Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-07-15
SMALL, INSIGNIFICANT
INDUSTRY CROWS GREAT
War Times and High Cost of Shoes
Turn Cobblcr Shops Into Bee.
hives OF Industry.
UNCLE SAM TAKES MEDICINE
Urges People to Save Leather by
Mcnding Old Shocs--Docs Same
Observation-Disclosures Shops Have
Big Contracts Mcnding Footwear.

The United States government
through its agents and administrators
is constantly preaching conservation to
the people. They are advised TO save,
among other things, all the leather
they possibly can. and to that end
they are admonished to patch and mend
their shoes and have them half sole,l
just as often as the uppcrs will boa.
half-sole. The people OF Richmond
have been following this advice 20
such an extent that numerous little
cobbler and patching shops that used
to struggle for existence in the days
OF cheaper shoes are now doing land
office business.
Uncle Sam is in the habit OF prac-
ticinE what he breaches. and nc Is
going il strong in the matter OF the
conservation OF shoe leather. The SOL
dlcr boys are required 10 look we'll TO
their shoes. and while marching and
drilling and hiking OF the Kind tina;
the men in military training are re-
CURED TO do wear away the solos OF
their shoes very rapidly. the uppcrs do
not suffer much worse when on soldier
feet than when worn by farmers and
others who have to do much walking.
IL has been found that a pair of sol
dier uppers will bear at least two
hnlf-soies before they haze to 20 TO
the scrap pile as junk
At least one OF the Richmond shoe
repairing and patching shops is just
now doing big business with Uncle
Sam in the half soling line. This con-
Germ has standing contracts with the
military authorities at Camp Lee 10
do half-solnG by the wholesale, and
the force At work in that establish
ment has been largely Increased in
order 10 keep tho work going on con-
tract schedule. The contracts are gem
orally made for 200 pairs at time.
and the very best of sole leather is
required 10 be used. For the past
several weeks one contract has no,
ben completed before another was
made. and the result is that a great
deal of leather of the very hest quality
required by government regulations is
being cut up every day in this city to
put half-soles on the shoes of the SOL
der boys and make their footEcar as
good as new.
The shop in mind is probably not
the only ono in this city that IS
rcvclinE in government contracts
for half-solnE shoes. and so il
may be seen that tho government
business. when added to the immense
trade that citizens of Richmond are
carrying to the shoe shops in these war
times. has brought heretofore in
significant industry into something
that is really great.
The composition and rubber half
soles are becoming very popular with
tho people generally. who have gotten
down 10 the half-solinE and patching
and mcndinE habits. but your Uncle
Sam will have none of these leather
substitutes i'll his. He requires that
the worry hest OF sole leather shall be
used on the footwear Of his soldier
boys. and when he can't get that kind
on the open market, he just walks into
the big tanneries OF the country and
the storage houses of the importers
and commanders everything in sight
that comes UP to his requirements in
the sole leather line. These be the
reasons why the citizen has TO take TO
50 much half-Soling and mcndinC, and
why they have to make use OF rubber
and the other substitutes for leather.