The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-05-02
MONDAY MORNING, MAY 9.
Cigarettes.
How They Came into Use, and the Diff
ferent Varieties

y. Y. Times
Of the millions of Americans who soothe
their nerves and drive away care with the
fragrant cigarette, few, perhaps, know just
where the cigarette came from and how it was
introduced into this country. 1t is in great
demand among young collegians, and it is ap-
proprate that this should be the case, for it
was through young American students that
the cigarette first reached these shores.
Where it first flourished would be difficult to
say. Some say in Spain, some in Turkey, and
there are those who insist that tobacco was in
use among the Chinese long before the Amer
cans knew anything about it. The cigarette
first came into general use, however, in Spain.
The Spaniard Of three-quarters of a fury
ago carried his tobacco pouch and his
cigarette papers, and rolled himself tiny
ctgdrro whenever the spirit moved. Young
Spaniards went from their own sleepy country
to the renowned universities of Paris to be
educated; aud carried their cigarette papers
with them. The French students soon caught
the infection, and cigarette soon be-
came general among students in Paris
About 1850 it was thought the proper thing
for wealthy American to send his sons to Paris
to put the finishing touches upon their educa-
ton. They, too, learned to ircase a pinch of
tobacco in film of paper and turn it into
smoke. When they returned to America they
brought cigarette papers with them, and used
them, much to the astonishment of their
friends. For some years after this, until about
1856, . cigarette-smoker was an unusual sight.
Each smoker had to roll his own, and it was
not everybody could roll them. There was a
knack about it, delicate twist of the thumbs
and fingers. that required some practice. 1t
took so much time and trouble to make these
cigarettes, the wonder is that among busy
Americans the practice did not die out But
1t lived and grew. A few years further on
the Spaniards in Cuba made an improvement
by putting up packages of ready-prepared CT.
garettes requiring only the final roll. They
were brought over to America, and they soon
took the place of the old papers and pouches
They were more convenient, and were made
of fine tobacco. For twenty years those of us
who smoked cigarettes at all smoked these Gu.
bans. Then Yankee ingenuity stepped in.
The Cuban cigarette is about thimbleful of
graduated tobacco loosely rolled in piece oil
paper almost as thick as that on which this
newspaper is printed. The ends of the paper
are tucked in and the cigarettes are done uE
in bundles. When one is to be smoked the
smoker must smooth out the folds and rerol
the cigarette, for it is not prepared for smok
ing when it leaves the factory. Then, when
he has rolled it, the smoker must keep it con.
tinually between his thumb and finger, or i,
will come apart, for it is not fastened This
rerolling. and holding was too tedious pro
cess for lively Americans, and the distinctive
American cigarette was invented. Its pecu
liatity was as it still is that when it leaves the
hands Of the manufacturer it is ready to b.
smoked. 1t requires no more rolling. The
tobacco in it is as solid as cigar, and the
edges OF the paper are fastened together with
an infinitesimal touch of paste. 1t struck tn,
public in minute, this new form of cigar
cite. Being made by machinery, more tobacco
could be pressed into it than was contained IL
the Cuban handmade cigarette, and, above
all. it required no labor when the smoker was
ready for a puff.
1t was perfection in the style of man ufact
ure, and it soon had many admirers. 1t ex
celled the Cuban cigarette in everything but
quality. Ten or fifteen years ago half dozen
hrms were making cigarettes in a small way
In this country, and one firm made them in
quantities They were made of the we'll
known Perique tobacco, from Louisiana, and
were strong enough to kill at 40 yards. The
tobacco was as black as ink and the wrapper
much larger and heavier than was necessary
They were neatly done up in tin-foi packages
and soon made friends. Such was theil
strength and such their soothing propertie.
that it was commonly believed they contained
small quantities of opium. This was not the
case Perique tobacco is strong enough in
itself without any adulteration,i and no man
ufacturer is likely to adulterate cheap tobacco
with expensive opium. With these first O.
the American cigarettes came in the custom o.
giving each peculiar brand its own name, Sc
now we have some hundreds of brands, each
made of different tobacco or different com
binations. This strong old cigarette, the pic
neer OF American brands, is still in use, and
from this the cigarettes 60 down through al
the stages OF strength till they reach a brand
made by firm in Richmond, SO mild bah,
might smoke package of them without scent
ing its breath.