The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1871-12-14
INTRODUCTION OF INDAI RUB
Der SHOES.

Perhaps never was the fact that large
industries often grow out of SNAIL begin
nings better illustrated than in the in
trodution of India rubber shoes
Previous to 1921, india rubber had
been Improved only as curiousities, in the
form of crocodlles and turtles, and other
reptiles, and also small bottles used fer
erasing pencil marks. In that year an
intelligent sea captain brought home
from q voyage pair of what appeared
to be models of shoes made Of solid pur'
lndia.rubber. They We're only five or
six inches in length, were closed at the
top, and of the natural creamy color OF
the inspissated juice of the caoutchouc
tree
The Shoes were given to the gentleman
above referred to, then lad, possessing
the inquisitiveness natural 10 the intelli
gent youthful specimens of the gsnu'
homo.
AS usual this lad had jack knife
among the treasures Of tops, kite strings
and other incongruities with which boys
pockets are generally stuffed, and pos
sessing that universally strong boyish i'm
pulse, to use his knife upon any new ma
terial presented to his notice. This,
coupled with desirGto see the inside OF
the queer little shoes, prompted him to
cut them open upon the lnstep.
The opening disclosed two clay lasts,
which were easily broken up and remov
ed by the knife.
The thickness of the rubber was found
to be at least three quarters Of an inch.
How to get these miniature shoes upon
his feet was the problem this lad now un
dertook to solve. They would not
stretch enough to ego on, notwithstand,
ing the well known ingenuity with which
boys of his age contrive to get through
small holes in fences, to Chamber up prec
ipices impossible to adults, and to &C
Complish feats astonishing to all who for
get hey ever were boys themselves.
Whether it was suggested from some,
thing he had read, or whether in random
experiment, the never-to-be. conquered
youth conceived the idea ofsoftening the
rubber by boiling water and stretching
the refractory shoes upon lasts as large
as his feet. This done, the shoes were
perfected except in color.
The natural resort of school boys in
such an emergency, ink, was tried, but to
HE III WdSIicO Oh DIS SOOu DE- tile
shoes were wet. 1t is probable the boy
had read something of blackening rubber
by smoke; but if he had not it is Ger.
tainly singular that he should have hit
upon the very method which has been
used SO long for this purpose. He satu
rated the shoes by carbon deposit by
hanging them in a chimney. Then tri
umphantly DOMINIC his new acquisition,
he marched out into the streets, through
puddle and pool, the envy and admired
OF all boys who saw him.
And it came to pass that, this thing
being brought to the notice of the sea
captain who presented the shoes to the
lad, he had the sagacity to import more
of the shoes on his next voyage, which,
finding ready sale, the regular trade in
rubber shoes commenced, and in 1882 it
was an established business.
This trade gradually brought into pub
lie notice the vast supplies of caoutchouc
existing in various parts of the world,
and led to the experiments of Goodyear
and others, which have developed the
manufacture of an endless variety of rub
Der articles into one of the most impor-
tant industries of the age.-Neao ssYork
Economist
a