The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1854-07-04

| The BooT AND SHOE TRADE OF BOSTON,
| The Boston Atlas gives very readable article
on tho above subject from which We extract
the following
| "IIundred Of families are reared and COM
| fortably supported by means Of this important
| branch of industry, in nearly every town of the
Commonwealth, and tho recent almost un.
PARALLEL increase of the busines attests tho ex
cellcncc of the goods thusmannfactured. Our
| boot and shoe trade has doubled within a very
few years. We have not at hand the means
of making an accurate statement. but have no
doubt that in our own city, where it nearly all
| concentrates, this business amounts to from
$50, ,0OO, 900 to $4,000 900 annually.
Hall century ago, tho disciples Of st. Girls
| pin, were pretty equally scattered throughout
evory town, village and hamlet of our Commo-
| wealth, each singing merrily in his little syen-
| by-nne shop, with his measures, lasts, tools
and lttlo heaps of leather ar und him; but,
alas the modern Vandalism Of progress and
innovation his invaded even his peaceful do
main, and like many other institutions of the
olden timc, the jolly, singing, whistling, joking
shoemaker is passing away, and will soon be
known as o traditionary being Since the in
PRODUCTION of shocpcgs-a Connecticut inven-
ton, we beliove-the timo honored craft has
been on tho wano. Tho innovation was stron-
gly opposed at tho time, and at this day, the
few old school workmen remaining, express
the utmost contempt for the modern method
of sewing up boots and shoes with little sticks
of wood
Tho invention, was at length fairly tested,
and proved to be valuable, but its introduction
has never extended much beyond tho limits Of
Yankee-dom. Within these limits, however,
and especially in our own State it has been tho
means of establishing trade which has become
Al kron oh &c ,pI,,
try. In 1915 there were 2,768,l ,l60 pairs Of
boots and II, ,l2S. l52 pairs of shoes manufac-
tured in Massachusetts, with an aggregate
value of 81 4,699, l4O and giving employment
to 27,109 males and S,678 females. In 1850,
the number Of males employed. according to
the United States census, was 3l,045-more
than double tho number Of any other trade, and
moro than double tho number of cordwaincrs
in other State except New York, which has
but about $4,000. 1t is probable that at tho
present time all the figures of lS45 arc more
than doubled, Besides this, there are great
numbers of person in the adjoining statos, par
ticularly New Hampshire, who work for Mas
sachusetts manufactures.
Cotton and wollcn mills are something tan
gble. We can count their spndles, their
looms, and their operatives. We cannot avoid
seeing their hugo walls, and hearing their i'm
menso and constant clatter. Continually OBJ
truding themselves upon our attention, we
may know how many yards they turn out,
and how much money is invested in them,
and many are disposed to place them in
tho first rank, and think no other branch Of
Massa chusotts industry is worth Of notice.
But lot one pass through the "rural districts"
of eastern Massachusetts,, no mattor in what
direction, no will find in almost every village
and hamlet, ono or moro unpretcnding two
or thrce-story buildings, with heaps of leather
chips around, and "Boot and Shoe Manufac-
tory" printed over their doors. Thore is an air
Of quiet about them; no noise or clattcr; he
would never suspect them of doing great bus
iness: but for miles around ho may observe
every little, comfortable hooking cottage has
a small shop attached, where are men and wo
men boys and girls, perhaps tho cntirc house,
hold, at work upon tho boots or shoes of tho
ncighboring manufactory.
At tho principal shop tho leather is only
"clicked' or cut out. mostly by the aid of light
machinery, into soes, heels, uppers, counters.
&c.. tho Innings, counters and straps arc "skivcd
and pasted in, and the work is then given out
to tho workmen. in lots or cases of 1920 or
1000 pairs, as tho case may be. and ofdiiicrcnt
sizes Tho shoemakor-thcr real manufacturer
then takes his work home, were his wife and
daughters stitche, close and bind the uppers,
and no himself and his boys do tho 'boitom-
ing If his family is largo, or he employs a
number of hands in "team,' still further
division Of labor takes place. One hand tacks
the in solo to tho last and trims il; another