New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-24

THE ANNUAL OUTPUT is OVER A MILLION. AND
THE EMPLOYEES GET FORTY PER CENT
OF THE VALUE OF THE PRODUCT

THE EMPLOYEES GET FORTY PER CENT
OF THE VALUE OF THE PRODUCT.
The manufacturing interests Of Greater New
York are dependent 10 large degree upon the
sewing machine. There are hundreds of prod
ucts which require stitching in the process of
making and when it is understood that the
sewing machine has been developed point
where it can stitch fabrics of all grades OF
thickness. from the thinnest fabric TO a sub
stance almost two inches thick. the widespread
need of the sewing machine will Dc more fully
appreciated History relates that while the con-
ception Of the sewing machine had been worked
out fully two hundred years ago. it was not
until the middle Of the last century that one
was built and even then success was wanting.
In 1890 Thimonnier. a Frenchman. vas the in
ventor Of a machine which would This
vas patented in France. and in the United
States in 1850 From a commercial standpoint
this not a success The Patent Office at
Washington shows by its records that an Amer
lean machine patented about 1880 and
from that time until the Of electricity
there an activity in the direction Of i'm
proving this article which taxed the full powers
OF the Department.
At first sewing machines were made for do
nestle purposes only and their Introduction in
volved much bitterness and mercantile war
fare. For the fifty years following 1872 the
ents for sewing machines and accessories. which
figure does not begin 10 represent the real num-
Der OF articles covered: each patent
merated in the record only once, classified
cording TO its most important feature. although
IL might have covered several features. The
invention Of the first machine by J. J. Green
ough provided for the use Of short thread. the
needle being pointed al both ends, with the eye
in the centre. Ii pulled through the ma
terial by means of pncers. thus making "A shoe
makers stitch. In March, 1912 the next i'm
portant patent was granted to b. w Bean for
a machine using short thread. running stitch
ordinary hand needle and with the cloth crimped
into ridges for passage over the needle. The
we'll known patent OF Elias Howe was brought
out in 1916. This had an eye pointed needle In
combination with a shuttle for the under thread,
a continuous thread from the spoos. lock
stitch and an automatic feed the length az the
baster plate The leading machine companies
paid a royalty for this device until the patents
expired in 1861. The real sewing machine war
for SUPREMACY which may be said 10 nave been
one OF the most wonderful in the history or
manufacturing. began about lsIl.
Twenty years afterward IL was found that the
sewing machine could be made a most linpor-
tant factor in general manufacturing. For me
four years preceding 1876 the annual sales or
the machines amounted 10 SooOooO Inc total
value Of the production in 1880 was Sl3' SOD ~
while ten years later IL amounted 10 Hl-,s2i,l4'.
AT the present time ii is claimed that the an
nual output from all sources In TINS country
amounts TO million. The Industry requires
a bout 10 600 operatives. whose earnings FOOT up
to nearly 100000. which is about 40 per cent
NJ The value of the product.