MECHANICS AND USEFUL ARTS. 43 



and a sixteenth of an inch, while the keys of this organ dip no less than 

 five-eighths of an inch, presenting a considerable obstacle to players 

 unused to such great depth. But the difficulties which would arise 

 from such a vast "amount of mechanism connecting with the keys, ask- 

 ing of an organist's finger the strength of a blacksmith's arm, are over- 

 come by a delicate pneumatic action, which is called too easy rather 

 than otherwise. The arrangement of the stops is controlled to a great 

 extent by the feet, there being twelve separate pedals for this purpose, 

 so that the most beautiful and changeful effects can be made without 

 removing either hand from the key-board. There is also a pedal by 

 which all the stops of the organ may be gradually, one by one or 

 instantaneously, drawn on or shut off", thus producing the most mag- 

 nificent crescendo and diminuendo, as well as explosive effects. Thus 

 a tone which is scarcely heard at first can be augmented by degrees 

 until it makes the air quiver with its thunders, and then slowly sink 

 ao-ain to hushed repose ; or the crash can come without warning and 

 with almost deafening power, and as suddenly sink into music of which 

 the listener can catch but the slightest murmurs. The value of such 

 immense power under perfect control will be easily appreciated. 



This great instrument, enclosed in a case of black walnut covered 

 with carved statues, busts, faces and figures in bold relief, is placed 

 upon a low platform, the outlines of which are in accordance with its 

 own. Its whole height is about sixty feet, its breadth forty-eight feet, 

 and its average depth twenty-four feet. 



MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES BY MACHINERY. 



The old system of making boots and shoes entirely by hand labor is 

 rapidly yielding to the march "of improvement, and will soon, to all ap- 

 pearances, be numbered with the relics of the past. This change in 

 the character of the manufacture of a great staple industrial product, 

 although slowly progressing for the last eight or ten years in the United 

 States under the spur of competition, has been rapidly consummated 

 within the last two years under the influences growing out of the pres- 

 ent civil war ; hand labor having proved entirely inadequate to supply 

 the immense demand for boots and shoes required by government for 

 its armies. Machines, therefore, have been invented, and are now in use, 

 executing the different operations necessary to the manufacture of such 

 articles, and with a rapidity and accuracy of action which far excel the 

 efforts of hand labor. 



The following interesting account of a manufactory in New York 

 city, in which boots and shoes are made upon an extensive scale by 

 machinery, we derive from a recent number of the Scientific American : 



Three large apartments are occupied by the operatives, mechanism, 

 and goods. The skins for the uppers" are first spread out, examined, 

 and selected according to the purposes for which they are required. 

 Different cutters then cut out the respective parts according to the size 

 and form required, and these are all arranged and classified. After 

 this these separate parts are given out in lots to be sewed by machines, 

 and those uppers which are intended for boots are crimped, and the 

 whole made ready for receiving the soles. The more heavy operations 

 of punching, sewing, pegging the soles -and finishing the articles, are 



