The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-07-24

However. Boston and New York were long
way apart In those days. and Singer believed
that he might come to Now York. and. by Be-
curing sufficient capital here. make q SUCCESS
full fight against the Boston concern. He held
patents OF his own. and some very good ones:
but the indispensable parts OF the machine.
the needle and shuttle. were owned by Howe.
Singer came to Now York and interested a cap
italist, Lawyer Clarke. and with tho Clarke
money and the Singer patents and brains the
factory OF the Singer Sewing Machine Com
pany was opened In Centre street. This was
at time when nine persons out Of item through
out tho country had never heard OF q sew
ing machine. and when tho few machines In
use were nearly all heavy. cumbersome Of
fairs. made only for clothing manufacturers.
1t did not take Howe long to learn that Sing
or was at work In New York. and for the Sec
ond time he asked the courts to stop him. The
patent needle and the shuttle were stumbling
blocks that could not DO avoided. and Singer
was again enjoined from using Howe's inven-
lions. But this time Singer had money at his
back. instead fbeing mpletely estopped.
acompromse was arranged under which Sing
or might go on manufacturing. paying Howe
a heavy royalty for every needle and shuttle
used. On these terms the Singer Company
continued to make machines for several years.
Singer was not the man. however. to DO con-
tent with the sewing machine as 1t then stood.
He was continually making an improvement
hero and an improvement there. and at length
he hit upon the self.adjusting feeder. The
feeder is that rough detached plato which. in
conjunction with the finger that descends.
carries the work under the needle. In tho
original Howe machine the descending finger
came down certain distance, neither moro
nor less. 80 that the same pressure was
brought to bear upon all work. whether it were
heavy army blanket or web-like piece Of
cambria BY simply inserting delicate
spring above this finger singer made the lin
thickness. and tie sef-sdjusting feeder"
was evolved. A glance Mt any sewing machine
been the work done on the machine when the
finger came down like wise upon heavy
lin or other thin goods. The Importance Of
this invention was Immediately recognized.
and no MACHINE was considered perfect with
out the sell -adjuSting feeder.
This mud the Singer Company master Of
the situation. Howe could not sell his ma.
he could not use it because Singer held the
patent. Singer could use Howes needle and
tracts to that eject TRycn
for Howe to propose n compromise. and after
much litigation and many conferences it was
feeder paying Singer a royalty on every feeder
used. But there was an interested lawyer in
for the use of the feeder was so much larger
than the ROYALTY on the needle and shuttle that
stopped manufacturing at that time and lot
Howe go ahead and make all thu machines.
the royalty ,% on the feeder alone would have
fortune. 1t was principally the royalties on
these three inventions. tho point-eyed needle.
sewing machines 50 expensive through n long
series OF years. Singer WAS paying Howe u
fortune every year IN royalties on his needle
ana shuttle. and Howe waS paving Singer
larger fortune in royalties on his self ADJUST
ing feeder. and the PEOPLE who bought the ma
the shuttle patent was an utterly indelensiGe
one me shuttle having been In use Tor many
y With its contracts and its patents. the Singer
its own hands: But with its great success
came came internal dissoIsions that promises for a
equal partners in the business. were naturally
VERY y.Iy, differently constituted Singer was i'm
ready for cpasnt n OF
shrowd lawyer. careful. conservative. and eau
and he ne a at snesr
proposed and started many new schemes that
Clarke ana not approve OF, and for many
seemed inevitable. Tie opening o, the biz
singer show rooms In broadway, Involving the
G or Of the
with tho opening OF the great broadway
sHHlss rooms a daring venture for those days.
the front. Mackenzio was originally u box
m snlRty an" ~ ssser in the factory drawing
mechanical departments wero paid sl2 a
week. BY his industry, skill. and shrewdness
Mackenzie had worked his way into. the offico
at an Increased snlary. As events proved,
comnaHpyy, Y. When ,he Droadway house was
VENTURE til s but t Ire e. Tsns S
could stand and he Insisted upon either buy
siagsrtft a. interest Or selling his own
= disruption. and nade a complete Change Ssi in
sbrsWd SEQ. Scotch brain together and went to
:. Here you have fine, business" said he.
noW to- what tisr SoS SpIr 1S, in oP Ee AZ
and senarating. the business viii be broken up
TIM nt Sn hs s sqs
we have the upper hand. Why not make 9
ysySr item IN lew s"s sares
stock. say ten shares each. which they can pay
for by i1sta!lments out Of their s,.laries3 Then
Singer the Stockholders can decide. OF course.
you two partners will retain eoptr9lllng In;
all be menswhose livelihood depends upon the
success sue Of the company. and their decision
Sa he AID S Sss sssr tSs propo
ssiition but g. matters grew worse between
Mackenzie then set TO work upon Singer and
and the stock company was formed. Singer
and Clarke held an equal number OF shares.,of
shares; but when they were divided, the votes
OF Mackenzie and the other employees con:
| trolled matters. Mackenzie was made one Of
the directors and at the first meeting OF the
Board Of Directors he was made general man
| ager Of the entire business.
With Singer and Clarke still at swordspoints.
Mackenzie thus became the great man Of the
comparatively small. The other small hold
| ers could always be depended upon to vote
| with him. and as he was inclined toward con-