The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1897-07-24

Some Interesting Facts Regarding
the Output of Crescent Bicycles In
1896 by the Western Wheel Works,
of Chicago, Ill.
The idea of this article is to convey to
the reader IA conception of the enormous
amount of raw material consumed during
a season in supplying the demand Tor
one of the most popular bicycles made
The Western Wheel Works, Chicago,
makers OF the Crescent wheel, have the
largest, and without doubt the most com,
plote bicycle factory i'll the world, ana
can turn out, when running TO fulleSt
capacity. 10 finished Crescents III t"eiEe
hours, or complete up to date bicycle
per minute.
The following figures are based on the
actual amount of the principal parts OF
material used by them during 1890 III the
manufacture of Crescent bicycles, our
ing which season they made more high
grade bicycles than any other two lac
tories i'll the country.
They used $50 miles of tubing, or
enough to nearly reach from chicago 10
st. Paul if placed in Il straight line. he
spokes were made IN their own 1actolS'
and required $50 miles OF wire, or enough
10 reach from Chicago to Lincoln, NeD.'
80 miles of brass rod was required Tor
spoke nipples. If the spokes. spoke mp.
Piles and tubing We're placed III a stralSht
line they would reach from chicago 70
the kDtkN N1oullidliS Ut I'h''t.
cranks. if placed end to end, would cover
distance of - miles. They used 80
miles of steel for crank aXles, wheel aAles
and pedal aXlcs. and ID miles OF steel Tor
seat posts If the rims that were used III
the manufacture of Crescents IN 10 were
placed one upon the other they would
make pile 10. 500 feet high. 5000 fect
higher than Pixies Peak and about the
height of Mount Elias i'll Alaska, whose
summit has never yet been reached by
man. If placed in a straight line, side by
side these rims would reach distance
of 7o1a miles and if the tires We're fitted
they would make Il line 1I12 miles longer.
The steel forgings used for the crank
hangers on the 81 wheels weighed. IN
the rough. II SO tons. and when m
ished, II $40 tons, showing a complete
waste of 81 go tons III drilling and fin
Shing. i required 32oS4 square feet of
sheet steel to make the Crescent hollow
tooth sprockets. and 21.SI6 square feet
for the steel stampihgs of the head ahu
seat post clamps. or i'll al enough hat
steel to cover an area Of IA acres. There
were used 10 miles of cork grips. los
miles of finished hubs, and - miles of
steel wire to pin frames together before
brazng. The finished chains. end to end.
would reach 40 miles. and the different
pieces of which they are COMPOSED would
reach 23I1, miles, or in all .SoI1n miles.
the distance from Chicago to Cincinnati.
The bearings of 1896 CrcscentS required
13.99I.3n steel balls. which. If placed
in straight line. side by side. would
reach distance of 41:&4 miles. To lace
the chain and dress guards on the ladies'
CrcscentS manufactured i'll 1896 required
434. $50 yards of cord. or 1461L, miles
enough TO allow a small boy to stand on
the top Of the Auditorium tower in Chi
caro and fly his kite where the people in
DpS MoineS. Iowa. could see it. 10 sup
ply trcSccntS sold in 1896 required ,';O6.-
1t2 bolts, and 1.lNS.o15 nuts having an
aggregate weight of - tons. Sixteen and
cnu-quarter miles of spring steel We're
used in the Manufacture of saddle springs,
and the saddle and tool bags together
used up 1lI.SS3 square feet. or over !
acres of leather. The total weight Of the
complete bicycles was 23S2.S42 pounds.
Or :19i tons. 70 crate these bicycles
required 1,22;S:.74o square feet of lumber
made up in pieces, which would make a
distance Of I .139 miles. or more than the
distance from New York to Chicago: To-
TISSUES separate and distinct pieces en-
tered int" the construction Of 90 Ores
rents, aud if all were placed i'll u straight
line, end 10 end. they wouLl reach from
New York To- some distance in the Pacific
Ocean west Of san Francisco.-trescpnt
Bulletin. July !. 1891