October his brother took over one of
the machines to London, which was finally
sold to Mr.. William Thomas, of Cheapside
for $3.50, with the right to use, in his own
business of corset and stay-maker, as many
more as he wished. 1t was also verbally
agreed that Mr.. Thomas should patent the
invention in England, and, if the machine
came into use, he was to pay Howe f5 for
every one sold. He also engaged to en-
ploy the inventor at salary of 93 per
week in adapting his machine to the work
of stay making. Mr.. Howe, having accepted
this offer, sailed for England on the 9Th of
February, lS47. Mr.. Thomas had mean
time taken out the patent dated December
LIST, 1916. Mr.. Howe, however, had little
of the success which he had hoped for in
England. He was constantly at expense
in connection with his invention, and re-
manned very poor. He had left Mr.. Thomas,
and now with few tools was engaged in
making his fourth machine. After three
or four months work it was finished, and
although worth ESQ, he could get no offer
for it. At last he sold it to a working man
for f5. His first machine and his letters
patent being yet in his possession, he pawn
ed them for goo, and took passage for New
York, where he arrived in April, 1S49, al
mos, without penny.
Howe had now to endure the additional
modification of finding that, during his
absence in England, his patent rights in the
United States had been infringed, and his
invention prated by wealthy but un.
scrupulous individuals, who seem to have
supposed that his poverty would prevent
any eifectual interference on his part with
their uniustihable proceedings. But they
little knew the character of the man with
whom they had to deal. lie boldly took
the case into a court Of law, where, despite
the formidable display of counsel and
scientific men arrayed against him, he de-
monstrated SO clearly his sole right to the
honor of his invention, that it was impos-
sible to refuse verdict in his favor
AT this crisis, Mr.. Howe found friend
in Mr.. G.. w. Bliss, who agreed to buy Mr..
Fishers share of the patent, and to advance
money for legal proceedings, provided he
was secured against loss by mortgage on
the farm of Mr.. Howe's father. The father
consented, and after much litigation it was
decided that Mr.. Howe's patent was valid.
Appeals were made to the highest tribunals,
but the decisions in his favor were not re-
versed. 1t is only just, however, to say
that tho sewing machine Of the present
time owes no small amount Of its value to
improvements in the feeding mechanism
brought out by Mr.. j. ii. johnson, Mr..
Allen b. Wilson, Mr.. Isaac NJ. Singer,
| aud nth aea NJ Hnwe racaival from 4 ha