Evening star., 1886-09-04
Secondhand Shoes.

HOW THEY ARE MADE OVER AND SOLD.
From the Brooklyn Eagle.
In dingy and iil-ventilated cobbler's shop
in one of the most densely populated streets o
South Brooklyn, sits from sunrise to sunset an
old and dried up shoemaker. He always ap
pears to he busy. but the boots and shoes which
are exhibited in showcase at the front OF the
door have a worn and dilapidated appearance
The shoemaker, who Is a character Ia nls way,
makes llVlnS by requiring ana selling second
han shoes. There Is Tot ii fortune In the busi-
hess. to Ue sure, hut the ageu cOUbler informed d
from sixteen TO eighteen hours day he was
able to support his vile and little ones. The
Industry vi renovating secondhand shoes is
not new one, by any means. The idea origin-
ated III London and is Carried on largely in all
European citles III the quarters Of the poor.
SAID the shoemaker: "Iou would he sur
secondhand shoes. have among my CUSTOM
ers an elderly gentleman who comes mere regu-
larry every tnree months and buys pair OF
shoes for Yl.5O. He is wealthy, but u miser
Many men whom might name and who are
we'll able TO Guy new shoes prefer secondhand
ones for econolny's sake. When u pair vi shoes
purchaser and can be bought for a song. When
business Is dull sometimes 60 out on u collect
Ing tour, and in couple OF hours will obtain
enough shoes and boots 70 keep me employ ed
for month. Boots are much more valuable
than shoes because they contain more leather.
l hnd that they are not worn much nowadays,
OF the finest leather"
"What means are taken to buTnish up old
shOes?' was asked.
1.-The uppers sO1secOnd-hand O1 shoes are always
good, whether the lowers are worn or not. II
the body OF the shoe is not in a patchable con-
dItiOn must put On an entire new instep
Usually the upper part OF the heel TO the curve
OF the loot remains in good condition. Some
times IL becomes necessary TO entirely renOvate
Old shoes, SO that when finished they are like
new ones, with this difference, that the leather
used is not SO good as the original. SOles and
heels always nave 10 be rebuilt and the toes
capped. In all these repairs the cheapest Of
Sole leather Is used. When finished the shoes
can be sold from seventy-dve cents to $1.5O. A
shoe must be OF the finest leather aud be but
little worn to bring 81"
Nv no are your cuStOmers?"
"PoOr people, who can afford to pay but little
for their shoes. l supply whole families with
shoes, from the father and mother TO The baby
l do but little business in wOmen's Shoes
Women usually wear their shoes in the street
until they become shabby, when they are cut
down ana used in the house as slippers. And
then, beside, women's shoes are now cheap
that it would not pay to make them Over.''
While the reporter was listening to the cob
blers chatter there entered the store q labOring
man, whO after much dickering, bought pair
of brOgans three sizes too large for him for 90
cents.
.Those shoes which have just sold," contin.
ued the shoemaker, Twill wear the man nearly
can estimate about what shoe leather costs
some poor people who know where 10 pur-
chase"
Half q dozen or more cObblers make living
in Brooklyn by mending aud making over old
shoes.