Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-01-07
THE SEWING MACHINE.
INTERESTING FACTS As TO iTs IN.
veNTioN AND INVENTORS
walter Hunt the Original Iavsatoe In
lS3s-singsr's succsss-A Compre-
mise by which High Prices
Were Maintained for Years.
Tpiushur, C.r sewing.M.chine Timss !

Were Maintained for Years.
| TPittshurg Cor. Sewing. Machine TimesJ
Az historical facts are growing more in.
teresting each year concerning the prime
movers Of the great sewing machine In
dustry. wish to give you what know
about the king OF the sewing machine
business. l. NJ Singer All authorities
give Howe credit for the invention, and the
country blacksmith did well toward that
end. no doubt, but he got his idea from de
| fectve machine made by Walter Hunt of
| New York in 1892 lie demonstrated the
fact that machine could take stitch
but he could go no farther, aud Howe
patented the model aud got en- offer from
q London firm Of corset makers, who
| gave him two years in which to perfect
his machine aud adapt il to their business
They lifted up machine shop and paid
| him for his time. but il was failure. and
he returned y America disconsolA,e
slNGiR A, A WORKMAN.
About forty years ago . man named
Regan owned u wood-carving establish.
ment on Fifth avenue this city Pitts.
burg Among his workmen was l. NJ
| singer. who was an expert in making
those days WAS hard up" In the fullest
sense of that term. and was somewhat Of
Bohemian in habits and taste. He left
this CITY aud tramped 10 New York.
where he obtained work in . similar
establishment, his new employer
being ergagsd in perfecting ma
chine for saving out wooden letters
"A sort of scroll saw; at any rate Mr..
Singer hel ed him to complete il. The
inventor went TO Mr.. Clark, q noted law
yer on patents. in order to get his scroll
saw patented lie took Mr.. Singer along
to better explain to the lawyer the work
ing. Specifications and plans of the scroll
saw invention
Will, there Mr. Clark spoke incident
ally of the failure of Elias Howe to per
feet his sewing machine in London. Singer
listened attentiseiy. and it is said asked
MANY questions concerning the difficulty
-Ry George. exclaimed Singer. Il can
make hat thing work
"Tl.cre is a fortune for you If you do,
said Nlr. lark.
Il an do il, have the idea now, ZEN
thusisslicaiy continued singer
TiiE PROBLEM soLvEn.
Then /; is recorded how he looked down
nj his shoes. with the soles loose. and his
clothes in tatters aud rags. He wilted so
to speak and exclaimed, Il am talking
wid; haven't money enough to buy a
screw.
Il will tell you what will do, y said
Clark. -l'il fit you up shop in the loft
of my stable. furnish you with everything
you need 10 work with and live upon,
and give you two months 10 make il go. If
you are successful will gel all necessary
patents and take half of my investment
Its go. said niger.
Inside Of month he had his machine
working. using the eye.pointed needle
and shuttle invented by Hunt. but with
au addition it made continuous stitch
There was one defect. however. His ma
chine failed 10 draw up the stitches and
left each one with loop on both sides of
the fabric. Upon this he worked night
and day until the last day Of his time
came lie worked at it until noon and then
started for his dinner. A thought struck
him. aud back through the streets be
little piece Of wire. - c il Sc eral lends.
and inserted it in the machine. This was
the little spiral called q take up.
which TO day is found in one form or an
other in every machine. 1t was success!
WHAT HOWE FOUND.
BY the time Elias Howe got back from
! nerica that would sew; oil were based
Gil his pstent-the singer. the Wheeler X
Wilson. and the Grover Il Faker He
found that Singer had sold 4.00o
machires He brought suit and succeeded
in getting Judgment for $50. 900 royalty
on those sold and further established
royalty of $40 on each machine sold by
any OF the three firms After this Howe
got man named Taylor to work on
machine and he finally sue eeded n in
venting an entirely new one. which took
Howe's name.
About this time fumors reached the
other firms tina. models made by Hunt
and antcGat.ns Eowes were in existence
and they secured one from Baltimore.
They he'd consultation and sent for Mr..
Howe, and showed him the model and
their proofs that Hunt invented II long
before his Iatent was applied for Howe
Was broken up badly and made . clean
breast of it lowe left the o Zee and
happened to meet his lawyer on the street
To him he confided the whole matter Il
viii fix that, said the lawyer, and hey
started back
HOW THEY FIXED 1T.
Now, gentlemen, he said. addressing
the sewing machine proprietors. you are
simply killing the goose that laid the
golden egg. You let this thing get known
and refuse to pay Mr.. Howe his royalty.
and you will have 10 sell your machine at
SIS instead of $l25 Inside of year
there will be 100 sewing machines in the
market. all of them using the patent you
now hold They saw the point A com
promise was effected. BY which Elias
Howe continued to get royalty Of 81 on
each machine, instead Of SEQ Two dol
lars also went into general fu' d TO fight
other companies into submission to their
control This was the famous -combina
tion" which made millions upon millions
dollars. aud furnished much cause for
denunciation on the part of many we'll
meaning people