Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1897-07-17
WHAT COL. A. A. POPE
says About Rednoed Prices for
nfcyclea.

Hartford, July 2, 1S07-Colonel AL
bert A. Pope, President of the Pope
Manufacturing Company, was seen to-
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 feel personal
responsibility 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 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
ganized 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 orgaD;Zationw when
trade falls off and later bring in a 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 fairprofit.
Could you make money at the new
| prices by running the factories half full
or half the time?
l don't believe we could.
Colonel, at the new price, could any
one start in the manufacture of bicycles
with reasonable prospect of success?
I do not believe ut possible for any
new concern to start in the bicycle busi-
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, l have noticed several tabu-
ations which profess to give the cost of
making 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
the prices were 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. 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, 1 have seen d number of ru-
mors 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
a good many models. We expect tc
make it our leading machine for 1898.
In some of the papers see that the
price of the chaipless is likely to be
500.
You may be sure we won't sell {
chainless bicycle for $t0O!
If any one pays $3.50 for Columbie
chainless bicycle in 1898, he will get
full value for his money.
VIII the chainless cost more to make
than chain-driven wheel?
Yes, great deal more than any othel
bicycle, and it can only be made sue
cess by the very finest and best work
manship. think there are only a very
: few bicycle manufacturers who ar
likely to make a successful chainles
machine.
How many employees are on you
payroll now, Colonel?
We have had this season as high a
s,4oO. They have been dropping ou
. the last few weeks, and to-day we hav
on our payroll 2,675.
'' Is this a greater number than yo
had at the same time last year?
Yes, by several hundred. / suppos
that 10000 people are indirectly d,
pendent upon these works for supper
besides fully as many more who arr
. to greater or less degree, supporte
9 by us through our agents.
d Colonel, will the present range {
. prices be the standard for 1898?
n 1t is little early to talk about thu
i now.
: Shirt-Waist Damages.
y First Summer Resorter-,Isn't that Che