Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-05-06
MAKING OF SHOES.
How the Peaslee COMPANY
Turns Out Goods.
TWO HUNDRED PAIRS A DAY

Ro:k IsIsud's New InstItation scarcely
Able to Meet the Demands for It's Prod
nets Coming From all Parts Of the
Country.
That Rock Island made no mistake
when she extended welcome hand
to the Peaslee Shoe company, a visit
to that thriving little institution
which is located on the corner of
Fourth street and Third avenue
will almost convince anyone inclined
to be skeptical.
Two hundred pairs of shoes make the
average daily output of the company
now, and yet Manager Peaslee says
it is far from being able to meet the
orders which are gradually coming
in from all parts of the northwest
where the company has representa-
tives. About sixty men and wo men
are given steady employment at the
factory and the forces are being in
creased daily. The factory is run
ming nights three days in the week
In order to catch up with the orders.
Il is fact that half the citizens of
Rock Island never stop to realize what
kind of an institution this latest ac-
QUESTION is and what it may event.
ually develop into. The Peas
lee shoes have wide repu-
tation and are gradually be-
coming more called for-which is
enough to warrant the belief that in
creased capacity will follow. 1t is
nna6 CT
more business than half the people
are aware of-yet it can grow, and
that is what it will likely do. The
factory is nicely fitted out with first
class machinery, which is operated
by electric power. There are three
floors on which are the various de-
partments, while on the top floor in
the southeast end is the office of
Manager Peaslee and Secretary
Scherrer and the sample room.
How the Goods are Made.
To glance at shoe in the packing
room one would never suppose that
it passed through so many machines
and skilled workmen. While careful
hands on the third floor are cutting
from the large pieces of leather the
upper sections Of the shoe men
in the basement are shaping out the
soles.
In the cutting department, which
is superintended by James Friend
ship, the truest part of the shoes
construction is modelled out. From
this department the pieces are trans
ferred into the stitching room where
about twenty young ladies, under
the direction of Miss Francis Nc
Namara. put the se0eral parts to-
gether with the aid OF stitching ma
chimes. This department is on the
top floor. The upper portion Of the
shoe being formed and sewed it is
lowered to the lasting room, which is
presided over by John DAILY, and
which is on the basement floor. Here
the upper is placed over last and
shaped and the sole attached. Then
it ascends to the second floor into
the bottoming department., which is
in charge of H. T. Tisdale. Here is
where the finishing touches are ad-
ministered. The shoe goes through
fourteen processes in this depart
ment alone. When it passes the last
machine it shines like q new dollar.
Then it is taken to the packing room
where careful hands lay it away in
cartoons. which are properly labeled.
Then the shoe is ready for shipment.
1t requires about two days for a shoe
to go through the process properly
although it is possible to turn one
out in less than day.
1t is certainly an interesting study
to watch the coarse pieces of lea:he r
gradually weave into a handsome
piece of footwear. The company
makes nothing but ladies shoes. The
company is we'll repres ntei
in the northwest by four men:
Julius Rosenfeld, Of this city,
who carries the goods as a side line !;
c. A. Hurst, W. Purcell, c. V. Smith
and j. l.. Snider.