You are correct that it is a Pierce Arrow bicycle near the turn of the century. Pierce made several styles of this bicycle. The features were the rear shock system (just a spring in a tube) and some had a leaf spring front fork. Some were chain driven while others were shaft. I even own one that has a shock built into the stem that allows the handlebars to float.
These are prized among the Wheelmen collectors. The use of the term Hygienic was because they used that shock absorbing approach on their frames. Their Marketing folks were trying to convince people that riding on bumpy roads caused a non hygienic situation to occur in the saddle area. They even used he saddle with the opening down the middle. Sort of the pre-cursor of today's ergo saddles.
Unfortunatly you cannot find much about these on the web. I found this little link that discusses the things I have mentioned above. There are books out there that have a lot more detail on the Pierce bicycles. There is also a Pierce museum I believe in Buffalo NY that might have a lot more info.
Ray Homiski
Elizabeth, NJ USA