New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-03-30
CUBAN CIG4RWAKERS.

HABITS OF THESE wORKMEN IN NEw-YoRk-TiElk
READER AND THEIR PERQUIsITEs.
II is an accepted fact in the cigar trade that
nobody but Cubans make Havana cigars, and as
consequences the twelve fifteen hundred Cuban cigar
makers in tns city better paid and cared Tor than
any other workngmen They have trade union OF their
own FL Gremo de Tabacquerro, which all powerful In
the matter of privileges and pay aud through It's connec
ton with similar organizations in Havana and Key West
the principal points which Havana cigars made
can ectuay control the supply Of labor and prevent tho
overstoekng Of the market
It's poor week la which AN average cigarnaker can
not earn 500 and particularly fast workmen on the
higher grades OF cigars will frequently make $50 or
more The workingroom of Of the large Cuban cigar
factories is one of the most curious places In the city
about $50 d. rk-faccd men, each with cigar In his
mouth, busily engaged in manipulating the tobacco.
On high stool the centre OF the room is perched
man with pile of papers by his side who Is reading IN
Spanish in a voice sufficiently loud to be heard by every
workman in the room the Of the day The Spanish
papers In this city, as well the principal Journals OF
Havana are read thoroughly Then the NewYork daily
papers are taken up translated and read The reader IL
employed by the firm, and in his way is one of the most
important in the factory The Cuban workmen have
particularly active minds which must be kept occupied
II IL were not for the reader they would talk among
themselves and It is peculiarly OF the Cuban that he
work and talk at the same time. as ii is absolutely
necessary for him 10 gesticulate when talking Their
work is entirely mechanical and hence the employment
OF the reader to prevent them from talking
The Cuban cigarmnker Is constant smoker ana II 10
only nj long intervals that he ia found without cigar or
cigarette his mouth Among his most cherished prVi
leges that of making up many "smokers az he can
use expert in Tobacco and dainty in his tastes
and will use only the finest Vuelta AbajO for his
smokers" Consequently the item OF smokers for the
forms very important element IN the calculations
of prices of the cigars and the profits OF the aufac
turers. An effort made some time ago To limit the
number of smokers The Objected. but AFTER while
apparently submitted The manufacturer who tried the
EXPERIMENT discovered that there were mysterious
dappearances OF tobacco and concluded 10 go back to
the old custom The seldom abuse the liberty given
them ia the of "smOkers and In the Isolated
cases where they have done 80 have been promptly and
severely disciplined by the union.
The Cuban cigarmaker is clanDsh In his habits ana
refuses TO have anything do with other cgarfnakcrs
He prefers fight his battles alone The great centre OF
The Havana cigar industry in this city Is about Maiden
lane and Pearl-st In the neghb lrhood are situated
number Of restaurants which make specially OF prepar-
ing food after the Spanish and Cuban methods ana Ia
these places the dinner hour and after the days WORK
Is the wOrkmen assemble and feast ON their favorto
dishes rcdoent Of garlic and make merry with the strong
Catalonian wne which is generallyfurnished