The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1879-04-11
SHOEMAKING.
Tho New England Shoe Towns-w wonderful
Results Of Machinery Work.

1
The New England Shoe Towus-W wonderful
Results Of Machinery Work.
boston Cor. San Francisco CALL
| The shoe manufacturers of Massa-
chusetts have petitioped Congress
against the extension of the patent now
owned by the Mckay Sewing Machine
Company, originally granted to Robert
ii. Matthias and Gordon Mckay. This
patent will expire in few months. 1t
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 hun
dreds OF thousands of dollars from the
machine, having received the full bene-
mt contemplated under the law. The
right OF controlling the manufacture
and sale, also the use of the machines,
including the 1890 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.
1t is also alleged that in case the patent
is renewed the advance in the price of
the stock OF the company will reach
high premium. putting at least 50. OOO.-
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 fetal amount of royalty paid
Tor fair or fine goods is so small, 81
cents upon sewed work, and 2 cents per
pair upon pegged work, that the differ
ence is unknown to and disregarded by
the consumer. That is to saw. the row
alties are small, and the general gain to
the public large.
To 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 a portion of
the year labored upon the land, and a
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 a
market for sale. The result was that
TO accumulate for 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 2,40O
pairs OF shoes per day, was DESTROYED
by fire on Wednesday night, with con-
tents, valued at $4,000 It was a busy
season, with plenty of orders on hand.
On Thursday the manufacturer hired ;
neighboripg building and set carpenters
70 hitting 1t up; on Friday he ordered
his machinery from Boston; on Satur-
lay the machinery arrived and the men
vet 1t up; on Monday work was start !!
I'd, and Tuesday he was filing orders, !!
IS usual, turning out the full amount of .
400 pairs. 1t is great thing to save
manufacturer both his orders and Gus ..
omers-the savings of one seasons i
'rofits; but machinery is a big thing, !
specially in shoe shops. 1
The Mckay Sewing Machine Com
ANY, which is now having fight in I
congress, sewed 100000 pairs of q
hoes last year, and there were pegged Q
pom the pegging machines, $4,000, 900 I
airs last year. And those machines r
ave entirely revolutionized the bust !!
ess. There are 100000 bushels of y
bose pegs made in New England, and n
hose pegs sell from 65 cents to rs cents I,
er bushel; yet a patented peg-wood v
strip or ribbon of wood cut across the 81
rain, and of width just equal to the .
myth OF peg) has SO superseded the =,
ose pegs that last year there were 55.- ~
10000 pairs of boots and shoes pegged ~
18th 1T. The whole expense of this ~
sg-wood averages about one-fourth of 81
cent per pair. Nearly 1000 of these ,e
'gs are driven into the shoe in a min U
e, and there are about four to six pegs
an inch, or about twenty-five inches
pegglng to shoe. Over 900 varie- =.
ss OF shoe-machines are now in the VI
arket. The man who invented this IA
g-wood had to borrow money to en- u u
lie him to perfect his device and pay oe
Q fees of the solicitor and Patent ce
ice, beside having borrowed $50, 900 re
order to introduce it into the mar h
t: 1t cost the parties who invested :.
d introduced into shoe-shops the i na
able-screww machine" $500. 600. I'D
hundred pairs of pegged shoes can q nc
W be made in day by gang of ten na H
IN; Where before, shoe shops ex- Ma ma
ed throughout New England, now M
ops have become larger, labor is clas- ar al.
led, and receives larger compensa- Ira
n lstrikes to the contrary notwith- ae
nding); wages have advanced so to 90
per cent. to the laborer, and the w
De In quality is % per cent. better an
IN twenty-five years ago. no