rROCEEDINGS OF THE POLYTECHNIC ASSOCIATION, 529 



Mr. Lansey said he had used sewing machines for seven years, 

 and he never knew an instance of its being detrimental to female 

 health. 



Mr. Bartlett stated that the world was indebted to America 

 for the sewing machine. He said that the Emperor Napoleon, 

 paid 120,000 francs for a sewing machine, as he saw at a glance 

 that, by the possession of sewing machines, he would be provideti 

 with the means of supplying a want of which he then stood in 

 need, viz., clothing the Imperial Guards then being organized. 



A gentleman said that Mr. Hunt was the first inventor of the 

 sewing machine. 



Mr. Dibben said that w^hen Mr. Hunt attempted to prove his 

 invention, he could not produce his model, consequently it was 

 decided in favor of Mr. Howe. 



The Chairman enquired of Mr. Lansey if it was desirable to 

 have the thread elastic, and also if the twist was not the favorite 

 thread ? 



Mr. Lansey. — It is desirable to have the thread elastic. The 

 twist is the favorite thread. 



The Chairman. — On all the machines that you have used did 

 you find that the work done by them was equal to hand sewing? 



Mr. Lansey said that one time he had four hundred females in 

 his employment, and he never found the work done by them on 

 gewing machines equal to hand sewing. 



Adjourned until Thursday evening, December 20, 1860. 



American Institute, Polytechnic Association, ) 

 December 20, 1861. ^ 



Professor Mason in the chair. 



J. 0. Woods said he was happy to have an opportunity to con- 

 gratulate the president for the remarks made by him in reference 

 to the sewing machine. The importance of this invention to the 

 manufacturing interests was estimated, he said, at $342,000,000 

 annually. It shows the annual saving by the machine in the city 

 of New York, on men's and boy's clothing alone, to be $7,500,000 

 a year ; on hats and caps, $462,500 ; on shirt bosoms, $843,750; 

 on boots and shoes, in Massachusetts alone, $7,500,000 annually. 

 It has revolutionized 37 distinct departments of manufactures, 

 created new branches of sewing and extended the old, raised the 

 labor of women, and entirely eliminated the unhealthy condi- 



[Am. Inst.] HH 



