The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1882-06-22


A manufacturer of playing cards in
this city, says the N. Y. World, was asked
where the most of the cards were made
and what becomes of them. He said: II
have often wondered, when thinking of
the vast number of packs of cards manu-
featured in all parts of the world, and
what becomes of them all, just as the
old woman was at loss to know what
became of all the pins. Russia has a
population, believe, of about 80, OOO,-
600, and they make the best playing
cards in st. Petersburg Of any place in
Europe. Besides, the authorized manu-
factory there by the government is the
only one In that vast empire. It is o
government institution, Just the same as
the mint or the United States bank
treasury is government institution
here. It is licensed by the government,
protected by the government, and the
net profits go to the support of found
ling asylum. The same system prevails
in Mexico. In France and Germany the
manufacturers are licensed, but the bust
ness is not 80 much of monopoly there
as it is in Russia.
"How is it in this country in this re-
spect?"
"The only restriction that exists in
this country is the imposition of q reve-
nue. tax of five cents per pack, and this
tax has to be paid on all grades Of cards,
regardless of their value"
"What is the extent of the manufac-
ture of cards in this country?"
Probably about 100000 packs q
year. OF that number I supply fully
2,500, 900 packs. employ 100 persons
and manufacture my own paper. The
only rival of any importance in this coun-
try is the United Gard Company. In my
day have seen as many as twenty con-
Germs started, but they have all passed
out of existence after brief time. The
great secret of the successful manufac-
ture of playing cards is in the manufac-
ture and preparation of the paper SO as
to secure the required elasticity, and the
cutting and finishing of the cards so that
they can be shuffied and dealt. Here is
pack manufactured in Chicago, which
some one brought in here as samples.
They are made of pasteboard and cut
with die. The consequence is that
they are not of uniform size, and the
edges on one side are pressed down and
left jagged, so that it is impossible to
shuttle and deal them. The best cards
are made two-ply-that is, OF two sheets
of paper pasted together. The inferior
grades are three-ply. The prices range
from $1.50 to $12 per dozen packs, while
forty years ago the range was from fifty
cents to SO per dozen. The improve
ment has been constant and steady, SO
that the third grade of cards now are as
good as the best we're thirty years ago.
The best goods are handled thirty times
after the paper is made before they
a; . completed and ready for market. As
to the demand, 1 do not suppose there
are any more cards made now than there
we're thirty years ago. But one pack
now will last as long as . dozen would
that were made then. Up to twenty
years ago we used hand-presses, printed
less than a pack at time, and had as
many impressions as there were colors
on the cards.
"How about the manufacture of
marked cards, such as gamblers some
times use?"
"Those cards are generally marked by
the gamblers themselves. Sometimes
they make them by cutting up cards and
FASTING them together in some peculiar
way. No reputable card manufacturer
will manufacture marked cards or have
anything TO do with them. The gamblers
who use marked cards used to resort to
the dodge of getting the regular manu-
facturers to print the face of the cards,
leaving the backs white, and they would
get the backs prints1 and marked
somewhere else. Now, no reputable
manufacturer will do that even. have
not printed q white-back card for any,
body in twenty years. There are, though,
1 believe, one or two places in New York
where they are manufactured to order
for gamblers"
Are there any illuminated cards
manufactured in this country?"
None whatever. They are purely q
French invention and are manufactured