By William “Skip” Deegans
This advertisement in the July 2, 1898 West Virginia News indicates Ronceverte’s Eagle and Ott store was an agent for Crescent Bicycles. Manufactured by Western Wheel Works of Chicago, the Crescent was a popular and well-built bicycle. The regular adult model sold for $75 ($2,741 in today’s dollars). Western Wheel Works began manufacturing bicycles, tricycles and children’s bicycles about 1890. By 1896 they were selling 70,000 bikes a year. They developed a chainless bicycle, but before it could be perfected the bicycle market in the United States crashed due to over production. Western Wheel Works went out of business in 1900.
The challenge bicyclists have today of sharing the road with cars and trucks was one bicyclists (called” wheelmen”) faced in the late 1800s. The West Virginia News reprinted an article from a Cleveland newspaper about horse and wagon drivers: “It is pure meanness which prompts drivers of teams to obstruct the way of wheel riders… bicycles have just as many rights in the public highways as have other wheeled vehicles, and, inasmuch as wheel riders are forbidden to use the sidewalks, an effort should be made to save the portion of the streets to which they are entitled from unnecessary obstruction.”
Interesting side note: Sharing space in Western Wheel Works’ factory was Dr. William Scholl who was making shoes and foot care products. After the bicycle operation shut down, Scholl took over the whole factory.
Advertisement courtesy of the West Virginia Daily News.
Sources: The West Virginia News, Smithsonian, Chicagology, www.onlinebicyclemusuem.com.
