Pope Manufacturing Company
The Pope Manufacturing Company was an American bicycle, motorcycle and automobile manufacturer that was founded by Colonel Albert A. Pope, 1876 in Hartford ( Connecticut ).
Bicycles
The first bicycle designed Pope in 1877 and had it built at the Weed Sewing Machine Company in Hartford. 1878 started the Pope Manufacturing Company with the production of the Columbia High Wheeler - High wheel and took over the Weed Sewing Machine Company in 1880 Pope bought Pierre Lallement's patent for bicycles and all other bicycle patents he could find. . He circumcised the possibilities of other U.S. bicycle manufacturers and made a fortune with the royalties due. He used the latest achievements of bicycle manufacturing, such as ball bearings for all moving parts or steel tubes for the frames. In addition, he invested a lot of money into advertising for bicycle clubs, bicycle newspapers and bicycle races. By 1896, Pope was the leading U.S. bicycle manufacturer. In 1899 he founded the Bicycle Trust, which consisted of 40 purchased by him, smaller bike manufacturers.
The Pope Manufacturing Company also introduced as the first one, the stamping process for metal parts.
In 1884 the Englishman Thomas Stevens ( 1853-1935 ) made with a Pope farthing from Chicago. Became the first man with a bike on the way to a world tour that lasted over two and a half years
Electric cars
1897 started the Pope Manufacturing Company with the production of an electric automobile. 1899, the company had built more than 500 vehicles. This year, the electric vehicle division was spun off and merged with the Electric Vehicle Company of William Collins Whitney. This resulted in the Columbia Automobile Company mainly electric vehicles built but later gasoline-powered automobiles in the program led.
Automobiles and Motorcycles
1901 Pope tried to re-enter the automobile market after the run was abated on bicycles. He bought a number of smaller companies and verleibte them his empire. Thus arose in 1903 the Pope- Robinson Company, and in 1904 the Pope Motor Car Company and Pope- Tribune. Even The Pope Manufacturing Company built from 1904 automobiles and motorcycles under the name of Pope- Hartford. Hiram P. Maxim was chief engineer of the motor vehicle department.
The first vehicle had a one-cylinder engine, but in 1905 was followed by first two cylinders, the following year, the first four-cylinder. The first six-cylinder model was released 1911. 1909 was a Pope- Hartford Model T win a car race for the 300 - year anniversary of the discovery of San Francisco.
While other automakers his empire existed for only a short time to held the mark Pope- Hartford until the beginning of the First World War. In August 1909 Albert A. Pope died at the age of 66 and his brother George took over the company. 1913 was forced to declare bankruptcy, the Pope Manufacturing Company. Under the leadership of a liquidator automobiles were manufactured until 1914. The values of the company were sold gradually and in January 1915 the last buildings and land went to the factory engine Pratt & Whitney. George Pope died 75 - year in April 1918.