The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1879-04-10
SHOEMAKING.
The New England Shoe Towns-Wonderfu
Results of Machinery Work.

Results of Machinery Work
boston Cor. San Francisco Call /
The shoe manufacturers of Massa-
chusetts have petitioned Congress
against the extension of the patent now
owned by the Mckay Sewing Machine
Company, originally granted to Robert
81. Matthias and Gordon Mckay. This
patent will expire in few months. It
is alleged that the machine is detri-
mental to the interests of the people,
who are the consumers, while not ad-
vancing the interests of the manufact-
urers, excepting those who are interest
ed in the profits Of the company. It is
also alleged that the patentees and
their assigns have already made hum
dreds Of thousands of dollars from the
machine, having received the full bene-
fit contemplated under the law. The
right of controlling the manufacture
and sale, also the use of the machines,
including the 1900 already sold, and
the royalty to be paid for using the
same the next seven years, is an i'm
mense power, worth millions of dollars.
tits also alleged that in case the patent
is renewed the advance in the price of
the stock of the company will reach a
high premium. putting at least $4,000
600 extra into the pockets of those who
are in the ring" On the other hand
the owners of the Mckay sewing ma
chine, as well as the owners of the
latest improved pegging machine, claim
that the total amount of royalty paid
for fair or fine goods is SO small, 81
cents upon sewed worA, and cents per
pair upon pegged work, that the differ
ence is unknown to and disregarded by
the consumer. That is to say, the roy
alties are small, and the general gain to
the public large.
10 go back about twenty years, there
were scattered all over New England
many towns known as shoe towns,
where in shops the leather was cut by
hand, then was parceled out to makers
or "bottomers," who for portion of
the year labored upon the land, and
portion of the year are fishermen, and
at odd times made boots and shoes.
These boots and shoes were taken from
the shops and brought back finished,
varying in time of completion from one
week to six months, or even a year;
they were returned to the shop, ex-
amined, packed in cases, and sent to
market for sale. The result was that
to accumulate for a season sufficient
shoes to meet the demands of the mar
ket, required six months of time. To
see what is possible in these days of
shoe machinery, read this: A large
shoe mandatory, turning out 2,4OO
pairs of shoes per day, was destroyed
by fire on Wednesday night, with con-
tents, valued at $4,000. It was busy
season, with plenty of orders on hand.
On Thursday the manufacturer hired q
neighboring building and set carpenters
to fitting it up; on Friday he ordered
his machinery from. Boston; on Satur-
day the machinery arrived and the men
set it up; on Monday work was start
ed, and Tuesday he was filing orders,
as usual, turning out the full amount of
2,400 pairs. It is great thing to save
a manufacturer both his orders and Gus
tomers-the savings of one seasons
profits; but machinery is big thing,
especially in shoe shops .as ta-l
The Mckay Sewing Machine Gem
pany, which is now having a fight in
Congress, sewed 45,000,0OO pairs of.
shoes last year, and there were pegged
upon the pegging- machines, 100000
pairs last year. And those machines
have entirely revolutionized the bust
ness. There are 100000 bushels of
loose pegs made in New England, and
those pegs sell from IS cents to rs cents
per bushel; yet patented peg-wood
"a strip or ribbon of wood cut across the
grain, and of width just equal to the
length of a peg has SO superseded the
loose pegs that last year there were 55,-
100000 pairs of boots and shoes pegged
with it. The whole expense Of this
peg-wood averages about one.fourth of
a cent per pair. Nearly 1000 of these
pegs are driven into the shoe in min
ute, and there are about four to six pegs
to an inch, or about twenty-five inches
of pegging to shoe. Over 200 varie-.
ties of shoe-machines are now in the
market. The man who invented this
peg-wood had to borrow money to en-
able him to perfect his device and pay
the fees of the solicitor and Patent
Office, beside having borrowed 100000
in order to introduce it into the mar
ket. 1t cost the parties who invested
and introduced. into shoe-shops the
"cable-screw-wire machine" 100000.
Six hundred pairs Of pegged shoes can
now be made in day by gang Of ten
men. Where before, shoe shops ex-
listed throughout New England, now
shops have become larger, labor is clas-
sifed, and receives a larger com pensa-
ton (strikes to the contrary notwith-
wages have advanced SO to
100 per cent. to the laborer, and the
shoe in quality is Is per cent. better
than twenty-five years ago. ~ ~ ~ !.
The Worlds Great Religions. :.
It is no easy task to describe all the
o1.no = ,n1i oiopc of tho 1por11 -, p 5000