The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-01-14
YOUR WHEEL FOR '98.
What Press Reporter Learned at the
Lowell Factory Yesterday.

facture of bicycles is concerned may sure
~ be said to be we'll under way, as visit
to the local bicycle factory, owned and
operated by the John p. Lowell Co., at
South Portland demonstrated yesterday
to a representative of.the PRESS. The
PRESS reporter was extended the
courtesies of this enterprising concern
through the kindness of the factory super
intendent, Mr.. L. Fl. Cobb, who answered
with seemingly great pleasure the several
queries put to him relative to the work
being done at the factory in the direction
of preparing..fo the trade of the season Of
1898.
During the time that the John P. Lowell
Company has been in business, with the
exception of the present season the Lowell
machines have been manufactured for the
company by outside machinists the last
concern to handle the output of the ma.
chine being located in Worcester, Mass.
Beginning with the season of 1897 the
entire output of the Lowell Diamond ma
chimes has been controlled by the owners
of the patent, the machines being made
and shipped from the factory at South
Portland.
During the past summer the factory
has been enlarged to meet the demands of
the rapidly increasing business, and
judging from the present outlook it will
only be a question of a short time before
another large addition will have to be
made to the plant. In addition to the
manufacture of the bicycles this concern
is now at work in preparing models for
the manufacture of police and sporting
goods. After the models are made tn g
work of preparation for the manufacture
ofssthe goods, does not end, as drawings
have to be made from which the ma
chinery is made on which the articles are
manufactured. During the past summer
the workman were employed on the
manufacture of skates the design of
which was drawn by the draughtsman in
the employ of the company. The skates
are well made and compare favorably
with the others on the market of the same
factory commenced operations last Mon
day morning on full time. ten hours to
the day, with complement Of IT'S men in
the various departments. The model of the
road machine for this year isldistinguished
from that of last year in one respect in
that the tread is made three. quarters Of
ali inch narrower. The machine also has
a two and one-half inch drop. One of the
greatest improvements is the addition of
an improved self lubricating nickel chain.
The large sprocket wheel is made larger
than those of previous years and ara now
made up of thirty teeth. The machines
are geared from 70 to 105 and the frames
are enamelIed in three styles, black,
maroon and olive green. The spokes are
made of smaller wire known as needle
wire' made by the Excelsior Needle COM
pany. The wire while smaller is con-
sidered more durable than that previously
in use. The rims are made of what is
termed Illuminated wood, this work be-
ing done by a Maine concern, the Paris
misunderstanding company at their factory
at South Paris. The Christy saddle
known as the "hygenic saddle is to be
the one that will be used the most, but
riders have the option of ordering any of
the other standard makes.
The regular road machine weighs this
year very nearly twenty four pounds,
while;:the track or racing machine weighs
twenty pounds. The track machine has
three and one-quarter inch drop and in
every way shows itself to be machine
that will compare with the other makes
on the market. The tandem machines are
to be made at the factory this year, the
tandem with double diamond frames for
use by gentlemen, as also the combination
diamond tandem for use by ladies and
gentlemen.
To show that the machines are not
simply known to local fame the PRESS
representative was shown advance orders
from as many as three hundred agents in
various parts Of the United States as, al
SO from London, England. The furthest
orders for shipment west have been re-
ceived from San Francisco, Cal, while
others are to be sent to agents at Mobile.
Ala; St. Louis, Missouri, Toledo, Ohio;
New York, Philadelphia. North Carolina
Savannah, Georgia, and Florida. One
thing is noticeable this year, said Mr..
Cobb. viz: that there are by actual count
seventy. five less concerns in the manu-
faoture of bicycles than last year. This
is accounted for by the. fact that the high
grade machines have in a measure
crowded the cheaper machines to the rear
These cheaper machines have for the most
part been put onto the market by men
that have had but little capital on which
to work, and therefore they have been
unable to go to the.expense of keeping up
with the latest improvements.
The regular model will sell at $50, the
special model at SIS and the track racer
is to sell at $s5. The tandem machines
are to sell at S125.
- -RF'1saas1
PERSONAL.