The Indianapolis journal., 1895-12-31

A Factory That Turns Out 800 Pairs
n Week the Year Round.


Grand Rapids (AIich.) Letter in New York
The larges. wooden shoe factory in Amer
lea is located in this city. The factory does
not overshadow all the other buildings in
its vicinity, nor does the hum OF It's In
dustry disturb the peace and quiet or the
neighborhood. 1t is small two-story build
ing with a sign out in front to distinguish
secluded street. 1t is operated by two Hol-
landers, who have been making wooden
shoes almost from infancy. The junior
partner occupies rooms in the second ssory pa ar;
ner, with his family, lives In the rear, wnile
the factory proper, the largest in the coun-
try, and producing about hair or all the
wooden shoes made on this side OF the
water, occupies 10x12 room on the ground
floor opening on the street. Three men nnd
steady employment In the factory, and tne tne
force at times is increased to hve, and the
product will average the year around about
three hundred pairs a week.
A wooden shoe is produced entirely py
hand and in it's evolution from block OF
wood to the finished product IL undergoes
three operations. The wood is purchased In
shoe lengths, and the shoes always go
through the processes In pairs. The SNAPPER
takes two blocks, and first with a broadax,
and then with a hand adze, he hews and
hacks with great apparent recklessness untii
he has reduced the blocks to sem5lance 9
a block of wood, and. with a long knife,
that looks like scythe blade. swiveled 10
the block at one end, he rapidiy prings the
wooden shoe.
borer, who. with variety or Instruments, sns
makes the hole for the foot. He first bores
a hole for the heel and then with what
looks like an exaggerated cheese spoon
works his way toward the toe. An expert
workman can reach the toe In two OF three
minutes while a green hand could not get
there in half an hour. Once started with
augers, knives, scoops and scrapers, @ @rhe
place for the foot is rapidly shaped. the
workman often uses calipers and measures
so that one shoe Of pair shall be as near
as possible the mate of the other. The snoe
is then sent to the drying room to remain
a month. when the final touches are to give
1t the last scraping and the artistic finisn.
Willow is the best wood out or Wnlcn 10
make wooden shoes, but the american VIII
low is unlike that which grows on the ma
tive heath of the wooden shoe In TINS
country bass wood Is used almos- entirey'
and is light, easy to work, duraDle and dry:
Occasional orders are received Tor fancy
shoes to be made of maple or walnut, ana
once an extra fine pair had a. mahogany
veneer. The shoes are especially adapteaa
for wearing in wet places, and the demand
for them is steadily increasing. The Hol-
landers brought them over from the oio
country, and were long made sport OF py
the irreverent But the Americans nave
within a few years been coming to the con
clusion that in adopting the wooden FOOT
wear the Dutch had pretty. level neads.
The shoes are especially desirable Tor
work. in laundries. breweries. stables, and
on the farm. where the ground is wet: They
do not become saturated with moisture
never get out of shape like leather boots,
and are surprisingly warm and comforta,
bic. and in addition they are cheap; and
will outlive several pairs OF cowhide boots.
The awkwardness of wearing the shoes
soon passes away, and when the wearer en-
ters the house he kicks them of for shoes
or slippers of more graceful build:
The shoes sell for s. a dozen adult sizes,
81 40 for small sizes and $l.S0 for children s.
and are shipped to all parts OF the country
from here The Hollanders are still the
largest BUYERS but the Americans are max
ing rapid progress in adopting them to their
own uses Besides the factory here. there
is one at Holland. Ottawa county, produc-
ing about fifty pairs a week when in opera
ton which is only part Of the time Iowa
has one or two small shops. and New Jer-
sew has one or two but few If any work
more than four or five months year ex-
cept the big factory here.