Year: 1876

A QUIET RAMDLE THROUGH MACHINERY HALL
DRESS PARADE OF THE INDUsTRIEs-THE
FOAM, THE TIZz AND THE GLITTER OF THE
SODA NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OF THE SEWING
MACHINE.


PHILADELPHIA, August IL, 1875.
From ramblc OF some lazy hours In the American
department In Machinery Hall the bewildered observer
might come away with the impression that the whole
world is made up Of sowing machines soda fountains
scales aud pumps. He might reasonably entertain the
opinion that satisfactory planet could be run and
continued indefinitely If we'll supplied with these
ariicca 1t would occur to him, perhaps, from the
evident Importance given brass faucets, that few
OF these would be useful additions Ho might even
think Of including a scroll saw TO amusc himself cn
occasional chips; and life might more endurable
for eighty ninety varieties OF machines for punching
holes in iron. But these would be tho mere iringes
and embroideries-tho accidental ornaments Of world
made up of sewing machines, soda fountains
pumps and scales An exposition is after all only
dress parade of the Industries OF nation and Is pre-
emncntly valuable for tho indication il gives OF the
tendencies OF peoples lilo and cvihzaton-the dem
onstratop of the wants that mechanical ingenuity Is
called upon minister TO- Evidently most impor-
tant


TENDENCY OF AMERICAN CIVILIZATION


s toward cheap sweet drinks toward the realization Of



palmy days OF the Republic and the snveng morality
OF prohibition. This is evident from the de-
velopment of the soda fountain This national in
stitution--and is all our own. Scales aud pumps We
cannot honestly claim except in SO far have
proved them. There evidently sewing machine
made in England be ours The steamboat is in
doubt Even government "of tho people and Tor the
people, and by the people," was thought of many
years before 1I7d in other counries-though Mr.
Evarts not to have heara OF it, Thus many Of
great possessions fade away under the rcsoutc
scrtons OF other cainants but the soda iounaIn is
altogether and indspuaoiy ours over this triumphant
creation OF ingenuity the eagle may safely
Germans Italians and French have from time I'M
memorial had natural soda fountains IN ncon venient
places like the mountains OF Bohemia, in Lobardy,
or in Auvergne ana the Pyrennces, TO ENJOY which
people had make expensive journeys Our inventors
jumped boldly the conclusion that the only difference
between those waters and common water little
medicine and little gas. and they conrivcd the ap-
paratus that enabled the whole world to enjoy


MINIATURES GAsrBIN


in the apothecarys shop at the corner Then, rs 1t
the gas that made II foam, and people didn't want
medicine, they lcft out the medicine and made gas
without II, which involved tho soda fountain
most primitive condition. There then only
objection TO the popular character OF the Institution.
Mineral water has nasty taste, so they added syrup
with various navors Hence tho Frcnchmahs time
honore0 glass of sugar and water for taking which
generations Of SaxOns have laughed at him, Is now
taken by the whole American people national
drink with addition Of little carbonic acid gas
made oil of vtro and cnips Of marble gathered in
the shops OF tho tombstone makers. How the water
loans and bubbles in a big tumbler with a nickel
handle; how sweet II is and how cod, and how much
bo taken without any other danger than that Of
explosion Not SO wicked AZ whiskey; not 80 un-
pleasant honest mineral water; ana yet foaming
POLITICALLY above tho prosy commonplace OF mere water.
Is IL happy type OF The emptiness and pretence
and dclusiveness oil fashionable virtueY


1t is but just 10 say that Philadelphia, Boston, New
York and tho great West strive with another Tor
supremacy in tho production Of the soda Fountain and
they elevate IL to q monumental spcndor that doubt
less ovefpowers the youthful mind in the rural dIs-
tricts Some OF the fountains about tho size that
churches used TO be In the primitive ages, and they
dazzic with tho meretrici0us brilancy OF polished
ncke and coorcd marble I'LL the whole side Of tho aisle
which they occupy shines like piece OF plated fairy
land, all foam and hzz and glitter.


THE SEWING MACHINES


There are some twenty eight or thirty dit, ,rcnt en-
closures devoted to the demonsratIon OF the sewing
machine in all its variety. Sewing machines are cx
hiDied at Two points in the iorclgn quaricr--in tho
English department and In the French depart
mcnt-and the remainder arc all In the most
conspicuous and advantageous position In the
sAercan departments Two of the exhibits, the least
conspicuous OF all have peculiar interest indica
tions OF progress. One OF hem shows the sewing
chine moved by an electrical apparatus tho other,
the machine, moved by n current OF water with
small turbine Wheel Botn these IDEAS likely to
prove oi value. Any lady to whom The use Of tho
pedal is rksonc may have the machine so adapted
the simple force OF the Croton water II runs tho
tap the lower part OF almost any house In the city,
Will turn tho wheel; or tho same work can DO donc
sewing machine exhibits are repctiions oil the shops
on Broadway, made up OF handsome cabinet work and





UTILIZATION OF BEAUTY.


Perhaps tho most admired objects In the whole
Exhibition are tho whle arms Of beautiful
blonde in OF tho sewing machine estab-
lishments This young lady, by tae. way, adept
In the use OF the machine tor the ornamentaton o
silk velvet other tissues peculiar style
what different from embroidery. The effect Of the
finished work that of lace scwed upon the tissue. II
Is quite as beautiful but inasnuch II must be In.
fntcly cheaper 1t will hardly be used place OF lace
This niation s done with great SKILL without
the use Of any pattern, except may be one already
familiar to the nnd's eye. Beautiful ornamentation
with tho sewing machine done the French depart
ment; but those duli people use patterns.


something too .mucn OF thIs' will be the nev
table sigh of the weary visitor who reaches SAFETY
the end Of the sewing machine list; but yet this
hibt evidently has an inexhaustblc interest Tor the
women VINO throDg near II day after day. always with
unlagging zeal But the general impression on tho
mind that objects OF which the scwing machine the
fountain and tho platform scale may bc taken
types more favored than those that might excite
higher IL less extensive interest," that the energy OF
the retail trade crowds to the wall that which Is less
sclfsacrincing, because Of conscious superiority,


OFFICER WILLIS FUNERAL