The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-07-28
MILLER LOSES
TO WISKOW BY
SIXTY SECONDS
Hillsboro Cobbler Sees
Things During His Stay
In the Gate City
TIME IN CONTEST :.
WAS 38 MINUTES
Lundquist Halfsoled Pair
of Shoes in Seven and
One-half Minutes

P. P. Miller, the Hillsboro cobbler,
saw things in Fargo Friday and this
afternoon is probably sitting in his
little shop back home, telling in his
rapid-f1re manner of conversation
the story of yesterday" in which
he figured so prominently.
Besides, seeing the throngs at the
Interstate fair, the automobile races
in which the state record was nearly
smashed by a margin Of just 3-5
seconds, Miller saw his own proud
record of Is minutes for halfsoling
A pair Of standard shoes trimmed by
5B minutes by A. G. Lundquist Of
the Fargo Shoe hospital, and then in
a time and workmanship contest,
passed the coveted state honor to G.
J. Wiskow, also of the Fargo Shoe
hospital, losing out by just so Sec
onds.
Miller, who previously halfsoled a.
pair of shoes at Hillsboro in 16 min
utes, and cut that down to Is min
utes. came to Fargo Thursday morn
| ing with a new record Of 10 minutes
and was prepared to meet Mr.. Wis
kow, who had accepted the chal-
lenge issued by the Hillsboro cob
bier to meet any one in a contest
| The match was arranged and the
event took place in front of the
grandstand at o'clock Friday aft
| ernoon.
Made Hard Fight.
Miller donned his white apron and
in the contest proved to the judges
| and his opponent that he can sole
shoes as fast as he can talk A crowd
Of interested spectators gathered
about the stand and watched, the
two perform. Wiskow completed the
Job in 3S minutes, making 1923
| stitches and Miller in 80 minutes
fiat with a total of 100 stitches. At
the conclusion of the match, Mr..
| Wiskow' congratulated the Hillsboro
man and made the assertion that a
man who could sole a pair of shoes
in that time would never have to be
out of a good position in Fargo.
The men agreed to meet each 9TH
er on the terms that the soles to be
sewed by hand, in workman like
manner, edges trimmed, glass
rasped, sandpapered, blackened, pol
ished with shoulder stick and finish
ed with heel ball, the sewing avis
to be used to be fiat ores. The judges
were to render the decision on time
and workmanship.
| L he OL Tic COnISSL were .
A Rydgren of the Home Shoe store
on Front street, and H. o. Chelness,
who owns a shoe store at S306 Broad
way. The shoes used in the contest
were two pairs of Goodyear Welt
and under terms of the agreement
were to be halfsoled. The judges
also officiated as timekeepers
In reducing the time and defeat
ing the Hillsboro cobbler, the Fargo
| cobblers do not yet claim the state
championship, for they feel there are
larger fish in the pond than those
caught and that there are, no doubt,
men in North Dakota and other
points in the northwest, who can
cut that record if put to test.
Both Mr.. Lundquist and Mr.. Wis
kow are employed at the Shoe hos
pital of which George p. Howell is
proprietor. Mr.. Wiskow came to
Fargo from Merrill, Wis, and has
been employed in Fargo for some
| time.
In speaking of the contest this
morning, he stated that Mr.. Miller
was one Of the gamest men he ever
met and that the two have formed a
friendship for each other which will
be lasting one. ,
Attracts Wide Attention.
The shoe selling contest had its
origin in the publication of a story
by The Forum under Hillsboro
date, telling of Miller's rapid-fire
work there.
His challenge was Immediately ac-
cepted by the Fargo men, and yes
terday the big stunts were staged
here.
Every cobbler in North Dakota
has been watching the big affair,
and throughout this state and the
northwest, shoe repairers are test
ing their skill as relates to the ele-
ment of time.
No doubt, there'll be other claims
to championship titles.