Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1892-01-15
SECOND HAND SHOES


Where They Come From, Where They
Are Sold and What They Cost.
Nearly everything is sold at second
hand in New York. It is easy to under
stand why there Is market for fnery,
for pianos. for jewelry and for clothing,
for which prices are high and vary 3
great deal. but shoes are sold so cheaply
when new that trade in shoes at second
hand should be small Yet it is q fact
that there is a very Large trade in second
hand boots and shoes. mostly shoes, be-
cause boots are worn by few at present
The second hand shoe stores are in base
ments in the poorest quarters Of the
city.
They are generally in the neighbor-
hood of second hand clothing stores. but
are distinct from them. Sometimes,
however, bargains in second hand shoes
are to be found in second hand clothing
stores, but they are odd pairs and an as
sortment is seldom supplied. On the
east side and in the First ward are many
second hand shoe stores. and in the bend
at Sixth Avenue and Carmine street is
quite colony. Many of them are kept
by Hebrews and almost invariably the
proprietor is a cobbler, who occupies his
time mending shoes. either for his own
customers or some other shop. All sorts
and sizes of shoes. representing the fash
ions of the past ten years or longer, may
be found for all ages and both sexes
They are kept clearly BACKED
ehr ucl, har
rels and garbage boxes, having been dis
carded as past the worth of mending.
About the LIST of May there is a harvest
Of old shoes, thrown out by tidy house
keepers and picked mp by the ragpickers'
who send them to the second hand shops
Many men buy cheap shoes purposely,
because they do not like to wear shoes 8
long time. They discard them without
half selling. As long as shoes are repair
able on the uppers they are Of service te
the second hand men. who patientl.
patch and mend them and make then
worth selling.
Some of the second hand shops arr
patronized by Hebrews, others by ltal
ians, and some by colored people. Man,
servants get shoes from their employers
and have them mended, thereby getting
better articles than they could afford t.
buy new.
The prices Of these second hand shoe
are low. It is almost a rule that thu
price shall be only trifle more than tn
cost of mendipg. Twenty-Five cents
pair is not an unusual price. A dollar
pair is large price. The cost Of shoe
is one of the heaviest burdens to poo
families. Old clothes may be hande'
down from one generation to another, o
made over, but the shoes require casl
I outlay all the time. and the amount
shoe leather that can be stamped out b,
healthy youngsters is appalling,
There is a steady trade in second ham
shoes among peddlers. They eagerl
bargain for old shoes as they traye
through the country. Many of the bes
shoes In second hand shops are bough
by colored people who are inclined to b
particular about their footwear. In tn
best second hand stores may be foun
soiled fancy shoes for women, relics
the stage, or the cast off finery of tn
rich. Such shoes often reappear In eas
side ball rooms. Most of the CUSTOMER
Of the second hand shoe shops are thrift
nersons who have fair incomes. but al
saving money for some purpose, and q
not disdain to economize by buying SCI
ond hand articles.-New YORK sun