AMERICAN MANUFACTURE. 53 



enough to give satisfaction to tiie wearer, in the absence of any- 

 thing better. 



The well known house of Messrs. Rattier and Guibal, Paris, 

 have been most extensively engaged in the manufacture, and 

 have brought it to a high state of perfection, producing a variety 

 of useful and beautiful articles. They have continued their 

 manufacture to the present time, and are now interested as 

 licensees in the recent improvements of the author. 



AMERICAN MANUFACTURE. 



Various experiments were made in the United States with the 

 solution of .gum-elastic, as early as 1824. It had long been 

 known to chemists, that the essential oils were solvents of the 

 gum, before attempts were made by manufacturers to manufac- 

 ture it, or restore it to its native state, after having been dis- 

 solved. The secret, as it was for a long time called, of dissolv- 

 ing, became at length generally known as early as 1829. 



From this time, great numbers of persons turned their atten- 

 tion to experimenting with it, and the subject became one of 

 general interest. Mr. S. C. Smith, of Providence, Rhode Island, 

 one of the first who commenced the manufacture, opened a store 

 in 18 — , for the sale of India rubber goods, at the corner of 

 Maiden lane and William street, N. York. In 18 — , this firm, sub- 

 sequently S. C. Smith & Sons, removed to Chatham street, where 

 they carried on a prosperous business in the manufacture of 

 shoes, from the sheets of gum made by the Indians at Para, and 

 in the sale of the Para shoes. The shoes of this house attained 

 a high reputation, by their keeping a large stock on hand, and 

 allowing them to become well seasoned before they were sold. 

 Messrs. Smith & Son retired from the business with a hand- 

 some fortune, shortly after the recent improvements were in- 

 troduced. 



Among the first to manufacture India rubber, were Mr. John 



