22
EXPOSITION AT VIENNA.
allowed to sell them, deserves commendation. A few shoe- machines, from T. A. Dodge, Cambridge—prominent among which was the well-known McKay sewing-machine—were brought in after the jury had finished its work, and therefore received no award.
There were no large iron-working tools from Massachusetts, a fact which is the more astonishing when the reputation of our manufacturers is considered. Among the shop- fittings were a parallel-jawed vise by Mr. Thomas Hall, of Northampton; one of a style peculiarly American, so contrived that the jaws can be rapidly pulled backward and forward, and almost instantly fastened on any interposed object. The Morse Twist Drill Co. showed a case of their increase- twist drills and fluted reamers. The hand-knitting machine, from the Lamb Knitting Machine Co., at Chicopee Falls, and the Excelsior Gas Machine from Warren, sustained their reputation as standard machines.
From this brief survey of the important Massachusetts mechanical exhibits, it will be seen that even in those departments which were best represented, we had but two or three exhibitors, and the majority of kinds were nearly or wholly unrepresented. The only mitigating consideration is, that what we did have was uniformly good, and carried away the highest honors.
In comparison with the other states of America, Massachusetts stood fourth in respect to the number of her contributions to the Exposition as a whole, being exceeded by New York, Ohio and Louisiana. Judged by the test of prizes awarded, the state stood second with Ohio in respect to their quality, being exceeded only by New York. A detailed list, both of the exhibitors from Massachusetts and of the prizes awarded them, will be found appended to this Report. Of the fifty-five contributors from the State in fourteen groups, thirty- three received either prizes or honorable mention. Of these, however, the medals for progress and merit—the two highest awards, after the grand diplomas of honor—alone deserve any great degree of consideration, the others having been so widely distributed as to lose their significance. Of the sixty-four medals of progress awarded to Americans, Massachusetts received thirteen ;» and of the hundred and fifty-six medals of