CLOTHING THE EXTREMITIES 



sent to the bottoming department, where the first 

 operation is that of lasting, the uppers being tacked 

 to the in-sole. From the laster they go to the machine 

 operator, where the upper, sole, and welt are firmly 

 sewed together by the machine. The bottom is filled 

 and leveled off and the steel shank inserted. Next 

 the bottom is coated with cement, and the out-sole 

 pressed on it by a machine. Thence it is sent through 

 the rounding-machine, which trims it and channels 

 the sole for stitching. From there it goes again to the 

 sewing-machine, which stitches through the welt out- 

 side of the upper. The next step is that of leveling, 

 then heeling, both of which processes are accomplished 

 by machinery. The heels are nailed on in the rough 

 and afterward trimmed into shape by a machine oper- 

 ating revolving knives; a breasting-machine shaping 

 the front of the heel. Still another machine drives in 

 the brass nails and cuts them off flush with the top 

 pieces. The edging-machine is next used, which trims 

 the edges of both sole and heel. The bottom is then 

 sandpapered, blacked, and burnished by machinery, 

 after which the shoe is cleaned, treed, and packed. 

 The total floor space occupied by the shoe factories 

 of the United States is practically 2,000,000 square 

 feet, or about 550 acres." 



GLOVES AND GAUNTLETS 



Recent geological discoveries seem to show that 

 rude hand protections in the form of mittens or gloves 

 were worn by the prehistoric cave dwellers. How 



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