American inventions and inventors . rtainresult, on the other hand they open up new lines of industrywhich fully compensate laborers for the loss which wouldotherwise fall upon them. It is to be noted also that, in ourcountry at least, the wages of laborers have increased in theperiod during which labor-saving machines have been in-vented. The modern sewing machine is an inestimable blessingto a family. In former days, the mother of half a dozen chil-dren would be obliged to ply the needle night after nightuntil the small hours in order to keep her little ones prop-erly clad. Now, with the lit
American inventions and inventors . rtainresult, on the other hand they open up new lines of industrywhich fully compensate laborers for the loss which wouldotherwise fall upon them. It is to be noted also that, in ourcountry at least, the wages of laborers have increased in theperiod during which labor-saving machines have been in-vented. The modern sewing machine is an inestimable blessingto a family. In former days, the mother of half a dozen chil-dren would be obliged to ply the needle night after nightuntil the small hours in order to keep her little ones prop-erly clad. Now, with the little iron machine standing uponits small table on one side of the room, the good mother canmake up the necessary garments for her children in quicktime, leaving her far more hours for sleep, recreation, andsocial life than would be possible under the old a one can now call down blessings not only upon theman who invented sleep, but upon the man who inventedthe sewing machine which gives one time to sleep. 12 CHAPTER THE STEAM ENGINE. At the very summit of a mountain near Pasadena, Cali-fornia, stands a huge windmill, which may be seen for manymiles in all directions. Here the wind blows almost con-stantly, and the great arms of the windmill are employed to lift water from a well inthe valley below to irri-gate the orange groveson the hillsides. Thusthe wind has been har-nessed by man to servehis purpose. Nature has not onlyfurnished wind for amotive force, but it hasalso provided man withwater power. Thewater wheel, with its ac-companying dam acrossthe stream, has been in general use from the time of theearliest settlements. The weight of the water turned awheel, thus developing a force which was employed forsawing lumber or grinding grain. When cotton and woolenmanufactories were first introduced, water power was almostuniversally used. After wind and water came steam. A very simple steam
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