Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-01-18
BOOTS AND SHOES.
A Nashville s1anuractorx.

A number of the most prominent citizens
Of Nashville were invited to visit the boot
and shoe mandatory Of B. r. Cutter, on
Summer street corner of Broad, last Friday.
for the purpose of witnessing a Cable
Screw Wire Machine at work.
This machine is one of the most impor-
ant and valuable inventions Of the age. and
its use will result in reducing the price of
boots and shoes very materially. The fol-
lowing is description of the process of
manufacturing boots and shoes, by means
of this machine, at the shop of Mr.. Cutter.
which is in charge of Mr.. Harris:
CUTTING DEPARTMENT.
The stock is first selected for the uppers
of various classes of goods, and is then
stock is cut and placed in quantities ON a
bench or table for the purpose. 1t is again
gone through, and again assorted for the
different grades of the same class of goods,
after which the trimmings, which is cut by
another set of cutters, is placed with the
outsideS, and put into dozens or cases as re-
CURED. These are then taken to the
FITTING DEPARTMENT
where the Innings and tops are closed
with one machine, while the seam of the
leather or cloth outsides are closed and
stayed by another machine. They are
then brought TO the filters, whose duty it is
to place them in their relative positions.
They then go to the scollopper to form the
tops into the shape required; then to the
operators to stitch and have the vamps at
tached. In this department the wax-thread
machine, the Howe and Grover & Baker
sewing machines are used. The uppers
then 60 to the puncher and eyeletOr to have
the holes and eyelets put in, which is done
by very ingenious machine which takes
the eyelet and placing it in the hole fasten-
ing it in at one stroke of the operator. We
then come to the
BOTTOM STOCK DEPARTMENT.,
where the sole leather, selected with great
care, is cut from the side and run through
very heavy rolling machine, which makes
the leather more solid than hammering.
The sOles, counters, and in-soles are then
fitted to the lasts by skillful operator, and
the sOles are then run through a machine
for making the channel. The heels are
also cut witha die to the requisite form, and
stacked by machine cOntrived for the pur-
pose, which makes the heels of a uniform
thickness. The uppers, and bottoms to
match, are then given over to the Lasting
Department, where the laSters place the
inner-soles on the lasts and draw the up
per into its proper place. The shanks are
then put in, the bottoms filled up, and the
.sOles tackled on ready Tor
THE CABLE-SCREw WIRE MACHINE,
Which is a beautiful and preciSe-wOrking
machine, which feeds and cuts its own wire
of the required length for the different
parts of the shoe or boot, places the shoe
in the proper position and screws the wire
into the proper place by nine different mo-
tions following each other so rapidly
as to be scarcely perceptible. This machine
con be worked either by foot or steam pow
er. 1t will turn out shoes at the rate of
800 pair per day by foot power, 600 per day
by steam. The shoes then go to the work
men who cement the channels down and
level the bottoms. They then pass to the
HEELER's DEPARTMENT,
who adjusts the heels and faStens them on
the shoes. The heels and edges are then
trimmed to the desired shape and sub
stance, when the shoes then pass to the
FINISHING DEPARTMENT.,
where one man colOrs and finishes the
heels and edges; also the shanks. Another
then takes it and buns or cleans the bot
toms, and sand-paper is then employed
to make them smooth. After this is done
the finishing touch is given to the bottoms
and edges. When the lasts are Temoyed
the socks are placed in the shoes. Then
they pass TO the
STEER,
whose duty it is to place the shoes in pairs,
dress them and tie them together ready for
sale or delivery.