The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1889-08-16

The rubber shoe Of those days WAS a
very different affair from the sselt acting
chg, ''''zephyr'' or arctic OF today. The In
dsnus first made model of q boot or foot
from a clay peculiar 10 the locality. There
was procured an earthcn jar in which was
but Il fire made of dry palm nuts The
maker" seated OH Il stool before the fire
conveniently arranged about him his stock Of
lasts or models
The .'gatlerers" brought in the result of
GArirs tDil III larse turtle shells The ''m,lkerN
was no,1 ready for blssness. Taking one OF
tho clay models in ono hand, with tho other
IL ,iuflIy covered it with the raw rubber con-
aimed in the turtle she'll The model was
then quickly turned a few times in the white
smoke OF the palm nut fire, which had the
effect Of quickly conguluting the raw rubber
This done, another model received similar
treatment while the first was stuck OIL
stake to dry,
Al Indian and QUE attendant would make
by this primitive method about twenty pairs
Il tllv, The rubber WAS left on the model for
some little Time that it might harden. The
claT was afterwards removed, the shoe
stuile;i with hay, and 1t was ready for mar
ket Whatever such rubber as this may
have lacked in style and appearance was duly
compensated for in quality, for 1t had the
merit of being pure rubber
soon the Indians learned to add ornamen-
tat,on By way Of tawelry gliding in unique
designs after their own peculiar fashion
The first rubber shoes ever seen in the
U,ted States were brought to Boston i'll lS.0.
4 S,M.li box held the entire amount OF tho
importation. At first they were regarded
,uorc as curiosities, but at length their merits
becalno known. Three years later usa3) &
vertuiuus Boston merchant imported sou
pairs These found u ready market at -
pair and upwards This reception induced
further venture until the annual Importation
amounted to upwards OF half q million pairs
To Thomas c. Wales is due the credit of i'm
porting the first rubbers from Para. This
gentleman had almost monopoly Of tho rub
: bcr trade il, the United States from the year
! lS:1J to $40.
I Tic imported rubber very much resembled
Il sock foot, or, as a Boston merchant said
ssthey look like an Indian dug out AS
! will be seen by the illustration they were q
I little more shapely than those first made.
\ in 1911 shoe lasts were sent TO South Ameri-
ca to take the place of the clay models, This
i had tic effect OF giving better shape and form
To the rlbbels. The rubber business had now
I grown To some magnitude due i'll Il great
measure to the decreased cost, as no." rub
bers were sold ut about 81 pair The mat
ter was receiving the attention OF many OF
the most prominent business men, and many
ingenious devices were resorted to in order to
utilize this valuable product In 1893 boots
we're n,ate in New YORK and shipped tc
South America to be vanished or coated
with the rubber gum. These, on being re
turned, we're sold as gum elastic boots. Cloth
wns also sent TO South America, coating OF
the rum coagulated between two pieces, and OIL
returning was made into a sort OF cloak One
cnterpriSng firm went so far us to have car
nets treated in Il similar fashion, in order
that they might bo impervions tc water ant
grease Another firm shipped quantities OF
sole leather, which, after being coated will
rubber, was made into boots and shoes, ant
sold under II guarantee mot to leak or soal
water"
The years from 1S4l to 1874 were prolific il
the development of the rubber industry
Crude rubber was brought to Boston as ship
ballast and sold at four or five cents pound
The great difficulty experienced was han
ding this crude rubber after it had coaSu
lated And again, the rubber of those day
reqlired much care, as severe cold hardene'
them, while heat had an effect quite the re
verse. No history Of the rubber trade coul'
be given without mention of Charles Coed
year, who may be termed the father OF rub
bsrs. Born in New Haven, Conn, on Dec
%, 1900, like many others of his time, he b