Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-09-26
ARvAlCE OF THE
| Sewing MACHINE


When We hear woman say. Il
should be willing to part with any
thing "A THE house rather than the
sewing machine, we realize the posi-
ton which this great labor-saving In
yention occupies in the home.
According to authentic reports Il
has been aksiow process TO bring this
friend OF womankind to Its present
state OF mechanical perfection. Many
early attempts were made to sew by
machinery but all were failures until
Charles F. Wiesenthal patented ma
chine IN England in 1755 which was a
great improvement over all previous
attempts at producing q sewing ma
chine, and this was the foundation up
on which improvements have been
made until the machine has reached q
high state OF perfection that makes
one invaluable IN the home.
Imitation OF hand-sewing was the
idea Of the first inventors Of the sew
ing machine, and In this first machine
which was patented the stitch was
formed BY needle having double
point and an eye at midlength. which
passed completely through the goods
IN imitation Of handsewing. Thirty
five years iEt6v = patent was granted
to Thomas Saint OF England for p
machine which came very close to
anticipating the modern chain-stItch
machine. The one exception was The
eye pointed needle which appears on
the modern machines instead Of the
contrfvancA he used for punching the
thread through the leather, as this
machine was principally used for that
work. 10y -
The first real working machine was
devised by q French tailor named Bar
thelemy Thimmonier Of st Etienne.
in 1880. This was clumsy, being
made principally Of wood, and was
used in Paris for making army clothes.
The tailor received no reward for the
invention.
Strictly American Is the idea Of the
eye-pointed needle and the lock-stitch,
for the idea Of the combination was
conceived by Walter Hunt Of New
York, about 1884. and great has been
the pecuniary reward to others, the
inventor reaped nothing from the idea.
He was refused a patent, as be did
not apply for one until after one had
been granted to Elias Howe. native
of Spencer, Mass, who was apparent
" unconscious OF the invention OF
Walter Hunt. With the. granting Of .
patent to Elias Howe, Sept. 10, 1876,
the great epoch Of the sewing-machine
began. After many discouragements,
he pawned his patents but finally re-
deemed them and instituted suits
which he won against infringers OF
the patents, and 1t is estimated that
he received in royalties $2,000,000 on
machines made up to time OF the ex-
piration Of his patent.
Machines used for manufacturing
purposes vary in many respects from
those used in the home. They are
heavier because Of the wear and tear
of the rapid work which is made pos
sible by the application Of electricity
as the motive power. and viii do the
work of several foot-power machines.
Aside from the machine which Is IA
miliar to almost every woman in the
civilized countries Of the world today.
are the special machines used In doing
only one line Of work, as those for
bf om-sewing. book-sewing. hat-sew.
ing, sewing on buttons, carpets, mat.
tTesses, shoes and many others. which
enable the housewife to buy the diff