Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1899-11-22

India rubber shoes were first manu-
factured In Roxbury, Mass, IN 1855,
and verify they were "fearfully ana
wonderfully made" They really bore
no resemblance whatever to snoe.
They had the appearance OF having
been run into molds, or blown. the
same as glass bottles are made. Iney
were made Of pure rubber gum. NO
attempt was made to initiate the shape
of the shoe or foot they were intended
to cover. In shape they were hollow
tubes, tapering toward the toe. Al the
place where the opening to pull them
over the shoe should be was an irreg-
ular hole. without shape, just as tney
came from the mold. The hole was
enlarged with a sharp pair of shears
to fit the instep, or cut high or low to
suit the taste or caprice OF the GUS
TONER The work was done Dy the
salesman after the buyer had selected,
ccording to mis- requirements, heavy
br light, thick or thin. Mems sizes
were very heavy, the soles being fire.
quently from one-fourth to half-inch
in thickness. They were tied IN pairs
and stuffed with straw or hay to keep
them in shape for shipment. A iady's
foot, incased in such huge ill-shaped
mass Of India rubber gum. weighing
at least a pound, presented clumsy
appearance, indeed, particularly when
compared with the light and truly ar
tistic appearance of the present styles.
The first attempt at making over
shoes of India rubber did not prove
success, a large amount Of capital be
ing sunk in the experiment, as well
as all the unsold stock. They answer
ed the purpose in cold weather. but
would not stand the heat. melting into
a disgusting mass.
Experiments to remedy this dimculty
resulted in reaching the opposite ex.
treme. the cold weather freezing them
80 hard as to make them brittle. 50
they could not be drawn over the shoe
until they were thoroughly warmed,
and this obstacle to success was not
overcome until Charles Goodyear dis
covered his process Of vulcaniZing rub
ber. which has rendered his name i'm.
mortal.
Rapidly following this era of i'm
pTONemculS, tue TuDDcT SuOc
gan to assume beauty of proportion
and practical utility. They were last
! ed. and the shoe merchant threw aside
his shears. One particularly popular
style that had a great run for a couple
of years was trimmed with fur around
the tops and came well up on the an
kies. Dickens has immortalized this
particular style by placing them on
the feet of the pretty Arabella that
Mr.. Wrinkle met and fell In love with
while visiting with Ne. PickNiezs<f
Old warile's.
| All rubber shoes were made from the
solid gum at that time, and we are safe
in saying that a single pair would out
weigh six pairs Of those now in the
market. Besides being heavy and
hgly. they were often painful from be
Ing SO tightly stretched over the foot.
They made the wearer look club-foot-
ed, and any attempt at establishment
was a failure and made them appear
tlumsie- still. But this condition of
things was not to last. In 1874 Good
year perfected his vulcanizing process,
ind his method of spreading the pure
gum upon elastic textile fabrics, and
the manufacture of rubber shoes has
since improved from year to year, un-
til they have become thing Of beanty.
Philadelphia Record.