The Press., 1895-08-29
SOME INTERESTING BICYCLE
 STATISTICS.

One of the most prominent bicycle man. ufacturers in the United States says that there can be no truth in the reports circi- lated about syndicate which is said to be preparing to make 4OO,O wheels for next season, to be sold at a very low price. He insists that money cannot pro- vide either the material or the men for such an addition to the output of bicycles from the factories already established. The limit of possible production he places at about 800, 900 bicycles.
 It is safe to say that the figures given by this authority are within the truth. The indications are that the manufactur- CTS of bicycles and parts of bicycles will midsummer next year. Under the pres sure of an almost unlimited demand, there is no telling at this time what may be ac- cOmplished. The one thing sure is that CT lag behind the requirements of the peo- pie who want to buy wheels. If the man. ufacturers who now make all the tubing and other material used cannot furnish as much as is wanted, it will not be long be- fore more concerns are in the business with ample resources of all kinds. Capi- tai and enterprise will not keep out of so tempting field. Inside of two years there will be plenty of bicycles to meet every demand, and the price of a good wheel will be much lower than it is now.
 But at the figures given by the manu- facturer who limits the production of wheels next year at 9OO,OOO, think what that means in the way of expenditure by the men and women who will buy and use them? It is safe to say that the riders of these 800, ,OOO wheels to be made for season of 1896 will pay an average price not lower than $6O or $65. The average may be higher. If the figure which ought to be taken is $62.5 then the total out lay for bicycles next year by the people of the United States will be $50. .OOO, ,OOO. That means dollar for every person in the country old enough to ride a bicycle and not too old to use a wheel. It Is more than the combined incomes of all the Vanderbilts, the Astors, and all the Gould family, and the great bulk of the money paid for bicycles will come out of the pockets of the poor and people of moderate means.
 Such expenditures for luxury, and the bicycle is certainly not necessity, shows most strikingly how comfortable the great bulk ofithe American people are. It is nonsense to say that the wheels bought will be an investment to save car fare. It is not often that wheelman makes his bicycle more than pay for the repairs and incidental expenses which it entails, and as a rule the investment lasts for not more than two or three seasons. A pow erty- stricken people, such as the Ameri- cans are said to be by demagogues, could no more pay $50, ,OOO, ,OOO for bicyles in one year than they could make tours to Eu- rope for pleasure. The prospects of the bicycle market are proof of general pros perity. They show how well the nation is getting on, and they leave no room for the stale charge that the profits of indus try go only to small number of rich peo- pie.
 If the army of cyclists continues to in crease, the calamity howlers will take some bad headers when they tell crowds of hearty and cheerful owners of good bi- cycles that they are race of poverty stricken and spiritless victims of oppres- siOn.-C CCeUeLGnd LeGder.