The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1897-07-22
WHAT COL. a. A. POPE
Says About Reduced Prices for
BICYCLES.


day relative to the recent reduction in
the price of Columbia bicycles. He was
interviewed 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 l feel personal
responsibility in seeing that our large
force of workmen is kept constantly
employed.
Do l understand from that, Colonel,
that your output has not been selling?
Oh, no, our business is larger than
ever before, but our facilities have
been steadily increasing. For twenty
years we have been trying to produce
the very best possible 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 a very large business, 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 ca
pacity to make 600 high grade bicycles
in ten hours, and a thoroughly or.
gained 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 organizationwhen
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 afairprofit.
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 price, could any
one start in the manufacture of bicycles
with reasonable prospect of success?
l do not believe it possible for any
new concern to start in the bicycle bust
ness and produce bicycles at the price
and of the quality that we are now Of
fering, and ever make any money in
the business. The future business is
likely to be done by the large manufac.
turers of established reputation, with
large facilities and large capital who
can avail themselves of every advantage
in producing large quantities and man.
ufacturing through the dull season.
Colonel, | have noticed several tabu-
lations which profess to give the cost of
making a high grade bicycle, and the
total foots up to about $50. Is this cor
rect?
If this is correct, why should so
many bicycle manufacturers fail when
no tt.iaaC hirrb h.,
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 manufac-
turer knows what the goods cost him
until he figures up at the end of the
year and puts in all his expenses, and
many of them have then found that
their bicycles have cost them more
than twice their estimate.
Colonel, l have seen number of ru-
mors in the papers to the effect that the
Pope Manufacturing Company is about
to bring out a chainless bicycle.
We have been working on a chainless
bicycle for several years and have made
a good many models. We expect to
make it our leading machine for 1898.
In some of the papers | see that the
price OF the chainless is likely to be
500.
You may be sure we won't sell a
chainless bicycle for 500!
If any one pays $50 for Columbia
chainless bicycle in 1898, he will get
full value for his money.
VIII the chainless cost more to make
| than a chain-driven wheel?
Yes, great deal more than any other
bicycle, and it can only be made a sue
cess by the very finest and best work
manship. | think there are only very
few bicycle manufacturers who are
| machine.
How many employees are on your
payroll now, Colonel?
We have had this season as high as
2,400. They have been dropping out
the last few weeks, and to-day we have
on our payroll 2,675.
Is this greater number than you
had at the same time last year?
Yes, by several hundred. / suppose
that 10000 people are indirectly de-
pendent upon these works for support,
besides fully as many more who are,
| to a greater or less degree, supported
by us through our agents.
Colonel, will the present range OF
prices be the standard for 1898?
1t is little early to talk about that
now.