The times., 1899-09-25
AMERICAN RUBBER SHOES.
More Than One Thousand Kinds Vow
Manufactured.
(From the New York Sun.)

(From the New York SUM-
American rubber shoes have been ex-
/ ported TO some extent for many years. but
within the past four or five years the ex-
ports have been multiplied. This has been
due to the establishing in foreign coun-
/ tries OF agencies OF the American manufae-
/ turers and 10 the making OF increased eff
i forts to introduce the goods. TO some ex-
] tent TO the demand of Americans abroad
I for American overshoes, with the result
/ that wide-awake dealers came TO keep
i them in stock; and largely to the goods
/ themselves, which. like many other Ameri-
+ can manufactured products, are superior
+ in style. lightness, finish, and durability.
I Wherever they have been introduced
+ their sales have increased, and American
rubber shoes may now be bought in every
I European country but Russia, IN which
\ there is a tariff high enough TO keep out
foreign Tubbers and the trade is held By
a factory established at St. Petersburg.
Both boots ard shoes are exported but
/. principally shoes; these are exported in
every variety. for men, women, and chill
dren. Great numbers of them are made on
what are called export lasts; they are made
to fit the shoes upon which they are to
be worn; but there are also exported
many shoes in the same styles as those
worn in this country; many Afnerieaa
shoes are now exported. and this has help
ed the export OF rubbers in American
styles. to fit the shoes 1t would be quite
possible nowadays to buy in London. say.
or in COnstantinopie American rubbers of
the same light weights and graceful shapes
as are to be found in New York.
Perhaps 40 per cent of the rubber shoes
now sold in Europe, outside of Russia, are
of American manufacture, and that proper
tion is increasing. The weather conditions
in Europe are such as to make that part
Of the earth good natural market for rub
ber shoes; but taking the people the coun-
tries through they wear propCrtiOnately
fewer rubber shoes than are worn in this
country. The people in many regions cling
to old ways but as the advantages OF rub
Der shoes become apparent to them they
are buying more and more of them, am
more and more OF American manufacture.
Even in this country the sale OF rubber
shoes has increased greatly in compara-
lively recent years. owing not alone TO the
increased population, but to the more and
more common use of rubbers, and to the
introduction Of new kinds and styles. And
it is common thing nowadays for persons
to own more than one pair of rubber over
shoes; as, perhaps. pair of ordinary rub
her shoes, and pair of arctlcs, in some one
of the various forms in which arctic over
shoes are now made; and some people have
more than two pairs OF rubbers. having
for instance rubbers to fit different shoes.
In their different kinds, styles, and sizes,
American rubber shoes are now made in
more than a thousand varieties They are
none OF them like the clumsy shoes Of old
times; they are all lighter. and sightIier.
and vastly better adapted to their uses; and
there are many Of them, among those made
for women's wear, that are as well thor
oughly graceful in design and artistic.
Rubber shoes are made suited 70 the
market in various parts of the country.
fitted TO the shapes ana styles Of the shoes
there worm and rubbeFs suited to one part
OF the country might not do in another.
And there are overshoes made for special
uses. as, for instance there is an arctic
overshoe made especially for the North
western lumberman. which he puts on ami
wears over the foot of a high felt boot.
There are overshoes that sell we'll in some
localities. but not at all in others, as. for
instance, there is an arctic overshoe made
high on the ankle that for years has found
favor in Boston, but not in New York,
though the indications now are that it may
come into vogue here.
1t is an interesting fact that wOmens
rubbers, until within two or three years
made on straight lasts. are now almost all
of Them as mems rubber shoes have been
for many years. made in rights and lefts
The parts of the earth in which rubberS
in one form or another are commonly sod
are those that lie in temperate and IN
colder cIimes, where they have rain. siush,
and snow and ice.