The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-05-01
a-'a AAA aH A. H .Nat
Boot and shoe Manu- fac.u res.

Among the varied manufactures in this city
which give employment, at remunerative
wages, to large numbers of operatives, and yet
require for putting them in operation but COM
paratively small capital, except for stock and
labor, we may mention those for the manufac-
ture of boots and shoes. When we speak of
the smallness of capital required, we refer, of
course, to the outlay preliminary to commence
ing operations. In cotton and woollen manu-
factories, and those for the manufacture OF
metallic articles generally, large investments
are required for costly--often massive-ma-
chinery, and these machines do the work of
hundreds of pairs of human hands In the
manufacture of boots and shoes, after all the
improvements that inventive genius has pro-
vided for cutting, crimping, sewing and peg
ging, there is very large margin OF work and
finish yet left for human hands to PERFORM
And the machinery used, though complicated,
is nevertheless not so expensive as to exhaust
large capital before it can be brought into use
for the purposes for which it is constructed.
This line of business, in our city as in Boston,
= ~>rsros iargery IN a single street. Union street
in this city answers to Pearl street in Boston,
in this regard; and it is with honest pride that
a Portlander may look upon those substantial
blocks, erected since the fire, now devoted al
most exclusively to this one branch of indus
try. % .s4..f U -f,55.-l,. sii.5 -i4 IT, eete
And we are glad to learn that the manufac-
turers find Portland good point for their
operations, and that even Lynn and other Mas
sachusetts towns may be successfully COM
peted with in this department of business
We hope to see the manufactures of this kind
greatly increased, as they surely will be if ia
cilities are provided for giving us the benefit of
a more extended market r5- 30 iioiIAg
But the establishments on Union street, it
will perhaps be said, are engaged in the manu-
facture of boots and shoes for the nldrket-for
slle by the case; but that, when neatly fit
ting thoroughly-made, fashionable boot or
shoe is to be got up to measure, it is necessary
to employ Boston, New York or Philadel
phia, if not actually a London or Paris shoe
maker to do the work. gH 'it .'.
Weare aware that with few persons this alb
surd idea prevails, but it is mere fallacy. We
undertake to say that no better stock is used
anywhere than in this city; that no better
workmen are employed anywhere, and that
Portland has mechanics who can match the
world in the neatness of workmanship, the
thoroughness of finish, the exactness of fit, the
artistic taste in style, and in all other respects
essential to perfection in the art of boot and
shoe-making. This is saying a good deal, but
we will stand by it. Gentlemen in Boston,
New York, Philadelphia and even Chicago,
who have resided here and therefore knoD
what they can get, are accustomed to have
their boots made by one of our Portland
houses, and besides getting more satisfactory
work, they save enough in price to pay the Or
binary expressage on the articles Produced
Wewould say that no gentleman or lady, wish
ing peIfect fit, from the best stock, and the
work of the most perfect kind, need go out of
town to be accommod ated; we care not what
the shape, pecularites, or condition of the
foot may be. To make perfect fit the new
boot must necessarily be close--tight, if you
please; but SO long as it bears equally on all
parts-is a perfect tt-there can no injury re-
suit to the foot. Corns come only of ill-ftting
boots-those that are tight in some places and
slack in others. l va
We do not know how many places in the
city turn out such work as we have spoken Of,
but we know that Messrs. JONES & WILEY,
1853 Middle street. do turn out just such work;
we know that they keep large stock of gen.
uine French calf, that they employ the very
best of workmen, and that no boots we have
ever had made have given such perfect salts
faction as those we have had fitted by them
Their new store is very fine and pleasant
one' and is constantly crowded by appreciative
customers We wish them well, as we do all
other industrious Portland mechanics.