Morning journal and courier., 1881-02-03
Cigar Making at Key West.

Correspondence Of the New York Observerl
 Key West cigars being known all over the smoking world, I thought would take cur sorry view at one of the factories for such. That of Seidenbe-g & Go. being the most inn portant, craved leave to inspect it, and was graciously received by Mr. Wolfe, the resi- dent member of the firm. This great facto- ry is named '.La Rosa Espanola, by which name also its most favorite brand of cigars is known. The factory, when in full run- ming force, employs eight hundred hands, The tobacco used here comes direct from Cuba and is exclusively of the finest quality; it is La Vuelta Abajo" (Anglicized, the Lower Valley), which comprises within it's limits the most choice ard the most valuable tobacco growing district of the Queen of the Antilles In the factory of La Rosa Espa- nola" alone 5000 bales are annually used This volume Is equivalent to $50, ,000 pounds weight, and produces about 30,000, 900 of ci- gars, of which from 25 to 27 millions reach the New York market. At date the factory holds ready to fill orders for about ,500, 900 cigars. From internal revenue returns, Key West has placed on sale as the annual pro- duct of her factories all included nearly 65,- 900, 900 of cigars, of which aggregate num- Der 55 per cent. is manufactured in ''La Rosa Espanola" The commercial prosperity of the little town is largely due to the enter prise of this firm, who, after the breaking out of the insurrection in Cuba, commenced their works, availing themselves of the i'm migration of many Cuban cigar -makers-po- litical refugees,-whose skilled labor has ena- bled them to carry on their large and success full business.
 s'La Vuelta Abajo" tobacco is not only the finest quality of Cuban growth, but is unique in it's excellence. Plants and seed have both been taken from their native valley to Amer ica, the Brazils to the Philippine islands, as well as to other Spanish possessions but never has the foreign tobacco equaled in fla vor or texture that of native growth. The crop of 1879 was comparatively not so good as the crops of former years, while the crop of the current year 1880 appears to be of sur passing excellence. Usually, November or December is the time in which the new crop comes to hand from Cuba this years har- vest commenced to appear as early as last July. The richness of the soil of "La Vuel- ta Abajo" is consequent on the topography of the region. The valley is sort of basin, which receives the wash of the surrounding hills-a delta without river.
 The process of manufacture is: First buy your tobacco. From the wharf, place it in bond, thence to be withdrawn as needed for use Twenty bales are daily placed in pro- cess of manufacture in 'La Rosa Espanola." The first step of manufacture is to carefully open the bales, which contain many bundles, which are sub-divided into smaller bundles technically called hands; these hands dipped into bath expressly and properly prepared for the purpose. When wet through they are taken out, then placed on the floors of the drying rooms, and when suf- ficiently dry pass into the hands of the strip pers, who are chiefly women and young girls. This part of the business requires neat and careful manipulation the stems are thrown away being valueless. From this stage the tobacco goes through another curing process before being made into cigars The actual cigar makers are skilled Cuban workmen.
 This tobacco reaches Key West of two dis tinct sorts-wrappers the most choice in color, flavor and texture; the filings just shade less choice. One cigar from the bond ed storehouse to the cedar cigar box takes about one week to be perfected then it is ready to be launched on the world of fashion, to disappear in smoke. The wrappers are compressible into very small space one pound weight could readily be carried in the closed hand. One pound weight of this choice tobacco is worth from $2.50 to SC i; just estimate of average value is $4 per pound. To guard the company from loss every cigar maker on every Monday morn ing is supplied with about 40 tickets which represent about ,OO0 cigars. This is the average of one weeks labor for one man. The tickets serve the workman to pro cure wrappers, and at the end of the week his work must tally with the number of tickets issued to him. Filling being value- less without wrappers, no check is placed on them. 'tPicadura'-that fine tobacco which smokers pse to fill cigarette papers-is made from the cuttings of the wrappers and filings, chiefly from the cuttings of wrap pers. 'La Rosa Espanola" company pay during current year weekly average for labor alone of $12, ,OO0. Men most skilled in the business earn about $40 per week. Though to the casual smoker the packing of cigar says little yet to commaud the market and please the taste of the connoisseur much neatness and care have to be observed. The cigars are sorted as to bulk and color, then l.. | hold 50 or 100 cigars. Cheroots ares also made in this factory, which are simply cigars without heads or tails. Cheroots are packed l in tin-foil in small bundles of five each.