The Washington herald., 1910-09-13
GOODYEAR WEETER MODEL 8.


were finished and sent 10 market packed
in wooden boxes. 1t was in this way that
the industry slowly prospered and devel-
oped up to the period OF the introduction
Of machines. which happened but a little
over half century ago.
Up to the year ISL, when a machine
was invented for making shoe pegs.
there was absolutely no machinery used
In the making OF shoes. The pegged
shoe became very widely worn az this
period, but II was not until 1880 that
any machine for driving pegs was
made. and even at this time the maj
chine was but an Indifferent success.
Il was a hand machine and its work
was by no means OF a reliable nature
The first machine to be widely ac-
cepted by the trade was a machine for
rolling the sole leather under pressure.
and 1t is said that a man could per
form in a minute with this machine
the same Office that he would have re-
quired a half hour 10 have performed
with the old-fashioned lap stone and
hammer This was followed in lSlS by
the most important invention. the sew
ing machine. which was perfected by
Elias Howe. and was soon followed by
a machine which sewed with waxed
thread and made it possible to rapidly
sew the uppers of shoes in a much
more reliable and satisfactory manner
than they had ever been sewed by
hand. Soon afterward came a machine
which split the sole leather and an
other for bufing or removing the grain.
In the year 1855 Lyman r. Blake IN
vented what was afterward known as
the Mckay Sole Sewing Machine and
which was destined to bring to him in
after life millions with which he so
richly endowed the Lawrence Scientific
School at Harvard College.
The machine was at that time natural
~ In a very crude state and although II
has been the subject Of constant i'm.
provement the original principle remains
unchanged. The shoe was placed over a
horn on the machine and sewed, the
needle passing through outsole and in
sole so that ridge OF thread was left
inside the shoe.
Colonel Mckay Immediately started 10
skilled mechanics to work on it. and
attempted 10 Introduce II IN different
factories. but encountered n great deal
OF opposition and skepticism regarding
its future. 1t is said that he offered TO
dispose of the machine to the shoemak-
ers OF Lynn and allow them its exclusive
use If they would pay him 100000, an
offer which was not accepted.
While Colonel Mckay had met rebuff
and disbursement in attempting 70 in
troduce his machine, the public neces-
sity was such that manufacturers were
obliged 10 Immediately take It UP; but
{ Colonel Mckay was stiG embarrassed by
lack of capital to carry on his rapidly
/ increasing business; and Il was at this
time that system of placing machines
in factories. which system has proven TO
be the most potent factor in the upbuild-
ing Of the shoe industry, was started.
| This was the royalty system, whereby
the machine or machineowner participat-
"a in the profits accruing from the use
Of the machine and is a system which
has become an inherent part Of the shoe
industry.
Ihis principle OF royalty paying became
one OF the greatest forces in the building
up Of the successful shoe industry Of to-
day; as 1t afforded an easy means where
by machines could be introduced without
entailing hardships on the manufactu-
! rers, who, had they been obliged to pay
the actual worth OF the machines. would
have been entirely unable to adopt them.
Mckay machine may inventors were
busy in other directions. and there was
soon introduced auxiliary machines. in
variety, most Of them intended 10 assist
in preparing the work for the Mckay