Indiana Bicycle Company Explained

Indiana Bicycle Company
Industry:Manufacturing
Predecessors:-->
Founded: in Indianapolis, U.S.
Founder:Charles F. Smith
Successors:-->
Hq Location Country:United States
Areas Served:-->
Owner:Charles F. Smith
Num Employees:1071
Num Employees Year:1896

Indiana Bicycle Company was a bicycle and automobile company in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. The company made carriages, bicycles and electric vehicles under the name Waverley Cycles. By 1896 the company was producing 350 bicycles every ten hours.

History

Bicycles

In 1885 Charles F. Smith started the Indiana Bicycle company.[1] The Indiana Bicycle company consisted of 8 buildings which produced tools, a forging shop for manufacturing sprockets and cranks, and other buildings for the assembly and manufacture of bicycle parts. In 1896 the company employed 1071 people and turned out 350 bicycles every ten hours.[2] In 1895 the company produced three different bicycles: the Scorcher, the Belle, the Ladies Special Diamond.[3] [4] The company produced in excess of 50,000 bicycles a year.[5]

American Bicycle Company (1899-1903)

In 1899 the company joined a trust which was set up to control the bicycle market in the United States. Forty-two factories were part of the trust; the major barrier to organizing it was the manufacturer of rubber tires. It was decided that tires would be purchased from the "Rubber King", Charles R. Flint.[6] The trust which formed under the name American Bicycle Company only lasted a few years. Historians have not determined why the company failed but they have several theories. One idea was that the company was poorly organized, and another theory is that the various manufacturers involved in the company had different objectives. After the breakup the many different companies went back to competing.[7]

Automobiles

The company manufactured carriages, cars and bicycles. From 1897 to 1916 the Waverley company produced electric cars which looked like carriages.[8] [5] In 1913 the Silent Waverley Front-Drive Four was priced at $2900[9] which would equate to $81,419.11 in 2021.[10]

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Pioneer In This City . 12 December 2021 . The Indianapolis Journal . 28 April 1895 . 12 December 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211212174740/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/18079511/indiana-bicycle-company-1895-history/ . live .
  2. Book: Indianapolis of Today . 1896 . consolidated Illustrating company . Indianapolis Indiana . 96 . 12 December 2021 . 26 February 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220226150813/https://www.google.com/books/edition/Indianapolis_of_To_day/g5NuAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Waverley+cycles&pg=PA40&printsec=frontcover . live .
  3. Book: The Iron Age - Volume 55 . 3 January 1895 . 136 . 12 December 2021 . 26 February 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220226150813/https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Iron_Age/h2JDAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Waverley+cycles&pg=PA136&printsec=frontcover . live .
  4. News: The Bicycle Trust . 11 December 2021 . Cincinnati Commercial Tribune . 29 July 1899 . 11 December 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211211192756/https://newspaperarchive.com/other-articles-clipping-jul-29-1899-2876239/ . live .
  5. News: Automobile Industry in Indianapolis Started with Purchase of Waverley Electric Vehicle . 12 December 2021 . The Indianapolis Star . 31 December 1924 . 12 December 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211212174741/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/90454950/waverley-electric-cars/ . live .
  6. News: The Bicycle Trust . 11 December 2021 . Cincinnati Commercial Tribune . 29 July 1899.
  7. Epperson . Bruce D. . 'The finances stagger these fellows': the Great American Bicycle Trust, 1899–1903 . The International Journal of the History of Sport . 26 January 2022 . Taylor Francis Group . 1 November 2011 . 28 . 18 . 2633–2652 . 10.1080/09523367.2011.611408 . 153677588 . 26 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220126165013/https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09523367.2011.611408 . live .
  8. News: Hostetler . Joan . Indianapolis Then and Now: The Waverley Company, 139 S. East Street . 12 December 2021 . Historic Indianapolis . 20 June 2013 . 9 May 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210509052709/https://historicindianapolis.com/indianapolis-then-and-now-the-waverley-company-139-s-east-street/ . live .
  9. News: The Waverley Silent Electric . 12 December 2021 . Indianapolis Star . 26 October 1913 . 12 December 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211212184825/https://newspaperarchive.com/other-articles-clipping-oct-26-1913-2878198/ . live .
  10. Web site: Value of $2,900 from 1913 to 2021 . In 2013 Dollars . Official Data Foundation . 12 December 2021 . 12 December 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211212184826/https://www.in2013dollars.com/us/inflation/1913?amount=2900 . live .

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