The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-01-07

Our Bicycles First Carried the Idea
of Strength Combined with Light
ness to the Old World, and Now
American Patterns Have the Call
in the Shops and Mills of England
and Germany--But the Foreign
Operative Is Still Behind His
Rival on This Side OF the Ocean
in His Handling of the Machine.
Washington Letter. Pittsburg Times.
The report of Marshal Halstead,
United States consul at Birmingham,
England would be "a satisfactory doc
ument to large proportion OF the
population of the United Staes If it
contained no other informatin that that
which alludes to the bicycle as power
in opening the door of the old world
for American made machinery. Eng
land and the continent until recently
entertained but n poor appreciation OF
anything that originated in the land Of
the Yankee. While considerable agri-
cultural machinery has been slowly
plains of the Danubian and Balkan
country, the welcome given TO anything
OF American manufacture was not over
gracious in any section. The change
is remarkable. According to Consul
Halstead, the bicycle was responsible
for breaking down much Of the wall OF
prejudice that was met By American
machines of all kinds There is in Eu.
rope an idea that the American puts
too little material in his machines. The
superintendent of a large American
manufactory of woodworking machin-
cry spoke one day OF that difference
between the American and English pat
terms. The English machines are made
from patterns that are huge, heavy.
ungainly, and which require a much
larger amount of iron than the Amer
lean machine. The Englishman thinks
he must have soldity and strength,
and that the American Is too econom-
ical of iron for either purpose. But
the American, on the other hand, can
never get away from the appearance
of his machinery. He first calculates
what work the machine will have to do.
Then he makes allowance for the
abuses it will encounter in the LANDS
of ignorant men to whom in many
cases it will he entrusted. Then he
considers how many pounds of cast
iron will be necessary. for he never
gets away from the cost, and he makes
his drawings of the machine with an
eye for harmony of detail, and in the
endeavor to have piece Of work that
shall not be offensive in appearance,
for grace of outline does not detvact
from the ability Of a machine to do
Its work. The American has an Ell
cient machine, and ond that is eco
nonlic of material and handsome.
CONVINCED.
1t was impossible to make the Eng
lishman- agree with this idea until the
bicycle came upon the scene. The
English shopman maintained that looks
add nothing to the capacity of the ma
chine, and that pig iron is cheap. both
of which are true. But the American
insists that If the machine can be built
to look well and likewise to do it's work
and the materia! can be 50 disposed as
TO provide sufficient strength without
throwing iroE away. it is as easy to
consider the saving of iron and the out
line OF shape as to disregard those
points. Thi; was brought into promi-
nence in the bicycle more than in any
other product of ar American factory.
The bicycle demanded strength with
hghtnesS. 1t became study how to
make use of the least possible material
and get the best possible resisting quail
tiles. And as the bicycle became a
popular machine, it was impossible to
keep graceful appearance from talk
ing deserved place. The American
bicycle went abroad. and it was so
much the superior in appearance and
In endurance and lightnes3 over the
foreign made machines that the Ameri-
can wheel caught the public fancy, and
proved that the American conception Is
the correct one.
The American has for years recog-
niZed the vast advantages possessed by
his machinery as compared with for
eiGn machines of any sort, but he could
not get the old world to understand
what was so palpable to him. An in
cident is recalled of some American
manufacturers who were travelling in
Europe. AL one point visited they called
upon manufacturer in the same line
as one of the party. They We're shown
through the extensive plant with the
exception Of single department, which
the manufacturer said contained some
fer that his American rival should not
see them. The others of the party were
welcome, and all might enter the for
hidden enclosure If they insisted But
the manufacturer asked that the Amer
lean in the same line would be cour-
teous enough to not ask the favor The
others went into the room where the
machinery was, and when they came
out one of the party announced that the
American manufacturer could learn
nothing there, for he had used the same
sort of machines when they We're really
novel, but that he had discarded then
from the American shop to put in ma
chimes that would do much more worI,
In a given time than those he was not
permitted to see. So loath was the
English manufacturer to accent the
statement that he still asked the Amer
ican not to insist upon seeing the ma.
chimes.
AN OBJECT LESSON.
The bicycle has changed this. The
foreigner has been forced to recognize
that the American style of construc,
tion has its advantages, and that they
are decided advantages, and while ac.
cepting the American bicycle he is ac
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