Rensselaer Republican, Volume 17, Number 42, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 June 1885 — Feet in Different States. [ARTICLE]

Feet in Different States.

“There is a decided difference in the shape of people’s feet in different sections of the country, ” said a member of one of the largest shoe-manufacturing firms in the city recently. “In the Eastern States the feet are narrower and somewhat longer than in the West, while in the South they are not only narrower, but they possess very much higher insteps. So much is this- the case that we are obliged to keep three sets of lasts for these three sections. That comes to be a large item, I can assure you. when it is remembered the number of sizes there are in each set. For example, in one size alone we have the initial number—say sevens; then there are narrow sevens, broad sevens, seven and a quarters (narrow and broad), seven and a half (narrow and broad), seven and three quarters (narrow and broad) —that is, twelve pairs of lasts to one size, and to each of these sizes we must have three different styles for the sections of the country to which we are going to send our goods —that is, thirty-six pair of lasts to one size pair of boots. Sounds rather extravagant, doesn’t it? Of course, this is only the case with firms who deal with all these sections. “Some firms only send their goods to one part of the country. Now, you would be surprised to be told that in different sections of the country different Shapes of the toes of boots are required. Out in the West nothing will suit but the square-toed shoe, whereas in the Eastern States a square toe would be in stock a century and then never sell. Different parts of the country require different kinds of leather also. In the North and West a tougher, harder leather can be worn than in the South, where not only a soft * upper ’ is necessary, but, owing to the sandy, hot soil, quite thin soles are necessary. For this kind of wear it is not unusual to use imported leather—that is. for the ‘uppers—but for soles we employ domestic productions almost exclusively.*— Philadelphia Times.