Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-03-16
When Our Doors Open
The Interesting Story
of HoU a Man Conceived
and Worked Out a
NetD idea in SelU-
ing Machines
= BYV NJ JOHNSON

| "A BOUT ten years ago Chicago man. William
~ C. Free, became firmly convinced that the
time was ripe for a type of family sewing
machine. Fortunately. he was progressive
there was trace of fogyism nor prejudice In his
make up He was thoroughgoins sewing machine
man, an experienced inventor, and he knew that
there was no completely perfect machine on the
market He knew that for twenty-five years no i'm
provements of movement had bean made In sewing
machines
Unlike all Others In the field. he was NOT content
to follow the policy of Let well enough alone" His
ambition-his prosressiveness spurred him on to
somethins better. This new machine" said he
| must not only be good machine There are many
such. It must be the perfect machine.
Then came the question of what should the
Improvement consist-where to begin and where to
leave Off Who viii ever realize the thought given
ever to the Of this question the sleepIess
NIGHTS endured-the days of study flor remember
this man was attempting to do what no other man or
set of men had done since Elias Howe had first In
vented the sewing maehineR
As II by inspiration Il came to him why not
find OUT sDhaf the people Darf-yvhat they actually
need to make the sewing machine more convenient
more handy to operate-to give perfect sewinaY'
This was the answer-smple I'm the extreme but las
he afterwards diseoveredl entailtns an enormous
amount of toll. thought and expense.
He called in his associates. among whom were
some of the best sewing machine men In the country
and there followed a period of Investigation -
search such has been equaed for thorouah-
ness and completeness They went 10 the bottom of
the subject.
They went to the home and tailed with the
housewife.
They interviewed sewing machine statesmen ana
agents
They discussed the matter with the highest
officials of sewing machine manufactures.
They questioned shop superintendent and fore
men and debated 1t with the man on the bench
They gathered together a library consisting
of every piece of sewing machine literature In ex-
lance. including the complete patent records on
the subject
They called conventions of experienced sewing
machine men. where these points and their merits
were thoroughly discussed. and their value deter
mined.
After this vast amount of information was sum.
med Up II stood in brief.as follows:
OF all the good machines each had some par
ticuIar points of advantage not possessed by other
machines And likewise each machine with these
good points was also the possessor of Ereatmany
bad points This was proven conclusiveiy - there
NOT setUing machine In the sDorEdlVfch ap-
preached perfection
One machine was found to be lIeht running but
on the other hand II was very complicated and Diff
cult to operate.
Another would show certain advantages In the |
shuttle. but some dieisncS wouldsbe found In the
feed and so on down the LIST
There guess work about this They dug
Deep and after their foundation was laid they were
ready TO build-horn the bottom up.
The first step was the elimination of all the bad
points.
These. with no ceremony. were relocated to the |
s1ap heap.
Work was then begun on al the good points Sc |
lected from good machines the world over.
They took the best fsedthere was and Improved |
They took the best shuttle and iulproredit.
They took the best stand on the market and /
AnproUedk.
They took the best furniture and Improved IT,
And so when the work was completed there was /
an absolutely perfect machine-and that one The /
FREE they call II, rUitt all the good points of
all machines NOT single bad one-a machine
that is admitted by housewife, merchant. salesman
and sewing machine man. to be Observation-Disclosures
chine ever marketed.