John+T+Coming+of+the+Machines

[|Coming of the Machines]

I always liked ta cut shoes by hand better'n by machine ya kin distinguish the stock better in hand cuttin' than ya kin in machine cuttin' we got one third more pay fur hand cuttin' we wuz in it fur what we could get outa it

The first machines fur cuttin' uppers come in about 40 years ago they wuz only used fur the standard shoes That's why there's still hand cuttin' that din't change their styles fur a good many years. The dyes cost too much ta buy jest fur a style a shoes that changed every season That's why there's still hand cuttin' Ya can't cut shoes as skillful by machine as ya kin by hand That's why there's still hand cuttin'

Taday everything is set so as ta make it easy fur a man ta make a lotta shoes quicker We usta work by oil lamps We'd have a lamp settin' at each end of our cuttin' table taday they have electric lights

Each group that worked in a shop wuz a part of one of them picture puzzles If one group din't stand up, ya coun't make a shoe the most important part a that puzzle wuz the cutters they decide, by the kinda work they did, what kinda shoe it'd be after they done their part a the work manufacturer'd know jest how much the shoe'd cost he coun't be sure about the cost of material 'till the cutter wuz through his work

If there wuz a scratch on the leather I'd havta pay fur it A course the manufacturer coun't make ya pay fur that shoe by law But ya coun't do that, 'cause ya'd lose your job

But we cutters that knowed our business We'd know the diffrunt kinds a skins kangeroo, goat, cowhide jest how ta cut 'em jest how ta make 'em look right an jest how ta wear 'em