The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-05-02
TOBACCO ON THE TRACK.
SPECIAL TRAINS LEAVING RICHMOND
FOR THE NORTH, SOUTH.
AND WEST.
Active Effects OF the Reduced Tax on
the manufacturing and shipping
Interests OF this City.

VI N"h'N'Vi lAurStli, uUu III no ilttlt lHCOU-
venience to him and his corps, the stamps
were nearly all paid for, delivered, affixed,
and cancelled the night previous. Special
and regular trains leaving Richmond yes
terday bore to the North, South, and West
the first fruits (under the new order) OF the
Richmond manufactures.
Collector Russell was back ut his Dosf at
the usual hour yesterday morning. and a
Dispatch reporter talked to him while he
counted out stamps to fill supplemental re-
QUESTIONS, or stopped TO refer inquirers to
the proper clerk to attend to their special
tax or rebate wants.
THE BARE MARKET.
After twelve or fifteen years experience
In the intcrna-revenue department, said
Collector Russell. | have never seen so
much work and business so active. |
came here at O'Clock Monday morning
and did not go TO dinner, and did not get
away until O'Clock Yesterday morning
If had been grading wheat all that time
could have scarcely been more exhausted
than / am.
How was that?
Well, you see we were delayed in getting
the stamps. No doubt the department at
Washington did the best they could for us,
but we got the first portion only on last
Tuesday, and after That they came along in
driblctS. When they got here they had to
be signed and dated, and the number OF
pounds written in. The total amount OF
tobacco we handle here a year is
between fifteen and sixteen million pounds.
The market became bare waiting for the
reduced tax TO 90 into effect, and we had
for new stamps for 2,0C0,0)0
pounds Of tobacco, OF about onC-cighth Il
the years business.
A NIGHT SCENE AT THE CUsTOM-HOUSE.
We moved along pretty lively and an
ticipated all the work we could possibly.
Between 6 and : o'clock Monday night
the manufacturers commenced crowdingin
for their stamps. They had the tobacco
waiting: thev had the hands waiting TO
affix the stamps; they had the trains wait
inc TO take the tobacco of. All they want
ed was the stamps. / gave the manufactu-
rcrs the use of my back room, and told
them, while had TO right 10 commence
delivering stamps until after midnight, they
could sit down there and date and coun-
tersign the stamps (Which is part OF the
required by law, and save that
much fine. You ought 10 have seen them
at work. They went at itwith energy and
vim. each man stimulated by the desire to
lie even with il not ahead OF his neighbor
i'm putting his tobacco upon the market.
ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS.
Mr.. Russell, what firm got the largest
amount Of stamps?
am not At liberty to say to-day replied
Mr.. Russell, but will tell you the names
Of the tlye largest
p. ii. Mayo d Brother,
l.. Lottier,
Cullingworth & Ellison,
I. c. Williams, and -
The ]. B. Pace Manufacturing Company.
IThe information was not given whether
or no the names were uttered III the order
Of largest purchases. go, am
These bought stamps for over l,O0O,0O0
mounds of tobacco (over SS0,OOO.) Allen d
Ginter bought for millions OF cigart ties
and for a good lot of smoking-tobacco also.
The total sales have run up 10 between
S150. 900 and 100000. and would nave
been little larger but for the fact tbat we
ran short in stamps in some denominations
in one case a manufacturer, rather IMAM lose
time waiting for the stamps which lie
wanted 70 come from Washington. used
stamps on packages that re.
ouired only hali-pound stamps. we lcli
short three hundred thousand stamps OF
meeting the demand of smoking-toDacco
We have issued stamps
for about
100000 pounds tobacco,
4OO0.OO0 cigarettes, anu
100000 cigars,
The tax on tobacco is cents now where
if used to be 1G; on cigars, SO per lhousahd
where if used TO be 80, and on cigarettes
IN cents pcr thousand where it was pre-
yiouslv 81. 10. As to the number oi stamps
we issued. it was about 4,00O.OOO.
THE OUTLOOK GOOD.
Mr.. Russell said (and several manuiac-
turers conyersed with later conceded III
his opHion) that the prospect ahead Is Ner!
fine. The demand for Virginia tobacco l.
increasing, and our manufacturers are
showing extraordinary enterprise. rms
wear. in all probability, we will make from
/ NO TO three million pounds more than
formerly: we are now gaining ground Ill
Richmond for the manufacture OF tobacco.
How are we gaining ground!
We'll. there is more tobacco manufactured
in Richmond. More manufactures are
starting UP. and they are in very energetic
hands: and we must not lose sight OF the
fact that Virginia is the leading manufac-
turjne, tobacco State. As recol!ect, sad
Mr.. Russell, the figures are:
Pounds.
virginia. ~
New jersey. 'coN
Ht;sso,,rf ......................
North Carolina.
The branch that shows the greatest in
crease here Is cigarettes; while In some
other districts il has decreased. here it has
increased one hundred per cent. per an
nun.
RICHMOND AHEAD OF ALL.
NJ. Russell said that this is the largest
bacco-manuiacturing State in the Union,
and this RichmonD district is the largest
hacco-manuiacturing district in the state.
In other words, Richmond is ahead OF
all. saving which we know we shall gratify
orr numerous friends editing rural pa
ncrs\ who have recently reproached us for
falling TO brag about Richmond as she de-
serves.
Yes, Richmond is ahead OF all, but not
near so far ahead as she will be May |, 1894.
THE TOBACCO MOVING.
After the manufacturers got their stamps
they retired from the custom-house to their
factories, which were bright with gaslights,
and where picked men OF their forces inn
patiently awaited them.
The boxes OF tobacco were piled head
high. with narrow aisles between them.
Men passed down these aisIes and pasted
ON the stamps. Other men came after them
and cancelled the stamps with mallet and
die. Then the varnishers followed and
vanished the stamps. After little time
left for drying the merry song OF the
darkies-" one more gone WAS heard
breaking upon the stiffness OF the early
morning as they loaded the wagons for the
dep0ts and boats.
M s,,,a accommodating sDirit that had