The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1882-09-27
Maklnr shoes.


Mass, do not buy more machines than
they need because few have stood the
test of many years, and it is expensive
to keep replacing unprotected machines
with those valuably improved. Most
machines are labor-saving, and econo-
my prompts manufacturer to give
machine workers the benefit in the
dull season. In the heeling of shoes
great deal is done by machinery,
great deal by hand, according to the
grade of the heel, and the wages are
from twelve to eighteen dollars. Those
who finish the soles earn about the
same as the heelers. Boys wages in all
departments are from three to eight
dollars, and they can often be en-
ployed quite proftably TO do the work
of man. The lasters, who fit the
shoe to the last, have always made
excellent pay, earning from twelve tc
twenty dollars per week, according tc
the rapidity with which they
handle the work. No machine has
vet been invented which can do
more work and better work than q
capable laster, although there is one
which will do very good days work
on the cheaper grades. When it is
considered that one man can sew, an.
other beat out, another set the edges,
and so on, for the work of ten lasters,
there is no disputing the advisability
of a lasting machine. 1t is as likely
to be invented as the machine which
sews pair of shoes in minute,
although the difficulty to overcome is
to find some machine which will read
lily adapt itself to the inaccuracies of
the filters and the different degrees of
pliability of all kinds of stock. The
feasibility of lasting shoes by machin-
cry will no doubt have to come from
the accuracies of other departments,
such as extra care in the making Of
patterns, in selection of stock and
gauges on stitching machines, which
will make every shoe of size, the
same in every particular. Most of the
seams in fitting shoe, taken by the
guidance of an operator, necessarily
vary, and shoes cannot be made exact
in large quantities until there is some
arbitrary guide which will not allow
of any variation.
The use of the needle is very essen.
tial in the manufacture of shoes, and
no small proportion of those employed
are the "girls' who are always called
"girls," irrespective of age, as long as
they work on shoes. In departments
where they are employed reduc-
tions have been made so often
that they do not earn one-half what
they did ten years ago. Very few
earn more than ten or twelve dollars
week on work which once paid them
eighteen or twenty dollars, and the
average earnings are not more than
seven or eight dollars. The reduc-
tions have not been, in proportion,
more severe than in other depart
ments, but stitching machines were
always capable of as much work as
they are now, and there is no chance
to do enough extra work to make the
aggregate wages as much as
formerly. Just at this season
Of the year good help in the
stitching-room is quite scarce, and if
this continued it would have tenden-
cy to make prices better, or oblige
manufacturers to demand a longer
time to fill their orders. An unusual
scarcity this year is caused largely be-
cause the demand has changed from
lace to button boots, in which there is
more work, and, latterly, because
worked buttonholes have gained such
popularity that the girls who work
them have been drawn largely from
the regular force of stitchers. Large
numbers Of the stitchers who spend
the summer months with friends OF
service at the summer hotels, will nc
doubt return in time to supply the de-
1iciency for the next trade. Their alb.
sence has been especially noticeable
this season, because these additional
features have required a larger force
of operatives.