Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-10-24
SHOE TALK FROM An EXPERT.
Facts About the Biggest Single Industry in
the United States.

Faets About the Biggest single Industry in
the United States.
SPECIAL EXAMINER HYER OF THE
~ patent Office has Just returned from a tour
OF inspection through the great boot and shoe
factories of Lynn and Haverhill, in Massachu-
sets, which may be said to turn out footgear
for pretty nearly theentire people Of the United
States. He was much impressed with the gi-
gantic scale on which the manufacture is car
ried on at these establishments, some Of which
have each capacity Of from 5000 to 10000
pairs day. large percentage of the goods
thus produced are sold to retailers a. from IS
cents to Sl.50 pair, although the stock" used
costs from 80 cents to Sl.10. Inasmuch as
the labor averages ID cents on each pair.
there Is necessarily an actual loss on the cheap
est grades, which are merely intended to serve
as leaders" 1t is an interesting fact that GO
per cent of all the shoes and boots worn in this
country are retailed for less than 81 a pair.
Machinery" said Mr.. liver Yesterday to q
STAR reporter, has nowhere been put to more
effective use for the saving of labor than in the
manufacture Of shoes 1t is wonderful thing
TO see pair OF boots turned out within a few
minutes from the raw material, finished and
all ready to wear. At the time of the centen-
NAL exposition in Philadelphia there was a cor
trlvance exhibited which was called by its in
ventor the iron shoemaker 1t made shoes
and turned them out complete, but they were
clumsy affairs and the process was slow one.
1t has been found best to employ for the pur-
pose number Of different machines. which
together perform the operations necessary.
with the aid of one ingenious device one
man can sew together soles and uppers for 450
pairs day. On what is known as the stand
ard mailer single operator can nail 800 pairs,
the machine making its own main by wire,
pointing them. driving them and at the same
time automatically regulating the length of
each nail TO the thickness Of the sole. With
loose nails or pegs one person can do 600 pairs
day. though the toes and heels must be made
additionally secure afterward. One pegging
machine will peg two pairs of womens shoes
per minute, cutting it's own pegs from strips of
white birch ut the time. A thousand
cords OF wood are cut into shoe pegs
every year in the United States. The wooden
peg was invented in 1918 by Massachusetts
man named Joseph Walker. The Yankees
have always been years ahead Of Europeans in
the art of making shoes. although the French
excel to this day in the finest work for womens
footwear. All machines for sewing shoes are
OF American invention. The last census showed
that the manufacture of boots and shoes was
the greatest single industry in America, en-
ployIng the largest amount of capital and the
greatest number Of individuals. The en-
ployes of the trade are about equally divided
as to sex. Men do the heavier part of the
on the buttons. Each New England factory
most of them are owned by Boston men-bas
its specially. One makes ladies' shoes exclu-
siveIy, another slippers, another mems boots,
another children footgear, and so on
1.-The oldest form of shoe was the simple
sandal, which was nothing but a sole. Egyp-
tian priests wore sandals OF palm leaves and
papyrus, while those of the common people
were made of leather. The shoes of Roman
soldiers were studded with nails. Heliogabalus
had his shoes covered with white linen and
Caligula ornamented his with precious stones.
Sandals were worn by both sexes among the
Romans In the house, as We wear slippers. At
one time the parliament of Great Britain regu-
lated by law not only the quality of the leather,
but the number OF stitches TO be taken In every
shoe. Top boots were introduced in the six
teenth century. In China the cobbler goes
from house to house and announces his coming
with rattle. In all history, as shown in pic
lures and has reliefs, the shoemaker seems to
have assumed the same attitude as now in do
ing his work. 1t is very unhealthy one. and
few of the craft live to old age. A hollow at
the base Of the brcastbone is often produced
by the continual pressure Of the last'