New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-06-30
CIT IN PRICE OF WHEELS.
COLUMBIA BICYCLES TO BE SOLD AT
SO EACH
ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE POPE MANUFACTURING
COMPANY CAUSES \ SENSATION IN
THE CYCLING WORLD-EF
FEET on TRADE


FEET on TRADE.
The official announcement made by the Pope
Manufacturing Company yesterday from the
home office at Hartford that the prices Of Co
lumbia and Hartford bicycles would be cut
about - per cent was the cycling sensation
of the season. Little else was talked about IN
the cycling district in this city, and the revenue
Of the telegraph companies was increased ma
tarially The notice says that the prices OF 1874
Columbia bicycles will be reduced to so each on
July |; 1896 Columbus to $50, and Hartfords to
$50 $40 and $50.
1t was also rumored last night that another
of the large manufacturers had agreed 10 make
the announcement simultaneously with the
Pope company. hut nothing official could BE-
learned as to this While it has been admitted
in the trade for some time that the regular price
for high grade chain wheels for next year would
be SO. the sudden announcement from Hartford
Yesterday was received with considerable sur
prise Many prominent makers and dealers
were seen. and took different views as 10 what
the effect would be or the trade during the rest
II the selling season Several Of the prominent
makers said that they had sold their wheels for
500 right through the season. and that they
would continue 70 do 50 TO the end Of the year.
THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY
Others admitted that such an action by So
prominent company would have an instanta-
neous effect all over this country, wherever hi
cycles were sold Il was those who are not
overanxous about selling the remainder Of their
% OUTPUT who rrophcsiod that the cut would
affect the little makers almost exclusively. They
said that many az the concerns had been cutting
On the quiet for some time anyway, and that the
announcement of the Pope CompanY would sim
ply compel these Others to come out openly ana
announce the price % their wheels
There are those who say that the standard
500 wheel for the 9N market will he the chain
less bicycle ard that the regular chain wheels
will sell at from so to so. They argue that
the expensive plants erected and experiments
made for the chainless wheel Of the future will
make il necessary to retail it at 500. Experts
say that the present cut in prices would not
have been forced upon the makers If more I'M
movements had been made in the "a wheel 81
cycle plants are expensive institutions, but when
wheels can be turned out from the same plants
for several years without extensive expert
ments and improvements reduction in the
price Of the article put on the market VIII fol-
low in time
Whether the announcements VIII call out a
special meeting of the Board Of Trade OF cycle
Manufacturers remains to be seen, although
members of the Board seen yesterday said that
there was no occasion for specia! meeting Of
the makers.
Said a man last night who is thoroughly con-
versant with every phase OF the cycling indus
try. The marked reduction in price by the
pnDo Manufacturing Company will not have
the effect on the trade and on prices at large II
would have had some years ago. before the BIZ
cycle boom attracted To the manufacture of the
wheel such enormous capital ana extensive
plants Although the Pope Manufacturing COM
pary can show q growth commensurate with
and perhaps even greater than, the increase in
the use IF the bicycle. II IS no longer the con-
trolling factor III the trade, Its capital and out
put bearing a small proportion to the tot'l
volume If trade in wheels. II cannot be denied,
however. that the possibility Of buying wheel
of such acknowledged high grade as the Column
bia at SO must influence the general market
to some extent and will make 1t harder FOR the
other great makers to maintain the 500 price
HELD TO THE CENTURY FIGURE.
4 talk wita some Of the leading makers finds
them ready to state cmphatically that their 800
wheels will still be held strictly to the century
figure. Most emphatic statements to this effect
were made by the Overman and Wolf people yes
terday Representatives Of the medium and
lower grade wheels declared boldly that the cut
would have no effect on their prices. The cut is
naturally received with severe criticism by rival
makers Of the high grades, who state that
though there had been falling off in the sale
Of 500 wheels in the aggregate, there was still
a fair trade in them.
The presence OF an enormous number OF cheap
wheels on the market resulting from over-pro-
ductior has. Of course ntcrfered with the sellers
of the hign-priced wheels These cheap ma
chimes owe their pric" To over-production and the
money distress in the trade. and Tie figures at
which the machines are sold by no means repre-
sent the cost of production. With this overplus.
which comes entIely from last year = manufact-
ur.s once uut Of the way there would nave been,
with conservative production, q chance IN the
near future for fair profits on grades OF ali kinds
AT figures Offering the purchaser a choice in ac-
cordancc with his means.
4 General reduction in price would mean the
wedding ont Of irresponsible makers, and. In fact.
the reduction 81 all falsely priced wheels to their
nroner relative figures. Although these are dark
DAYS for the bicycle industry, its future is as
bright as ever So long as the public demands
and will pay for wheels To the enormous extent
=, which they are now used. there will be
cbance for the existence OF a legitimate business
in wheels.