The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-05-02

the century. for II seems hardly possible
that 1s9S will exceed it In the accessions to
the ranks of riders. However, the know
ing ones predicted the same thing a year
ago and now with a scarcity OF money In
circulation and hard times staring us In
the face people are giving up hard coin for
the rubber shod health givers. and fac
tories all over the country are running
overtime and unsuccessfuily trying to keep
up with orders.
l took n trip'through factory here this
week and. although i have been used to
seeing bee hives of this sort. / was sur
prised at the amount OF work going on.
and all of Il with such a perfect system
that each hour OF the "a contributed It's
share 10 the product OF the day. An out
put of go bicycles a day may not seem TO
be much or an undertaking, but when IL
IS compared TO something else which is
recognized as a big thing-Such for in
stance as the daily output of one OF the big
Minneapolis -four mills, Washburn Cros-
by's. think. which advertises with pride
that l5ooe barrels of flour are produced
daily. the proportions OF the bicycle trade
may be understood.
A bicycle costs something under $50 20
build: that Is the material and the work
manship entering into the machine. the
exact figures being matter of conjecture
save in the case OF the department store
affairs which are sold at retail for $50 and
less bat even IL the figure named, so is
too large. 81 is not so far or that IL APP
proaehes the selling price OF barrel OF
flour. The bicycle manufacturing industry
Is OF considerable more Importance than
the public believes. and 1t has been the
sport alone which is responsible for its
growth. There is no question about the
utility OF bicycle. II being the most econ
omicai means OF conveyance known, or
likely to lie known. 20 man, and u h add
mirabIy adapted TO many of his needs.
However. riding for the sake of the pleas
ure there Is in IL and for the good it viii
do the cyciist physically ard mentally is
beyond dogbt the basis OF the growth OF
the business.
IL was only few years ago when 2 mag
azine could be read from cover 90 cover
without single bicycle advertisement
meeting the eye, and a little later when
several Of the more prominent makers be-
gan TO patronize the weekly and monthly
publica lions. al other advertisements were
constructed on old lines. not referring to
the bicycle In any way. All this Is now
changed, for the bicycle figures in the ads
OF the patent medicine company, the soap
manufacturer. The fashionable tailor. and
other trades people who have come TO rec
ognixe cyclists as profitable and consid-
cradle purchasing element
This reminds ne q hcw the fashiona bic
jewellers are giving the cyclis, some aften-
ton. First - was the individual sterling
silver name plate which scould be engraved
with the riders name and strapped or ce-
rlenfed 10 tire frame OF the machine. then
several other little novelties were added TO
the nne. the silver oil can. the alligator
tool bag The @TITanyixed'' bicycle fol-
lowed. This last straw has been removed
from the canel's back ard bicycles en-
crusted with silver and gold Ornamental
tions are found only at cycle shows and
here ard there az country 3ewslry stores.
There is, however. demand for luxurious
fitting and sundries such as silxer-tipped
handie-bar grips. gold and silver eyelome-
tors and sslver-piated lamps These sun
dries are really or Practical value on ac-
count OF holiiEg their color and giving the
rider less trouble TO keep IN order.
There has been a large demand for the
past two or three years for bright colors
IN cycle enamels ard. although ihis de-
rnanss is not as strong proporfionzieiy as K
was = year go. many thousands of wheels
are stili made up with yellow. hrigAt
green maroon. royal blue and white
frames. OF these colors white seems 10 be