New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-08-04
WOODEN SHOES.

An American will start at the bare idea Of
being asked ~ wear q wooden shoe. But it is
so with every new thing. The frat gum shoes
offered In our cities were stared Mt aud r'di-
culrd; but though made Ia the clumsest way by
the natives Of South America, by dipping al un-
cnuth clay mould into the liquid gum as it
flowed irmn the tree, producing shoe OF most
unsigLty shape, and tsice as heavy rs it need
| NJ. Vet the value Of the gum oversize became
20 soon apparent with the public that vast de-
mand was the result. Science and Ingenuity
were imlnediare, directed to the once dsspised
novelty. The cohgulated gum was liqrifed by
solyen's made ductle between heated rollers,
and has lattery been 50 hardened us to be- man.
uactured into a multitude of articles both useful
and Ornamental The first idea, limited to
gum oyersDoe. has been expanded into colossal
manufacture. Our soldiers march with gum
cloth havtrssck., aud lie on gum cloth blankets
under gum cloth tents--would that they had
been fitted out with gum--oed shoes. II was
III. same thing with the adventurous man who
frat showed himself in the streets with an um-
brella. Crowds followed HIM. bootiug ut his
efemiuncy, needless, in their hearty ridcule Of
a soaking rain. Most Of us remember when
this first hats made OF silk plush were offered for
sale People ut first made light of them, but no
revolution IN human head-gear was ever so COM
plete. Here are three staple comforts so thor
oughly domesiicated in the huinsn family, that he
who would seek to bansn either from use, would
be written down greater ass than was the man
who holsted the first umbrella. They all came to
us from Europe. One OF our national peculiari-
ties is that OF quickly adopting every useful nov
city that happens to be presented to us, proving
its value, aud if found good, Of OutstrppiDg all
other people in improving aud cheapenIng ito
manufacture. Let ne see If anything can be
done with wooden shoes
These have been IN use in various parts Of
Europe for centuries and are so STILL One often
aces them worn by newly-arnyed immigrants from
Germany; but being here, their owners cease to
wear them, more because they attract undue atted
ton, even to riLiculc, than because they prefer
leather shoes. Every one knows that numerous
diseases, often rllinous to the constitution, well
of our population in consequence OF wearing leather
shoes, when exposed in cold weather or in wet
situations. To prevent these evils, wooden shoes
are extensively worn in France and Germany. The
European Agricultural Societies, We'll rs the Gov
ernments, strongly recommend them. In Written.
berg the Board Of Commerce and Trade imported
workinen from France 10 instruct the Germans in
the art of making the best and ightest shoes. The
advantages of wooden shoes are many. They al
low no water to penetrate, as do leather ones they
are naturally dryer; they keep the feet warmer;
they prevent disease by promoting the requisite
and sautary perspirstion; they have been known
10 effect cures Of patients where salt baths aud
the use of medicine have been unaysiling; and,
lastly, they are far cheaper than leather shoes.
The European prices range from Ia to Sc cents
a pair, while those for children are even less.
To the farming and laborng population of this
country they would DO found extremely valuable.
10 old times, single pair of leather breeches
durable, a single pair beng worn from twenty
to thirty years. There are few operations on
the farm aud about the barn-yard 10 which they
could not be proftably used. They are admira-
bio about stables, where leather shoes soon perish
under the destructive attacks Of dung.water.
In blowing aud narrowing in early Spring. on
dump ground, they efectualy protect the feet
from dampne.s, the limbs from rheumatism, and
the boGy from the doctor.