The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1909-09-09

The following letter by c. Q. Pack
ard, of this city, but now in Michigan,
appeared in the Detroit Free Press of
September 5:
Shows Were Pope's Idea.
To the Editor: The recent death
of Col Albert A. Pope makes refer
eHce to his life of interest. have
seen a great deal written Of him, aud
his work, but 1 have not noticed any
reference to a line of action of his
vi ich 1 regard as the most important
OF his life and which, in my opin-
ion, is soon to be duplicated in other
directions.
1 refer to the fact that while he
was Cnquestionably the leading pio-
neeT in the bicycle industry, he was,
in another direction, the one man
over and above all others who made
the bicycle popular everywhere and
created thus one of the greatest in
dustries the world ever has known.
Organized Bicycle Shows.
It was Col. Pope who organized
bicycle shows" in Madison Square
Garden, New York, and in other
large cities of the country. Again
he was the chief promoter of the
cross country bicycle racing, and
it was his personal attention to this
racing feature which gave the public
such interest that few country boys
did not ride their own wheels, and
she was poor girl indeed who did not
ride from her store or shop on her
own wheel. Great shops and factories
spUang up on every hand and money
was poured like water into this fasci-
mating phase of life.
hfrENIn
formed and the Pope factories, with
other large producers Of wheels, were
gathered in one concern, other hands
and other brains took charge OF the
bicycle business. The committee in
charge argued that Col. Pope mad
spent too much money in developing
fast riders and in promoting bicycle
shows; they therefore cut of all con-
tributions in this direction.
Great Industry Dies.
And with what result? Within a
brief period. probably two or three
years, the great bicycle indusWy was
as dead as smelt. The big concerns
c;used their doors and people quit
riding; the glory had departed from
Tchabod. The great bicycle industry
became a thing Of the past. Wheels
were d drug on the market and were
almost
cause Col. Pope's matchless system
of advertising had been abandoned.
With respect to perhaps the most
important line of manufacturing bust
ness which this generation knows, the
automobile business, I believe, the
same future exists.
The introduction of the autOmo-
bile "GIidden tours" races for the
Vanderbilt cup. crOss-country tours
both on the European continent and
in this country, served to fix the at
tention of the people on this new
form of Iocomotion. The public went
auto" crazy and today there seems
no limit to which this form of pleas
ure and convenience will not ex-
tend.
Same Rule Applies to Autos.
Similarly it was Col. Pope that had
had much to do with popularizing the
automobile 1t Is extremely probable
that sooner or later some economical
spirit will start an cutlery against the
large sums being expended in pro-
noting the automobile industry
Should this be the case, mark my pre-
diction. such movement viii come
comparatively near putting the auto
mobile industries where that or OIL
cycle making went.
Col. Pope was beyond question the
pioneer of good roads and 1t Is 10
him that we owe the famous steps we
are taking in providing ourselves with
better thoroughfares. But over and
above all other individuals this cOun-
Try has produced, Col Albert A. Pope
was the leading spirit OF the b'cycIe
Industry and it was owing to his Pc
euIiar methods of advertising chat
bicvcIe making attained its prOmi-
hence.
CON. G. PACKARD,
Pest Tavern, Battle Creek, Mich
August 81, 1909
5or s doses of 1856" viii cure any