Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-05-20
A WHEEL OF FORTUNE.
How the Bicycle Business Has Put
Money Into Purses.
THE SILENT STEED In GREAT FAVOR
Butter Dealers HOwling Over Syndicates
Sharp Practice.
A TRICK THAT CAUSED A HOWL

There is one branch of trade which has
yielded larger results this season than ever
before in this city. Bicycles have been in
such demand the past month that dealers
have found it at times impossible to fill
orders. One dealer reported that he lost an
order for ten 500 wheels from a neighboring
town last Saturday because of inability to
fill it on that day. The same dealer reports
sales of 400 TO 500 bicycles this spring rang
ing from SIS to $l35 in price, and several bun
drcd children's tricycles ranging from So to
SO The safety is now the popular wheel,
and the old high wheel has become a thing
of the past in this city. According to the
best information that can be gathered from
dealers, not less than LOCO bicycles have been
sold here this spring, and the number now
in use in the two cities will not fall much
below 1000 Estimates of the number in use
vary from 5000 to 1000.
Last Seasons Sales Doubled.
This seasons sales have been double last
seasons so far, and the demand gives no
signs of abatement. There is only needed q
trip to the East End and Allegheny boule-
wards to be convinced of the popularity of
this new n.othod of locomotion. Ladies,
children and men crowd the thoroughfares
every evening on their wheels, vieing with
carriages and buggies in contests of speed.
Quite a number of bicycles are now in use
here which are provided with a child's seat
in front, and a pretty sight it is TO witness a
father with his happy little girl in front
spinning along Highland or Forbes avenue.
The wheel provided with the child's seat
sells at 81 above the regular bicycle price.
Large tricycles, with a capacity for two per-
sons. have not so far become very popular
in this city. There are not moro than a half
dozen in use here Their cost is $50.
The ministerial profession has been caught
By the bicycle wave, and from 15 to 20
a indulge
wheels. An East End preacher whose faith
in human nature appears to have been larger
than facts warranted left his wheel on the
porch the other evening to discover the next
morning that he woulG be under the neceS-
sity OF Investing in a new machipc.
Butter Men Hopping Mad.
The Elgin butter syndicate has succeeded
in gathering in a goodly number of dollars
the past week at the expense of Pittsburg
dealers. \ year ago the Elgin Trust went to
pieces, but managed to reorganize a month
or so ago, and is now doing business at the
old stand. That game oil heads L win and
tails you lose has been inaugurated, was
made plain by its action on the eve of tho
late drop in creamery butter.
Dealers here and in other cities have
standing orders placed at Elgin that they
may secure highgrade butter at the regular
Monday auction sales \ month ago this
was a necessity, as creamery was scarce and
tending upward. At that date the syndicate,
II
point to send less than the amount required
by Eastern dealers. But on the eve of the
late drop the standing orders were much
more than filed, leaving our dealers with a
surplus on hand, which can only be disposed
of at heavy loss. Apparently the heavy
shipments of Elgin creamery butter were ar
ranged to barely anticipate the sharp de-
cline which took place when the goods were
on their way TO our dealers.
Some Dealers Lost Heavily.
By this sharp game a heavy loss was en-
tailed on Pittsburg merchants, and their loss
was the syndicate's gain. 1t is doubtful if
there will be any real gain in the end.
Transactions like this of the trust are
looked upon, in this part of the world, as
equivalent to a violation of the eighth COM |
mandment.
said one of the leading dealers: "I will be /
satisfied if / get of this week with no |
greater loss that 500 on the Elgin consigned |
TO me on the eve OF the break. The shipper
must have known that the break was at
hand, and my standing order was filed to
the full and overfiowing, when, if he had |
waited a few hours l would be many dollars
better OF"
Other dealers give the same testimony to |
the unfairness of the trust. Trustworthi- |
ness does not seem to be q Characteristic of |
trusts.