Los Angeles herald., 1890-08-09

BUILDING A RUBBER BOOT.
The Process Require More Labor Tha
the Avera1a Person Thfnks.

The Process Require More Labor Than
the Average Person Thinks.
It is forty years since the first rubber boot
was made, and a very clumsy specimen Of
footwear it was. Prior to this the old
fashioned rubber shoe was in existence, but
not much worn, and it was called galoshe.
The style of boots now made are nearly
Identical in all of the leading rubber
companies, each, however, having some
strengthening device of more or less excel
lence upon which they pride themselves.
All boots are made by hand upon wooden
trees" which are prepared of carefully
seasoned maple. The seasoning is neces-
sary, else the trees would shrink in vulcan
ization and become worthless. Iron trees
have been used, but are practically "barred
out" by their great weight
A well arranged boot room has first
wide center circle running it's whole
length, through which run car tracks for
the easy removal of the finished boots to
the heaters" Running from this main
passageway are the ''alleys' of the work
men, in front of each of whom is q long
table, fitted with rack capable of holding
fifteen pairs of boots. A portion of this
table is padded and reserved for the work
of making up, the tools for this being sim
ply a small hand roller, stitcher, knife
and cement cup and brush.
AS the various pieces that are to be
joined together to make the perfect boot
are brought in 'ebooks" to the bootmaker,
they are first laid over the table and ce-
mented with paste made of rubber and
benzine. The first step then is the lasting.
A tree is put upon the "block" with the
foot upward, and the leg lining, of felt
usually, is wrapped upon it, and con-
nected at the heel by bit of piping"
The edges are then Tapped one upon the
inner sole, where they stick fast. The lin
ing is then scanned up the back by draw
ing up the piping edge over the rubber
coating. Next the lining is fastened at the
top of the tree to make it firm, and also
to take out any looseness that may be in it.
Then the foot lining is connected at the
instep and Tapped over on the inner SOLE
A rag filler is the next necessity, to fill the
space left on the sole between the lower
edges of the leg lining. Over this, and in
deed on the whole bottom of the foot, is
placed tough sole made of rubber and
fiber called the rag sole." This is "skived'
and all round, and then both rag sole and
lining are brushed over with fine quality
of rubber cement and left to dry.
When the benzine has fully evaporated
from the cemented surface the process of
trimming" is next in order. First the
holes are cut for the straps and they are
placed in position. Then a small "heel
stay of cloth is added, followed by an
"ankle piece of rubber cut without clap
ping" at the back. A heavy counter of
rubber and fiber is put around the heel
next, to be followed by "back strip" of
rubber that runs up the seam in the lining
from the heel to the top of the boot This
is succeeded by a toe strip Of piping, toe
piece of rubber and side stays of the same,
when the boot is ready for the "cover"
All this time the boot has the look of
some of those felt boots that car drivers in
Chicago fancy, only this is decorated with
cement and trimmings and the other is
plain. The leg cover is rubber and goes
over the whole with the exception of the
sole and a part of the toe 1t is put on
with great care, back seam being run
down in the middle of the back strip, a
binding put around the top, vamp lin
ing the sides extending over the counter,
secured, and the "outer filler'' added to the
bottom of the foot.
The third stage known, as covering" /"
now follows. In this a counter of heavy
rubber is put around the heel, the point
being in line with the back seam, the edges
being carefully rolled down. Then a vamp
of heavy rubber-"the tongue''-exactly
covering the vamp lining. The sides of
this extend around to the counter and are
distinguished by two side seams. These
seams are then run over with double
stitcher," which is similar to a pair of
sharp tracing wheels, and which not only
help fasten the rubber to the cemented
surface beneath, but also make very neat
finish. After this the vamp is cut out
around the outflller, and the bottom of the
boot receives a coat of cement which is to
hold the sole on.
When the boot is dry it is ready for the
fourth stage, which is ''soling." To digress
little, sole is in four pieces and is made
up for the bootmaker in the soling room
These four parts are fiber and rubber
"form," a thin rubber "sole piece" top
and a heel. These are put together and
sent to the boot room to be covered with
the strongest possible rubber cement on
the bottom and edges. The sole is attached
to the partly finished boot at the toe, and
brought over to the heel that the latter
may sit straight. Then the heel is ham,
mered, the sole rolled, the edges rolled
down in the vamp and counter, the last
seams are stitched and the boot passes on
to the vanishing room and then to the
vulcanizer.- Rubber World.