, 1885-06-16
a FORTUNE AWAITS THE MAN
Who Discovers = sub~titu to Tor Shoe
ieather-Nsw Horse Shoe wanted
fRaltimare Haraif 49,


Baltimore Heralil
A gentleman prominently identified
with the development Of paying inven-
tions said the other day: "A fortune
Is the man who can make invent.
or discover a substitute for leather foG
shoes. There has been several attempts
IN this direction by scientists. but they
have all failed. The experiment
that results successfully will have
TO bo in the sphere of che is
try. by combining certain substances.
The nearest thing yet approaching n
substitute lisa material called vulcaniLed
fiber, made in Wilmington, Del, by a
company OF New York capitalists. II is
made out Of wood fiber, and possesses
the necessary %pliability and wearing
quality, BY which | mean t~oughness-
but h effect OF heal and water can not
be overcome The importance of this
discovery Is great, for leather shoes,
compared with other articles of wearing
apparel, cost toe much money, espec-
ialy to the manufacturer. There are
two radical defects in leather shoes that
must be overcome before any substitute
therefor can be made popular, and they
are; Eunning over or wearing away of
the heel and sole and ripping OF the up
per from the sole. The uppers of nine
tenths of the shoes that become worn
out arc good, and the shoe OF the flu
ture must have a light, pliable, elastic,
imperyious sole that will practically not
wear away and will be united to the
upper in a way to prevent its being
ripped
Another large fortune will drop into
the pocket of the person who succeeds
IN devising a horse shoe out OF some
material other than metal. The objee-
tons to the metal shoe are serious. In
no sense and in no locality is it of
sufficient advantage as regards protect
ing the hoof or increasing the purchase
power, to anord n reasonable excuse for
IFS being used, were there anything else
to take its place. The horseshoe nn-
questionably shortens the life of the
horse. IL does not help, by its weight,
In travelling, and from its shape much
power is lost in getting a hold on the
ground. This is particularly the case
in cities where the streets are paved
with rounded cobblestones in a barbar.
Gus fashion.
The Lelgian blocks are even worse,
where the horse is compelled to pull a
load uphill. Tho shape OF the present
shoe has a good deal to do with its
disadvantages. A horse does not natural
ly take hold with the frontof the hoof nor
with the heel the blacksmith and horse
doctors to the contrary notwithstand-
ing 1t is true that the toe Of
the hoof touches the ground first
as a rule, although this is not al
ways the case with the forelegs in walk
ing, n many Normandy stations step
Hat, but the instant the strain Of pulling
begins the natural points Of purchase
move TO either side of the hoof and at a
point slightly nearer the heel. ere it
would be impracticable TO spur the shoes
at those places, because that would cause
the horse TO slip constantly on any sort
Of q cobble-stone or Belgian block bed
way, AMI might, probably, were one of
the spurs TO break. cause a fracture of
The leg from its being thrown sideways.
shoes, their position is such hat the
horse can put forth his greatest strength
except on hard, springy ground. This is
why so many shoes are thrown, and ex-
plains the torn or ragged hoofs which
n sees on almost every animal
The perfect. shoe, for running and
pulling, must have many properties of
tho natural hoof. The latter, you will
notice, slips on nothing except ice, AMI
even on that it is much better than the
metal shoe, unless Il BE- roughed. The
perfect shoe must lie light, sprmgy and
tenacious, and cannot DO nailed under,
but should in some way clasp the hoof
without impeding the action of the
foot Neither cork nor rubber will do"