The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-06-14
CTGARETEE-NIAWgKG IN HAVANA.

The principal cigarette factory is, as is
well known, the factory of NJ. Slsini, "La
Ilonoradez' p" Honoradez" signifying, in
Spanish, honesty, the motto of the house.
1t consists of a series of irregular build
ings, covering an area in space about equal
to that occupied by the usual Broadway
block. On the upper floor of the pricipal
building we find lot of tobacco, which
has just arrived and is being prepared for in
spection, the first requisite being to remove
from it any leaves that are either dead or in
any way injured. The tobacco lies loosely
scattered over an immense wooden tray,
which is kept continually moving, by means
ofmacbinery, from one end of table to the
other. Around this table are seated some
twelve or fourteen Cuban workmen, all
good judges of tobacco. Each one throws
aside such leaves as he deems unfit for use,
while the slow yet continual motion given
to the tray brings each imperfection sue
cessivey before the eyes of all. The next
step is to free the tobacco from any parti-
cles of sand or earth that may adhere to it.
This is done by moving the tray by ma
chinery, until it is over large bin, into
which the tobacco is allowed to fall, being
Subjected in its passage to a powerful cur
rent of air induced by means of an i'm
mense fan, likewise worked by machinery.
One step more, and very simple One-that
Of drying-and the tobacco is ready for
change of form. The tobacco is dried
by simply exposing it on the roof, for a
few hours, to the heat of the sun. For
cigarettes it can scarcely be too dry, or for
cigars too damp. A Cuban would not
think of smoking other than damp cigar.
In the factories one sees the workmen
smoking cigars they have just rolled, and
no native could understand why one should
smoke dry cigars in which so much of the
ma tural favor has been lost. Thus far the
process has been entirely one of cleansing
or of freeing from Impurities. The next
step is that of cutting the leaves into fine
particles. in order to.adapt the tobacco for
Icigarettes. The scattered leaves are first
collected and subjected to powerful hy-
draulic pressure, from which, they come
out looking for all the world like pile Of
snuff-colored brick. Ehe nodded tobacco
next goes to the cutting machine, falling
from thence into sieve, the meshes of
which pass only such pieces as have been
reduced to the proper size. The remainder
is passed into hopper, and thence goes
for a second cutting. One step more, and
the tobacco will be issued to the "rollers."
Some half dozen Chinese enter the room,
each carrying with him small vessel con-
tanning an aromatic liquid, with which
the loose tobacco is carefully sprinkled.
The preparation of this liquid is not known.
1t is doubtless the desire to keep it secret
that leads to the preference Of Chinese
over native labor. Before following the
tobacco further, let US look at the remain
ing portion Of the cigarette the wrapper.
The original envelope for the tobacco was
doubtless composed of leaves, the followers
of Columbus carrying back to Spain ac-
counts of the strange custom existing
among the natives of San Salvador-the
smoking of tobacco wrapped in the leaves
of the palm, which was doubtless the prim-
tive cigarette. In France, to this day,
new straws are much used, but generally
paper has become the popular envelope.
This paper must be especially manulac-
tured. Most of it comes from Barcelona,
where the making of cigarette paper con-
stitutes an important industry. All that
used at the "Honoradez" factory, after in
spection is carefully stamped with the name
"Susini." BY unrolling any of this brand
of cigarettes this mark can be readily seen,
and serves as the readiest means of detect
ing counterfeits. A portion Of the paper
is sprinkled with various preparations to
give to it the flavor of tea, licorice, or such
other taste as may suit certain customers.
This explains the variation in the color of
the wrapper, which is sometimes straw
color. sometimes brown, but more usually
white, the latter color Distinguishing the
naper which has not been artifcially fla
yored. In the cutting.machine the paper
is rapidly converted into the proper size
for envelopes, while another machine close
at hand is turning out little bits Of paste.
board for such Of the cigarettes as are
to be made with a mouthpiece. .-Th'
GalaE9.
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