The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-10-28

When Our Doors Opened
The Interesting
Story
OF How a Man Conceived and Worked
Out New Idea in Sewing Machines.
BY V. NJ. JOHNSON

BY v. M. JOHNSON
About ten years ago a Chicago man, William c.
Free became firmly convinced
ripe for a new type of family sewing machine. For
tunately, he progressive-there of
fogyism nor prejudice in his make He was a
thorough-going sewing machine man, experienced
inventor. and he knew that there completely
perfect machine on the market He knew that for
twenty-five years Improvements of movement had
been made in sewing machines.
Unlike all others in the field he noA content to
follow the policy of Let well enough alone" His
ambitions, his progressiveness. spurred him
something better This machine" said he,
must only be good machine (there many
such), it must be the perfect machine.
Then came the question-of what should the i'm
provement consst-where to begin and where to
off? Who will realize the thought given
to the answer of this question, the sleepless
nights endured-the days of study (for remember.
this attempting to do what other
of had done since Elias Howe had first
invented the sewing machine)?
AS If by inspiration % him, ''Why
what the people want-what they actually need
to make the sewing machine more convenient-more
handy to operate-to give perfect sewing?" This
the answer-simple in the extreme but Gas he
afterwards discovered) entaing enormous
amount of toll thought and expense.
He called in his associates among whom were
some of the best sewing machine
try and there followed a period Investigations
search such has never been equaled for thorough
and completeness. They went to the bottom of
the subject.
They went to the home and talked with the house
wife.
They interviewed sewing machine statesmen and
agents.
They discussed the matter with the highest Off
Gals Of sewing machine manufactures.
They questioned shop superintendent and fore
men and debated it with the the bench.
They gathered together library consisting of
piece of sewing machine literature IN existence
including the complete patent records on the sub
ject.
They called conventions of experienced sewing
thoroughly discussed, and their value determined.
After this amount of information
med up it stood in brief as follows
OF all good machines. each had some parti-
cular points of advantage possessed by
chimes likewise each machine with these good
points also the possessor of great bad
one sewing machine in the world which approached
perfection.
One machine was found to be light running, but
on the other hand it was very complicated and diff
fcut to operate
shuttle, but some deficiency would be found in the
feed down the list
There was guess work about this. They dug
deep, and after their foundation was laid they
ready to build-from the bottom
The first step was the elimination of all the bad
points
These with no ceremony, relegated to the
heap.
Work was then begun all the good points
Iected from good machines the world
They took the best feed there was and improved
They took the best shuttle and improved it.
They took the best stand on the market and i'm
proved it,
They took best furniture and improved it.
And SO when work completed there
"a obeolute1y perfect machine-and that one THE
FREE-as they call it, with all the good points of all
that is admitted by housewife. merchant, salesman
sewing machine man, to be superior to any ma
chine ever marketed