The Republican journal., 1897-07-15
About Bicycles.
FANNIE BRIGHAM WARD.

About Bicycles.
HARTFORD, July 2, 1897. Colonel AL
bert A. Pope, President of the Pope Man
featuring Company, was seen to- day re-
lative to the recent reduction in the price
of Columbia bicycles. He was interview
ed as follows:
Colonel, why have you reduced the price
of Columbia bicycles?
Because with our present facilities we
can make more bicycles than we can sell
at 500 each, and | feel personal respon-
sibility in seeing that our large force of
workmen is kept constantly employed.
Do | understand from that. Colonel.
that your output has not been selling?
Oh, no, our business is larger that ever
before, but our facilities have been steadi-
ly increasing. For twenty years we have
been trying to produce the very best pos
sible bicycle at the very least price, and
now we have by far the largest plant in
the world, with perfected machinery and
every facility for doing very large bust
ness, and we believe at these prices we
can run our factories full the year round.
If we can, then we shall not be sorry that
we have reduced the prices. We have
capacity to make 600 high grade bicycles
in ten hours, and thoroughly organized
force to man that equipment. We want
to keep our men at work the year round.
1t has never been our policy to weaken
our organization when trade falls off and
later bring in set of new men who must
be trained to our standard If we can
bring our product up to the limit we can
sell the bicycles at the new prices and
make fair profit.
Could you make money at the new
prices by running the factories half full
or half the time?
| don't believe we could.
Colonel, at the new prices could any
one start in the manufacture of bicycles
with reasonable prospect of success?
| do not believe it possible for any new
concern to start in the bicycle business
and produce bicycles at the price and of
the quality that we are now Offering, and
ever make any money in the business.
The future business is likely to be done
by the large manufacturers of establish
ed reputation, with large facilities and
large capital, who can avail themselves OF
every advantage in producing large guam
titles and manufacturing through the dull
season.
Colonel, | have noticed several tabula-
tlons which profess to give the cost of
making high grade bicycle, and the
total foots up to about $50 Is this
correct?
If this is correct, why should so many
bicycle manufacturers fail when the
prices We're very much higher than they
are now, and when they netted a great
deal more than $50 for wheels not of the
highest grade? There are many things
to consider besides the actual first cost Of
materials. No manufacturer knows what
the goods cost him until he figures up at
the end of the year and puts in all his ex-
penses, and many of them have found
that their bicycles have cost them more
then twice their estimate.
Colonel, | have seen number of rumors
in the papers to the effect that the Pope
Manufacturing Company is about to bring
out chainless bicycle.
We have been working on chainless
bicycle for several years and have made
good many models. We expect to make
it our leading machine for 1898.
In some Of the papers l see that the
price of the chainless is likely to be $780,
You may be sure we won't sell a chain
less bicycle for 800!
Ii any one pays $50 for a Columbia
chainless bicycle in 1898, he will get full
value for his money.
Will the chainless cost more to make
than a chain driven wheel?
Yes, a great deal more than any other
bicycle, and it can only be made success
by the very finest and best workmanship.
l think there are only few bicycle manu-
facturers who are likely to make a sue
cessful chainless machine.
How many employees are on your pay
roll now, Colonel?
We have had this season as high as
3, 400. They have been dropping out the
last few weeks, and to- day we have on the
payroll 2,675.
Is this greater number than you had
at this time last year?
Yes, by several hundred. l suppose
that 10, 600 people are directly dependent
upon these works for support, besides
fully as many more who are, to greater
or less degree, supported by lis through
our agents.
Colonel, will the present range Of prices
be the standard for 1898?
1t is little early to talk about that now.
Even in the most severe cases of sprain or