The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-09-26
MEXICO SHOE A
CHANCE FOR AMERICAN
STORE AT MAZATLAN.
Many of the Natives on the Western
Coast Wear a Kind of sandal-But
Shoes Are Becoming More General.

WASHINGTON. Sept. 2s. - Consul
Louis Kaiser calls attention in the fol.
lowing report from Mazatlan to the
footwear requirements on the Pacific
coast of Mexico:
Up to within a few years all the
shoes worn here, with the exception u
very small lots of A-merican-made shoes
for men sold in general stores, were
made by hand in about sixty or more
small shops, none of which employed
more than two or three workmen-
there being no ready-made stock KEEP,
on hand, except as stated, and the very
cheapest of shoes were made by hand
and to order. The men and women oil
the working and lower class wore
~"Guarachas,' a certain kind of sandal
which were sold at 20 to 30 cents Amer
lean currency, while children OF even
the better classes went ~barefooted.
There has been a marked and rapid
change in the use of footwear, as only
the very poorest class now wear
G~uarachas, and the children of the bet
ter class invariably wear shoes
The shoemakers' trust, organized SIX
years ago and operating a factory with
200 employees, have a daily output OF l,WO
pairs of shoes. The factory often runs
overtime, as they can not keep up with
their orders, which come from as FAR as
Central and South America. The factory
Is now being operated altogether by ma
tives, who were educated by experts. The
machinery used was imported from
America, and is all up TO date and of best
quality, and has given excellent satisfae-
ton.
The output Of the c%ompany's tannery is
over $4,000 hides for sole leather, which
they are selling at 70 to "a cents American
currency per pound; $1,000 sides for uppers,
price $3.50 American per side; $4,000 sides
splits, price So American; $50, 900 goatskins
in colors, which range in price from 80
cents to $15 per dozen. They could handle
more hides and sell more leather, but
hides are scarce. and prices for same are
steadily advancing. They tan 200 hides
daily, of which 20 dozen are glazed kid
and calf skins, which are finished In black
and colors.
The annoyance Of strikes which has
caused so much depression as well as
heavy losses in manufacturing circles in
the United States is entirely kno on
this coast. The natives are generally easily
satisfied, and the scarcity of abor has not
been noticed up to the commencement OF
work here on the Canarea, Rio Yaqui and
Pacific Railroad, which created a demand
for labor in excess of the supply.
1t Is singular that in a city of the size
and Importance of Mazatlan there should
not be an exclusive shoe store, with a
full line Of mems, ladies' and chtldren's
noes both of American and native makes.
A store of this kind, conducted by an
experienced and efficient shoe man, with
sufficient capital to carry a stock from
$4,000 to $4,000, could likewise do a small
wholesale business. and also carry a line
of hats which would help to pay ex-
penses, as there are no hat stores here;
neither is there any assortment of Ameri-
can hats for sale.
Boots for miners and cowboys are now
worn by nearly all mining men and are
very common, when a few years ago
they attracted much attention. They
were formerly nearly all imported from
the United States, but the prices being
high the boots are now manufac tured
here. If an American manufacturers were
to give special attention to a medium
grade of tan-colored boots at a reason
ably low price he would find them popu-
lar. and it would help sell other goods.