The advocate., 1894-11-14


of the employment of machinery in
that trade and which affords so fair
an example of it's effect in other de-
partments of industry; that we shall
quote from it quite freely. He says:
/ will 60 back to the year 1870, when / en-
gagged TO learn the trade. The hand method
was largely in vogue al that time. The ma
chimes then in use were the Singer and
Howe sewing machines, used in the manu-
fROture Of the uppeEs. The introduction of
these machines some time before 1870
served 10 do the work that vas formerly
done by hand in preparing the uppers for
the last.
The displacement Of the hand labor Of
men by the advent of sewing machines
opened up a field for the cheaper labor of
women and ChildPsn-the women as opera
tors and the children for pasting the Innings
and preparing the work for the machine.
The men who formerly had sewed the
uppers by hand drifted into the bOttoming
or soling department of the trade. The
pegging machine in the soliDg department
was one Of the first to displsOe the slow
method Of hand pegging on mems, womsn's
and boys heavy work. Each of these ma
chimes, with one operator, would do the
work Of ten men.
The Mckay sole sewing machine, whiOhis
very extensively used 20 this day, revOlu-
tionizsd the hand and machine pegging on
ladies' and gents fine grades. The ma
chine, with one operator, does the work Of
twenty. fve men and gives a much more
flexible and stylish shoe, though NOT 80 dur
able. These displaced men took up other
branches, as did the former hand sewers.
About this time the subdivision Of labor
began. The workmen becoming special
lists in one branch Of the craft.
The success OF these machines stimulated
invention, and machines for displacing
hand labor were in demand; many ma
ohines, though no improvement over the
hand method in speed or quality Of work,
we're used as a lever to reduce wages, and
led to many fierce contests bsbween the
manufacturers and che powerful organiza-
tion Of the Knights of Sc. Crispin. The
Crispins were finally broken up by subdi-
vision of labor and machine competition
combined.
Heel Furnishing machines for polishing
the heels (after being shaved into proper
shape by hand work. was another very inn
portanb invention, and displaced the old
method Of hand work. This was followed
by an improved machine called the twin
burnisher, operated by one man and With
twice the capacity Of the single machine.
These machines have gone into the scrap
iron heap within the past four years by the
introduction of simple revolving shaft on
which are cloth-cOvePed rubber wheels and
circular brushes, and which, operated By
16 year old boy, will do the work Of tWenty
men.
This same machine is also used in the
finishing department., which was for
msrly a separate branch, and required
much skill and labor. This branch consists
Of finishing or polishing the black shank or
narrow portion Of the sole, which is so fash
ionable on ladies' and gents Ane work. It
is safe to say that this machine, used in the
two branches, will take the place cf thirty
men. Besides, the tWin-edge setting ma
chine, with two operators polishing the
edges Of all kinds Of boots and shoes, will
do the work Of twenty men By hand method.
Let ID always be kept in mind that these
displaced hands naturally drift into other
branches Of the trade not affected by ma
chinery rather than any other trade or call
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