The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-03-13
Thousands or Reans of Paper Pulled
"-. into Smoke.
New York Commercial Advertiser.J

New York Commercial Advertiser.J
One of the mysteries. of New York, Of
which we baye never seen In type an at.
tempted explanation, is :. What under the
sun becomes of the esormous quantity of
this coarse brown wrapping-paper which we
everywhere see piled up to the ceiling 10
warehouses, or shying across the sidewalk
from truck to store, like Parthian arrows
darkening the sun, or perchance coming to
the city from mills ia the surrounding coun-
try, loading whole trains Of freight cars" |?
This surely is profound puzzle, which few
even among old residents can unravel. But
here is the answer: ("nell it not in Gath !;
publish 1t not in the streets Of Askelon.") 10
brief, we have at this port an enormous eX.
port trade in straw-paper between New York
and Havana, where it enters into manufac-
ture of tobacco. The trade can be reckoned
by thousands Of tons. Not steamer leaves
port that does not take out from 1000 to
5000 reams, or in occasional Instances as
high as 10000. But very few. days have
| elapsed since steamer sailed with the quan-
| THY last named. 1t was long since evident
| that this heavy export Of paper-that, too,
all of a single description, the coarsest and
cheapest could not be for ordinary con-
sumption. No market could possibly de-
mand such quantities unless people were in.
ordinate shoppers and did nothing except
run to the grocery for small packages. The
paper referred to sells at twcnty-siX cents per
ream of eight or nine pounds, and when pack
ed for export is usually pressed into bales of
16O reams each. It is said that the exports
are so large that cur entire domestic con.
sumption is scarcely equal to enc sixteenth
of the total shipped to Cuba alone, while adj
| 10, in nd for Rruu
Bermuda, &c, very much OF it doubtless
going into the manufacture Of cberoots and
cigarettes. For this purpose we are told it
serves admirably, the paper, under combus'
ton, leaving no residuum other than pure
white ash. There is but one conclusion, IS
remarked by leading dealer 10 the trade,
that the bulk Of this paper is converted into
cigars of the lower grades, and when return
| ed under custom-house brands, neatly boxed
and fragrant with Elusive odors, readily
commands sale. The peculiar manipula.
| ton which SRA H-paper uhdergoes in process
of conversion is, Of course, known only TO
the initiated But it is well understood that
when saturated in the juice of tobacco.
stems, and perhaps almost dissolved, the
ouce despised yellow Ieams make "hll'
ing" almost equal, il not superior, to the
genuine leaf. In fact, ii is sometimes posi-
be to detect, as we are Informed, the deli
cate film of paper interlapped with leaves in
the finished cigar, or neatly folding the ex'
terror. To such refinement of art has this
business been carried that by the use of ma.
chimes rolled over the sheet of paper an
almost perfect impress Of tobacco leaf is OBJ.
tanned. the peculiar "spo:s" being printed
as on calico. The waste and refuse of facto-
ries in like manner is carefully gathered,
and by intermingling with paper ence more
acquires body and consistency, 80 that in
subsequent use the votary Of tobacco inhales
it in bis pipe, securing comfort and solace,
or takes 1t pulverized into snuff through the
nostrAs, imagining himself transported in
dreamy lsssitude beyond the cares and wor-
rments of this lower life-on Wisp OF
Daner. -- - =