The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-03-21
Especial telegram 70 the Dispatch
WASHINGTON. March 30, 1SS
WASHINGTON COUNTY.
She Tobacco Interest Manufacturing Ac-
tivity IN kbingdon-Lumber.
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She Tobacco Interest Manufacturing Ae-
tivfty IN Abingdon Lumber.
ICorrespondepce of the Richmond Dispatch.I
AsrRaDoY, Va, March IS, 1884.
Washington county Is fast becoming one
Of the leading tobacco-growing counties IN
Virginia. The crop this year alone will be
worth from S2j0,000 to 100000. Much
the larger portion of the crop is sold at
Abing don-the reminder at GOodson. /
am informed that there has not been sin
gle crop sold in any market out OF the
county this year. Five years ago one firm
commenced manufacturing toba4;O at
Abingdon on q small scale, and have in
creased their business ever since, and are
now manufacturing over 100000 pounds
annually. Two years afterwards TO-
bacco company built an immense brick
factory. In 1880 another firm built a
large warehouse. The following year
still another large warehouse was erect
ed, and so on, until now there are over
three million pounds OF tobacco man
ufacfured here annually. There are also
large number OF leaf-dealers here, thereby
furnishing market for an indefinite
amount OF leaf tobacco. In some sections
Of this county, where the farmers could
formerly scarcely make O comfortable Nv
ing, they are now growing rich raising to-
bacco. One Of our citizens sold this year
his crop OF 10,604 pounds on the warehouse
floor at an average OF twenty-seyen cents
pcr pound; and another sold on the same
1oor his crop, grown on one and three
quarter acres. for 1904. And these are
only two OF many who have done equally
as we'll Many crops were sold at an aver
age of from twenty-five TO thirty.Gye cents
per pound.
These factories work from 400 TO 450
hands. The sale OF stamps on tobacco
manufactured in Abingdon alone amount
cd in 1883 TO $66,S33, and the deputy co..
iector and stamp-agent for this place in
forms me that the internal-revenue collec-
tons for this point will amount to 100000
this year. So rapidly has the tobacco in
terest increased that the Government has
established stamp-otllces here for the con-
venience OF the people. There is also a
large cigar. factory here, and the boxes for
the cigars and tobacco are manufactured IN
this town.
Besides the tobacco interests there are
others which have recently sprung up, and
add much TO the business OF this lively
town-namely, two large planing-mills,
sasll-and-blind factories, steam-mill for
making brick with capacity $4,000 brick
DER day and which Is kept constantly run
ming during seasonable weatber), and a
woollen factory, which furnishes market
for large amount Of the wool grown in
this section. Another woollen factory, sit
uated in the county, also does large bu-
siness.
The lumber business done here Is very
heavy. there being six lumber-firms. with
not less than S400, 900 invested in the bust
ness
The two large banks situated here do 4
tine banking business. They represent a
psid-up capital OF 100000.
There are twenty-eight stores in the va
rious lines OF trade in the town, and they
all seem to be prosperous.
There has been this last season shipped
from the Abingdon depot one million
pounds OF dried fruit besides large num-
Der OF cattle, hogs, sheep, DC.
Most on the industries spoken Of have
sprung up within the hast few years many
Of them within the last year-and this sec
tion Is fast becoming manufacturing CEN
tire. The people are unanimous for the
abolition OF the interRal-rcvenue system
and for SO adjusting the tariff as TO do the
greatest good 10 the greatest number.
BEATTIg.