The times., 1898-09-18
THE BICYCLE BUSINESS.
Amazing Growth of the Industry In
America.


Amazing Growth of the Industry In
America.
(From the New York Sum-
If ten years ago it had been predicted
that before the close of the nineteenth
century the manufacture Of bicycles and
bicycle supplies and of machinery for
making them would constitute one of
I Americas greatest industries, the predic-
tion probably would have found few be-
lievers. Statements have been made
from time to time concerning the hicy-
cle's development in the United States
and comparisons, more OF less accurate,
have been made as TO the skill and
progress of wheeimakerS in this and other
countries Englishmen have been pleased
to assert that the greater advancement
! in cycle construction has taken place
in England than elsewhere. Frenchmen
are disposed to think that the wheels
made in France are as good any
others, and the efforts in Germany to en-
courage the use of home-built wheel
{ rather than those made in America, by
the proposed imposition of heavy duties
,n the latter. show that the superiority of
Uncle Sans machines is duly recognized
by the Germans.
The remarkable growth during the last
three years of the bicycles popularity in
countries where ii was before almost a
stranger offers new and great opportuni-
! ties for manufacturers whose product is
strictly first-cass and whose enterprise
and genius are constantly alert The ex-
portation of wheels, as is shown by trust
worthy statistics, has come to be an ex-
oeedingly important feature of the indus
! try in America, and the foreign demand
for American machines next year and
1 thereafter is a matter of much conse-
quence to the manufacturers of this
country. The past has demonstrated that
cyclists on the other side of the water
are quick to appreciate the advantages of
strong and speedy mounts. Whenever our
manufacturers have made desirable
changes in their models II has required
only very short time for foreigners to
become aware Of the fact and to make
Investigations regarding it.
| At the present time cyclists in nearly
/ every part of the world are eager 10 know
! what notifications or radical changes will
be revealed in the American bicycles of
1899 1t is doubtful If the manufacturers
! themselves could adequately answer the
! inquiry at this early date, as, very like
/ ly, many of them are not yet familiar
with inventions and suggestions which
! they wish to consider carefully before de-
Gliding exactly how to fashion the new
! machines Never before has the progress
! sive wheeimaker had so great a number
of practical and ingenious methods and
! devices to select from as he has now
Some idea of what inventors in this coun-
try have done within the last two years
| to increase the comfort and pleasure of
wheelmen, and of what the latter may
hope to enjoy before the close of another
year, may be gained by examining the re-
port of the Commissioner of Patents, at
i Washington, for the year 1897.
4 Ilurinu hot ha
for inventions of bicycles, bicycle parts.
appliances. and devices number nearly
800. Seventy-eight patents We're issued
for new bicycles 49 for bicycle bells. AZ
for bicycle brakes, Al for bicycle tires 80
for bicycle saddles, 80 for bicycle handle
bars, u for bicycle handles, 10 for bicy-
Gle lamps, Il for bicycle cyclometers. 13
for bicycle luggage and parcel carriers
10 for bicycle wheels, I3 for bicycle
frames, u for bicycle chains, for bicy-
Gle pedals, for bicycle gears, Z for bicy-
Gle alarms, and for bicycle ball bear
lngs. Other cycle patents were as fol-
lows: Supports, 81: stands Il: locks. 81:
canopies, 4; driving gear 4; driving and
propeliing mechanism, 10; foot rests. 2:
cranks, 3; crank hangers 3; crank shafts
2; attachments u: and chain brush /
The above are only a few of the wheel
| inventions for which patents were
| granted. The complete list would occu-
| py fully two columns of The Sun It ap-
pears TO contain almost everything re-
quisite for the wheelman's comfort and
| safety. Riders who care more for mild
recreation than speed VIII find in the
list many articles to please them, while
the professional record-breai1er should be
able to choose a gear that will gladden.
his heart
The figures OF the Patent Office for 1897.
when contrasted with the report of that
Office seven or eight years ago, are doubly
interesting. in 1890 only twenty-seven fac
tories were engaged In cycle making and
less than 1000 workmen were employed.
The output was valued at a little over
81, 500, 900 In 1895 the number of bicycle
factories in this country exceeded 200, an
aggregate capital of more than s1G0, 900, :
900 was invested. upward of $4,000 work
men were employed, and at least 500 001
wheels were turned out. Last year the
production of machines is estimated at
considerably over LOCO 600. "In $780, says
the report, "a large proportion of the cy-
cles used were imported. mainly from
England In 1897 the exports of cycles
and parts of cycles to England amounted
in value to s2.12S,491, and the total ex-
ports amounted to Sc, 9O2 736.''
But not only has the bicycle benefited
Americans because of the investment of
immense capital and the employment of
thousands of workmen in its manufact-
ure. At the present time it is estimated
that 2,0e0 shops in this country are en-
gagged in the business of repairing bicy
cles; most of them also handle bicycles
and cycle supplies. In several of the
shops from three to five repairmen are
employed.
The manufacture of new machinery for
use in making the parts of bicycles and
bicycle novelties has also given rise to
an industry which furnishes employment
to a very large number of Americans.
Inventors have been busy day and night
devising machines to facilitate the work
of construction, with the result that tie
expectation of those products is exceed
ingly important by itself.
1t is clear from the above, therefore
Notwithstanding the numerous failures
among bicycle concerns two years ago
the marked reduction in the price o1
wheels and the statements of uninformed
persons that cycling has lost much of Its
charm, that the wheel occupies a very
conspicuous place in the thought of the
people; and when the figures showing
the extent of the cycle industry for the
present year are made known, that fac
/ Ill