Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-04-09


Comparatively few people are aware of the
quiet but steady revolution that is going on in
the business of shoemakng, and particularly
| as that business is conducted in Lynn. Pre-
| viouS to the introduction of the original sew
ing machines, which are now universally used
for the binding and stitching of the uppers,
but little or NJ impr )vement or even change
had been made in the manufacture of shoes.
The awl, the bristle and thread, the lapstone
and hammer, with plenty of ''elbow grease
were, as they had been for years. the main
appliances of the shOemakers, and little was
known or thought of labor-saving machinery.
After a time woman's nimble fingers were
found inadequate TO the demand, and sewing
machines soon transformed the old-fashioned
''shoe-binders" into new and more expan-
sive class of ''machine-girls, whose capacity
for labor was only limited by the capabilities
of the machine over which they preside Iron
and steel came to the aid of wearied fingers
and weakened eyes. This was the beginning
of the new era, which is destined to produce
results big with lasting benefits to our flour
ishing city.
1t is scarcely ten years since the first intro
duction of machinery off any kind into the man
ufacture of shoes in this city. Everything
was done by hand, even to the cutting out of
the soles, which was slow process, and re-
quired the expenditure of a large amount of
physical force. The introduction of sole-cut-
ting and stripping machines, Mt first sparingly,
was the first indication that a change was to
take place in the business of shoemaking; but
no one even ten years ago would dare to have
prophesied that the change was TO be so inn
mediate and so great. The rapid progress that
has been made during that time, and especial
ly within the last year or two, in the intro
50, hoo
beyond all previous calculation. 1t may al
most be said that hand work has already be-
come the exception, and machinery the rule.
The little shoemaker's bench is passing rap
idly away, soon to be known no more among
us, and the immense factory, with its laboring
steam engine, and its busy hum of whirling
wheels, is rising up in its place, to change the
whole face of things in this ancient and hon.
ored metropolis of the ''workers in the gentle
craft of leather"
The introduction of sewing machines for
the stitching and binding of shoes was the re-
suit of an absolute necessity. There was
time when women's busy fingers were able to
do all that was required Of them; but the
time came when they could not, and machin-
cry was called into their aid. Dire was the
alarm of some of the old-fashioned Cylinders"
at this innovation upon their vested rights,
and frequent and fearful were the prognosti-
cations of the ruin and starvation that was to
come upon the unprotected females" thus
deprived of their only means of earning a
livelihood. But the result soon proved that
more women were needed with the machines
than without them, and large importations
from abroad was the consequence. 1t is now
easily to be seen that without these little ma
chimes the shoe business of Lynn would be
"nowhere," though there was hesitancy in
their first introduction. The advantages that
have been derived from their use have been
too many and too palpable to need any refer
ence here. We pass on to the second chap
ter in the history of great and peaceful rev.
olution.
Beyond the introduction of machines for
sewing and cutting up sole leather-and those
worked by hand or foot power-no effort was
made to introduce machinery of any kind into
the manufacture of ladies' boots and shoes,
until the rage for heels had reached its height,
when inventive genius was brought to bear
upon that, and the result was the bringing
| forward of several machines, which have been
more or less successful. These, however,
| have not superseded the use of hand work,
| and ''heeling" has become an important as
well as a separate branch of the business. 1t
is estimated that from eight hundred to one
thousand 'heelers" now have constant employ
ment in this city, doing their work independ-
emily of the shoemaker proper, in shops es-
pecially appropriated to that work. A large
| proportion of the heels are made and put on
by hand, though in few cases they are turn
ed out and finished by machinery.
Gradually, one after another, machines of
! various kinds, for ''rolling," stripping" and