April 5, 1923

Manufacture of Sewing Machines, Cases and Attachments, 1921

The Department of Commerce announces that according to reports made to the Bureau of the Census the value of products of establishments engaged primarily in the manufacture of sewing machines, cases, and attachments amounted to $35,608,000 in 1921 as compared with $57,938,000 in 1919 and $27,237,000 in 1914, a decrease of 39 per cent from 1919 to 1921, but an increase of 31 per cent for the seven-year period 1914 to 1921. Of the 36 establishments reporting products valued at $5,000 and over in 1921, 9 were located in New York; 6 in Massachusetts; 4 in Illinois, Indiana and Pennsylvania; 3 in Connecticut; 2 each in Missouri and Ohio; and 1 each in Michigan and New Jersey.                                                                                                         In January, the month of maximum employment, 13,082 wage earners were reported, and in December, the month of minimum employment, 12,275, the minimum representing 94 per cent of the maximum. The average number employed during 1921 was 12,569, as compared with 19,230 in 1919 and 18,007 in 1914.

April 26, 1923

Growing Need for Machinery in British India

There is a growing demand for many kinds of patented machines and appliances, such as typewriters, sewing machines, cash registers, multigraph machines, adding machines, and a host of contrivances for domestic and business use. It must not be supposed that the Indians are clamouring to buy these articles. There are only a few machines of certain kinds in use in India, and these are often only for purposes of trial at government experiment stations or on the estates of Indian princes or large landowners. Some give satisfaction and others do not, but on the whole they are growing in popularity, the difficulties are being overcome, and their use will increase little by little, for hydroelectric transportation, forestry, and certain agricultural conditions resemble more closely those of the United States than of Europe. The gi-owing demand, however, is largely being supplied by other countries, which take more pains to cater to Indian requirements. Apart from the lack of capital, one of the principal reasons why machinery is not used more in India is the relative abundance and cheapness of labor. Children sometimes receive 6 cents a day, women 10 to 16 cents, and men 10 to 32 cents. They lodge and feed themselves and, although not efficient, are often cheaper than machines, taking into consideration the purchase price, fuel, wages, other operating costs, repairs (a large item), and obsolescence of the machinery.

April 26, 1923

Receiver Named for New Home Company

Judge Anderson of the United States District Court has appointed Charles N. Stoddard of Greenfield, Mass., receiver for the New Home Sewing Machine Co., of Orange, Mass. A petition for a receivership was filed recently by Charles S. Scarborough of New York, a former president of the company and represented as the heaviest stockholder with a creditor's claim for $20,000. It is stated the company is without quick assets, but is solvent, with assets of approximately $4,000,000 as against liabilities of $1,200,000. Controller Moore of the company testified that while gross earnings were $500,000 to $600,000 larger last year than in 1921, the company had a net loss for 1922 of $269,000.

from the American Machinist