Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1871-03-16
Shoes by steamlHs
Description of the Process by
Which Machinery is Brought to
Aid in ShOemaking.

Description Of @ti1o@PrOceSS by
Which hr1Iachinery, is Brought to
Aid in ShOemaking.
The Newburyport (Mass. Her
aid thus describes the work done
at ashoe msnufaetory in that place:
On the basement floor the sole,
leather is put into shape for nse.
The first process is the cutting the
leather into the proper lengths for
the soles, which is done by strip
ping machine, not worked by
steam. When the leather is cut
into the right length and width
for soles, four or five of the strips
are cut into, shape, at once by
machine run by steam, which, by
an adjustment Of one part, also
rounds and presses the sole as the
maker used 10 do with the ham,
mer and lapstone. This die and
molding machine.is manufactured
by a firm in Lynn. A channeling
machine cuts the Ichannel into
which the thread is sewed, so as
not. to show from the bottom. and
another machine cuts the ft atler
edge. The shank pieces are cut
also by machines, and the stiffen-
ings ''skived" by a machine cpEs
trived for the purposeoz In
room six men are employed. Hav:
ing seen the process Of, fitting ths
sole to be sewed to the upper, we.
next ascended to the second floor,
where the uppers are prepared.
In one room seven cutters were
cutting out cloth and leather ready
for stitching in the next room,
where thirty-fve girls were at
work, few of them fitting the
Innings to the outside ready for
stitching uppers, and sewing naa-
chimes run by steam power. By
each machine was a gas burner to
give light for work In the evening.
In the same room one boy was
punching the holes for the lacingS,
with a machine, and another ma
chine was fixing the eyelets into
the lacing hCles. The soles and
uppers thus prepared for each 9TH
er, we proceeded TO the first floor
to witness he consummation ofthc
union. Here thirty men are at
work. The first thing done is the
lasting of the shoes. After pass
ing through the laster's hands
they are sewed by a huge sewing
machine. This machine, Mr.. Cho-
ate informed us, has done more to.
revolutionize the shoe business
than any other single influence,
since it enables manufacturers to-
work proftably in situations where
formerly it could not be done.
For Its use the company pay a
royalty to the patentee of two
cents per pair for all ladies' shoes,
and one. cent perpair on all misses
shoes sewed on it, and they are.
contemplating the Introduction
of another machine into their Cs-
Establishments. The machine takes.
three hundred stitches minute,
ana consequently, with its Eelps.
one man can perform the work Of
many sewing by hand. After the
shoe is sewed, the "channel' is ce-
mented together and the sole is
pressed, the press taking the placs
of the hammer in the old method
of handw-rk. A workman then
trims the edges of the soles, anf
blackens the edges and
Furnishes them with a hot. irOn.
The shoe is now applied to
swiftly revolving cylinder covered
with sand paper which bluffs the.
bottom, and circular brush at
one end Of the cylinder puts ON a
polish. The heels are then put.
on by one workman, and their.
edges shaved and blackened by.
another. Ehe process of burnish-.
ing the heels is done by machinery,
the edge of the heel is applied to
a disk which makes 1, 100 revo[
lutions in a minute, and polishesi
them off rapidly and completely
Lastly the sole is finished by one.
workman, and the shank orna-
mented by another, when the.
shoes are tied up and sent to the
packing-room. The division of
labor which has been described, Is,
done by what is called a "strins,
team" There are other "teams
in the same rnom making shoes,
less by machinery and more hand,
and producing q, rather better
kind of shoe, 3dH azod5 70