The evening times., 1896-12-16
TRADE In WHEELS ABROAD
Eight Thousand Operators Employ
ed in Their Manufacture.
Probabilities Are That There VIII
BE Million Bicycles Built
Next Year.

mcintcrestius facts arcg given by United
States Consul Parker at Birmingham in a
| communication to the Department of state
| relative to the bicycle industry OF England.
| Development OF the cycle industries in
| this district says Mr.. Parker, has con
| tinued on the same lines as heretofore. Es
| tabIshed factories have been engaged to
| their capacity, from 5000 to 5000 opera
| tives having been drawn into this hranc hUf
| manufacture from other trades during the
| past year. Some branches OF business long
| stagnant have thus been turned into pay
| ing properties for the time, md much idle
| labor has foundemploymenta at good wages.
| Trade returns for tue first nine months
| OF S95 show the export OF cycles to the
value Of 81 III, lie 50, ,5Ss ,Ol - ;duringthe
| same period of this year they amounted TO
q l,326,oIT SO, ,i52 .691. This increase is
small compared with the growth Of the
| export trade from the United States, but,
, even with increased facilities, the home
| trade has almost monopoHz.d the machines
made here, showing that about 150, 1000,
worth between Gil 900, 900 S53 ,426 ,OUO)
and sl2, 100000 tS5s ,392,OpO), have been
made IN England during the present year.
Manufacturers claim to Ice we'll prepared
| for any extension Of trade1n the colonies,
and insist that they can retaln IL whatever
It's proportions. No complete bicycles have
been sent to the United states from this dis
trict. on the other hand, a good many
wheels OF American manufacture have been
sold even in this district.
tits not safe TO predict how long this de
Inand Will llcontnue, but, as trade conditions
IN general have improved during the past
year. II is likely that considerable number
OF machines Of good quality may be sold II
Offered at prices slightly lower than those
ruling here for the same kind.
''Ir the demand for cycles continues over
the world, the factories Will probably turn
out 10000 wheels during the next year.
1t is said that cOored wheclmen will at
the next meeting of the national assembly
make another attempt to induce the mem
bers to have The word white" eXpunged
from the membership clause in
the constitution. IL is also stated that
unless the effort is successful, 1.-THE matter
will be contested in the courts" on just
what grounds such u contest could be based
is not apparent.
Representatives. of man V OF the large cycle
tracks of the country were in Boston yes
terday considering the plans for the forIna-
ton OF National Cycle Racing Association
Nothing definite was done, and in January
another private meeting will be held in
New York
Other meetings will be held before the
public will be informed Of the plans to be
pursued by the association. Boston Wheel
men have received assurances that be-
fore two months more fade into history
there viii be National Cycle Racing AS
sociation, which will be conducted on a
basis that will bring satisfaction to the
promoter, racer and the public.
Tom and Nat Butler, the Massachusetts
bicycle riders, have returned from Eu-
rope, diseusted with their experienceagainst
the foreign racing cracks.
1t appears that TEDDY Hale is not at
all anxious to meet joe Rice in a six
day race, as he declined on Monday to
discuss the challenge of the Wilkesbarre |
boy for another contest. Plummer the
mana ger for Hale, said he was willing TO
match Hale against Rice for eight or ten
hours a day, but didn't care for another
continuous performance affair