The New International Encyclopædia/American Institute

AMERICAN IN'STITUTE of the City of New York. An organization to promote, by means of exhibitions and fairs, the interests of agriculture, commerce, manufactures, and arts in the State and country. The institute was founded in 1828, and its fairs attracted wide attention from investors and capitalists. Among the inventions which received early recognition from the institute were the McCormick reaper, the sewing machine, Colt's fire-arms, the type revolving and double power printing press machines, the first anthracite coal burning stove, the Morse telegraph, the stocking loom, the telephone, and the Francis metallic lifeboat and lifesaving appliances. The American Institute now embraces in its organization five sections: The Farmers' Club, the Henry Electrical Society, the Horticultural Section, the Photographic Section, and the Polytechnic Section. It has a valuable scientific library of over 15,000 volumes.