No. 149.J 327 



In strong contrast with the skill and mechanical ingenuity of 

 the present day, liere is nu old pod-auger and bit, over one hun-c 

 dred years old. It serves to show you what changes have been 

 made, and how much you should feel on witnessing an exhibi- 

 tion of the machinery of this Fair and the facilities with which 

 labor is furnished. There is a screw-auger in yonder machine 

 shop that moves with the velocity of lightning. With chisels 

 placed by its side, it bores square holes and mortises in timber 

 with wonderful accuracy and rapidity. Go farther and view 

 the operations of that planing machine. He whose energies 

 were formerly exerted in planing boards from day to day, to fur- 

 nish even then a scanty supply, is now relieved from his slavish 

 toil. The rough timbers are now by sLeam power made smooth 

 in an incredibly short space of time, and the laborer is allowed 

 a little leisure to improve his mind and fit himself for other occu- 

 pations. V/e have boasted much of Blanchard's invention of the 

 turning-lathe, for unequal surfaces, and forming gun-stocks, 

 shoe lasts, &c., but there is Cochran's circular saw-mill, which will 

 saw timber on a line, or with every crook and angle required in 

 ship-building, with ease and accuracy. Come some distance 

 further, and you will see there various machines at work. You 

 will there find the planing machine alluded to, with an extraor^ 

 dinary power, capable of turning out a vast quantity daily, and 

 performing the labor of many men. So, too, this other is Gould's 

 machine to plane iron. But see Dick's Anti-Friction Press, breaks 

 bars of wrought iron like pine sticks. It cuts into form cold iron 

 rolled into sheets half an inch thick, for steam boilers, and 

 punches the holes for the rivets with the apparent ease of a 

 tailor with his shears and bodkin, forming a garment from his 

 cloth. It shows the economy of space and expense, and illus- 

 trates the miglity power of steam, directed by the intelligence of 

 man. Among these wonders is the rope-making machine, of 

 Slaugliter and Perry, from Virginia, the whole not above the size 

 of a bale of cotton. Have you not seen the toil of making the 

 various ropes, from tlie cable to the smaller cordage, with the 

 Jong and inconvenient rope walks. There is the machine that 

 takes in the hemp, flax, or cotton, at the hopper ; ropes the 

 thread, and twists' them with speed; while another wheel fol- 

 lows, laying the rope complete. Il you want a halter for your 



