The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1885-10-16
AN AND DEMOCRAT, BIOOMSBURG, COLUMBIA COUNTY, PA
The Sewing Machine.
SOME INTERESTING FACTS AS TO ITS
INVENTION AND
INVENTORS.

SOME INTERESTING FACTS AS TO ITS
INVENTION AND
INVENTORS.
Pittsburg Letter In Sewing Machine Times
As historical facts are growing more
interesting each year concerning tho
prime movers of the great sewing ma.
chine industry, ! wish to give you what
know about the king of the sewing
machine business, l. M. Singer. 1t is
said that Elias Howe never made a
machine that would sew perfectly,
but that Mr.. Singer did All authori-
ties give Howe credit for the inven.
tion, and the country blacksmith did
well toward that end, no doubt; but he
got his idea from defective machine
made by Walter Hunt, of New York,
in 1882. Hunt invented the paper
collar also. He demonstrated the fact
that machine could take a stitch, but
he could go no farther, and Howe pat.
ented the model and got an offer from
a London firm of corset makers, who
gave him two years in which to perfect
his machine and adapt it to their busi-
ness. They fitted up machine shop
and paid him for his time, but it was
failure, and he returned to America
disconsolate. The problem was solved
thus:
About forty years ago man named
Regan owned wood carving establish.
ment on Fifth Avenue, this city pitts
burg). Among his workmen was |.
M. Singer, who was an expert in max
ing wooden letters for 81 gus. Many
of these old letters are still to be
found in the rubbish of Pittsburg gar
rets. Mr.. Singer in those days was
"hard up" in the fullest sense of that
term, and was somewhat of Bohem-
| ian in habits and taste. He left this
city and tramped to New York, where
he obtained work in similar establish
mcnt, his new employer being engaged
peffcc,ing a machine for saving out
letters--a sort of scroll saw; at any
rate MIR. Singer helped him to com
plete it. The inventor went to Mr..
Clark, noted lawyer on patents, in
order to get his scroll saw patented
He took Mr. Singer along to better ex-
plain to the lawyer the working speci-
fications and plans of the scroll saw
invention.
Whilst there Mr.. Clark spoke Incl
dentally of the failure of Elias Howe
to perfect his sewing machine in Lon
don. Singer listened attentively, and,
it is said, asked many questions con-
corning the difficulty.
"By George" exclaimed Singer, 81
can make that thing work"
"There is fortune for you if you
do" said Mr.. Clark.
81 can do it. | have the idea now,'
enthusiastically continued Singer.
Then it is recorded how he looked
down at his shoes, with the soles loose
ana his clothes in tatters and rags. He
wilted $50 to speak) and exclaimed 81
am talking wild; haven't money
enough to buy screw"
81 will tell You what l will do
said Clark. 81 will fit you up shop
in the loft of my stable, furnish you
with everything You need to work with
and live upon, and give you two
months to make it 60. If you are sue.
cessful | will get all necessary pat enis,
and take half of my investment"
dts CO." said Singer.
| Inside of month he had his ma
chine working, using the eyepointed
needle and shuttle invented by Hunt.
but with an addition it made contin-
nous stitch. There was one defect,
however. His machine failed to draw
up the stitches and lef. each one with
n loop on both sides of the fabric.
Upon this he worked night and day
until the last day of his time came
He worked at it until noon and then
started for his dinner. A thought
struck him, and back through the
streets he started on a run for his shop.
He siezed a little piece of wire, gave it
several bends and inserted it in the
machine. This was the little spiral"
called stake up which today is
found in one form or another in every
machine. 1t was a success!
BY the time Elias Howe got back
from England he found three machines
in America that would sew; all were
based on his patent-the Singer, the
Wheeler & Wilson and the Grover IL
Baker. He found that Singer had sold
1000 machines. He brought suit and
succeeded in getting Judgment for
$4,000 royalty on those sold, and fur
ther established royalty OF 500 on
each machine sold by any of the three
firms.
After this Howe got man named
Taylor to work on a machine, and he
finally succeeded IN inventing an en-
tirely new one, which took Howe's
name. Abont this time rumors reached
the other firms that models made by
Hunt and antedating IIowe's were in
existence, and they secured one from
Baltimore. They held consultation
and sent for Howe, and showed him
the model, and their proofs that Hunt
invented it long before his patent was
applied for. Howe was broken up
badly and made clean breast of it,
Howe left the office and happened to
meet his lawyer on the street. To him
he confided the whole matter. 81 will
fix that, said the lawyer, and they
started back.
"Now, gentlemen" he said, address.
ing the sewing machine proprietors,
"you are simply killing the goose that
lays the golden egg You let this
thing get known and refuse to pay Mr.
Howe his royalty and you will haye to
sell your machine at $25 instead oI
Sl25. Inside of year there will be
a hundred sewing machines in the mar
ket, all of them using the patent yor
now hold" They saw the point A
compromise was effected, by which
Elias Howe continued to get royalt,
of 50 on each machine instead of 500
Two dollars also went into genera
fund to fight other companies into sub
mission to their control. This was the
famous combination" which made
millions upon millions of dollars, ant
| 4, 4. r. l.. az.