Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1870-12-21
OUR HOME INTERESTS.
A New Enterprise Shoe and Leather Manu-
factory.

tSTGrpsts IN East Tennessee To see the dis
position manifested to engage in enter
prises heretofore unknown to us For
half century we have been accustomed to
look to New England for our boots and
shoes. Here, where we have such an
abundance of oak and chestnut bark which
,an be supplied to tanners at such rcasona-
bic rates, or at least ought TO be, this inter-
est has heretofore been neglected, and has
been insignificant. Hides, instead of be-
ing tanned here, have been bought up,
sent North, manufactured into leather,
and sent back to us in boots and shoes.
Less than year ago Messrs. Francisco
& Nichols commenced the manufacture of
leather Mt Woodburn, seventeen miles east
Of Knoxville. At first, they laborcd un-
der the same difficulties experienced here
tofore in East 1'cnncssee--that of Il want
of skilled labor Finding that cheap, UNI
skilled labor did not pay them, they at
once made different arrangements, and
secured the services of a sliillful foreman.
Since then their business has regularly in
creased, until now they are manufacturing
about 5000 worth Of leather per week.
They have opened warehouse in the Me
Ghee Block in this city, where they keep
constantly on hand fun supply of all
kinds of leather tanners and shocmakcrs
tools. They are bound 10 succeed, relying
~ they do upon their own energy and the
employment Of skilled labor. They arc
now specially engaged in manufacturing
leather adapted to this market.
These same gentlemen have associated
themselves with Mr.. Harvey Page, and
nave 4 boot and shoe manutactory under
the firm name of G. Page u Co. Mr.. Page
is practical shoe man, having been en-
gagged in the business all his life. lie
worked for fifteen years in q large manu-
factory in New Haven county, COnnccti-
cut. He has been engaged in retailing
boots and shoes in the South, and manu-
featuring on small scale, for fifteen years,
and being q widc-awakc man, has studied
the wants of our people, so that now this
establishment il making just such boots
and shoes ms our people want. They use
no split leather no welts in the bottoms,
but either single or doublc'soles, so that in
purchasing from them you know exactly
what you are buying.
This the people already appreciate.
Their orders come in faster than they can
fill them. Th;y experience no trouble in
-disposng Of their goods at q fair price.
Their prices are rs low, If not lower, than
the same grade of articles in the Eastern
markets. They have invested about 81, 0OC
in the latest improved machinery. The
leather is first cut into strips Of convenient
width, then dampencd and run through
the rolling machine, instead of the old
hammcring process when nomachiuerywas no
used. This rolls the leather out and leave,
it with an even surface. 1t j. then taken
10 the dies for cutting heels and Solcs
where sole or heel il cut out at a single
lick. This saves both labor and material
enabling the shoemaker 10 use scrap,
which he could not otherwise do. ln the
fitting department, there arc two wax.
thread sewing machines for sewing M
side seems of hrogans, shoes and boots
and two slk-thrcad machines, for doing
finer work on ladies' shoes and fine boots
for gentlemen. They have one machine
for punching holes, and another for put.
ting i'm eyelets. Among their other ma.
"hincry is the pegging machine, which
cuts the peg, punches the hole and drives
the peg all at the same lick, and with
which they can peg a shoe in a minute and
"A half, or Il pair of shoes every three min
utcs. Their increasing business render
Il necessary that they should have another
machine of greater capacity, which they
have ordered and expect soon.
Their boots and shoes are principally
manufactured for the wholesale trade, he
ing Of stap!e kind such as mems kip
brogans, shoes and boots and ladies call
and kip shoes. These are made of stock
manufactured in East Tennessee.
They employ aboot thirty-fve hands in
their boot and shoe department, and proba-
bly, half that number at their tanncry
Shoemakers earn, on an average, about
1929 per day.
Taking into consideration the fact that
these establishments Il are yet in their in.
fancy, We think their success speaks well
for the proprietor7, and augurs fuvorabll
for our future. This Is one Of the enter
priscs which we can well afford to foster
and encourage in every possible way. WhC
knows but that this is only the beginning
of class Of industry which is 10 Tondcl
Knoxville the Lowell Of the South?