The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-08-11
COL. POPE DIES
 AT SUMMER HOME
Pioneer Bicycle Manufac- turer's Health Failed Since
 His Go. s Embarrassment
Won Honors In Civil War


 Boston, Mass, Aug. 11.-CoI. Albert A. Pope, the pioneer bicycle manufao- turer of the United States, who was also interested in the manufacturing of automobiles. and well known as one of the first advocates of the existing good roads system, died at his Sum mer home in Cohasset, last evening. Col Pope had been in ill-health for months, due to the breaking down of his nervous system which followed the financial embarrassment of his bicycle company, the largest concern of the kind in the country, which had its headquarters at Hartford. Conn. Sine July he had been seriously i'll and his death had been expected.
 Col. Albert Augutus Pope was born in Boston on May 20. 1S43. He traced his descent from the weH-known New England families of Pope, Pierce, Cole. Stubbs, and Neale. Business reverses placed the family in straightened cir cumstances, and young Pope was forced to earn his own living when he was only 10 years of age. He then obtained employment on a neighboring farm in Brookline. working in the aft jernoon after school and during the entire vacation. Three years later he bought fruit and vegetables from the farmers. and sold them again, thus setting up little business of his own. He hired other boys to assist. him in extending his trade, and in one Sum mer made profit of s100.
 At the age of 15 young Pope left High School and secured employment in the Quincy market, taking a posi- ton later on with firm dealing in shoe findings. He did all the work of a porter. carrying 10O-pound bales and doing more than mans work for $4 week. The store was more than five miles from his home. but he observed economy and walked to and from
 work. saving a total of 16 cents day.
 When the war broke out MT. Pope
 Joined Salignac's Zouaves and was
 Brookline. He had become familiar with military tactics. He was hardly 19 years of age when he went to the front in 1862 as Second Lieutenant in
 the Thirty-frst Massachusetts Infan- try, He excessively filled the offices of First Lieutenant, Captain. Major, and Lieutenant Colonel. and was one of the four original officers of the regi-
 nent who were mustered out of ser vice at the close of the war.
 The chief battles in which he parti- cipated were South Mountain, Sulpher
 Springs, Fredericksburg, Vicksburg
 Jackson, Knoxville, and Petersburg.
 He was employed in important detach- ed services, and on several occasions
 acted as commander of his regiment during the absence of the Colonel. Col.
 Pope was highly commended by his
 superior officers for the ability and skin which he displayed in organizing within twelve hours a provisional regi-
 ment of artillery from the convales-
 cent camp at Alexandria, Va, with
 which force he advanced to the de-
 fense of Washington. assuming com mand of Fort Slocum and Fort Stew ems with forty-seven pieces of artil-
 lery. He served in the principal vir-
 ginia campaigns, with Burnside in
 Tennessee. with Grant at Vicksburg, and under Sherman in Jackson. He and in the last attack led his regi- ment into the city. He was then only 21 years of age.
 After the war Col. Pope returned to
 his former employer. but soon went into business for himself, selling slip
 CTS supplies. He served as a member of the City Council of Newton between
 1876 and 1S77- It was while acting in this capacity that he visited the Cen tenniaI Exposition and became fas- cinated with the bicycle exhibit. He did not return to Newton as soon as he had intended, but spent all the time that the exposition was open studying the. bicycle exhibit
 Col. Pope organized the Pope Manu- featuring Company in 1877 for the | marketing of small patented articles He had remained President and active | manager of this concern from the time it was organized until it's failure
 last year. The idea of manufacturing
 bicycles for the American market was carefully considered by him before the | organization of the company, and he went to Europe to examine bicycle prospects there. This resulted in his placing in the following year an order | for the importation of English wheels In the Spring of 1878 the first order given in this country for the manu- facture of bicycles was received by the | Weed Sewing Machine Company Oi Hartford, Conn. Col. Pope soon con | trolled and finally bought out this con- l cern.
 He began by manufacturing fifty machines during the rest of the year and built up the business so that il employed a capital of $2,O00, GOO, utilized | four factories, and. besides employing | an army of workmen and expert ma chinists. gave employment to 3,00t | agents, who distributed the output | throughout the country.
 | Not only were there no demands fol | bicycles when they were first intro | duced- but there was a distrust o1 them in the minds of the bushes: | men and manufacturers and a public | prejudice against them everywhere Municipal ordinances in many citie. | and towns were also passed against | them. All these obstacles, however | were overcome largely through MT | Pope's persistence and his public figh | through the press
 l In the interests of cycling Col Pop,
 founded The Wheelman and put up- | ward of $60,00O into this enterprise | The same publication exists to-day | under the name of Outing. When thu | automobile came into prominence Col 1 Pope engaged Tn theirs manufacture. | Col. Pope was President or Directo | of many corporations and banking | firms. He married Abbie Hinder O | Newton, Mass, on Sept. 20, 1871. The, | had four sons and one daughter. On of the sons was appointed receiver fo | the Pope Manufacturing Compan,
 when it became financially involved I last year.