, 1886-01-09
\ DIsrlncrLY AMgaIcAn paAcrlog

Facts sod FiFuas P-rtainieE 10 Grm
Chswing-Ald to Thought
Every city OF any consequence in the
United States nc has at least one fac
tory devoted 10 Il o interests OF chewing
gum. The balsain OF tolu in It's raw
state Is = soft. transparent substance ct
n yello wish brown co or, soft enough 10
be impressiLle with the fingers, but not
yiscid on the surface. II gradually
hardens, according TO the length OF time
1t is kept. but can at any time DO soft
sned ~ the hand. 1t has a very agree
able olor. suggestive OF benzine or
vanilla. The balsam Is exr orted from
Ncx Granada in cylindrical tins, hold
ing about ten pounds each, and is used
solely for the manufacture OF what are
known as tolu gums. ether brands are
para ne. and spruce, and rubber gums,
but retailers OF the article appealed to
for information on the subject by tho
reporter in, estigating it said tolu brands
were the most popular, which was
owing possibly TO superiority OF taste at
the Lrst crunch.
A member OF a city firm engaged ex-
clusively in the manufacture Of the
stuf that keeps 30 many young women
iusy who would without 1t have moth
ing to occupy their minds, asserted that
the increase in the sale OF ii year by
year WAS absol tely astounding. Our
trade is principally with the south and
east, " he said; the people there have
had more time to familiarile themselves
with the practice, but am glad TO be
able to state that the west Is gradually
getting educated to it. The demand in
this city from dealers is rapidly on the
Increase. Now, for instance, last year
we sent out from the Office 1889 cases,
each containing l44 boxes, the latter
each holding twelve small packages, or
seventy-two cakes. Three years ago we
would have thought 1900 cases a big
business, but from the rate orders are
coming in now this year will show a
still further substantial increase over
last.
The merchants statement affords food
for some figuring thus: 1859 cases
each containing la boxes would give a
total of Up5, S0s boxes. The boxes each
holding seyenty-two cases would make
tho total number OF slabs of the com
pound produced by this firm alone con
sumed last year 50,0Js, 10, and which,
on the assumption that each cake was
consumed by one person, would have
temporarily set lou, 1875, 351 avs in mo
ton
Gum chewing Is a distinctly Ameri-
can practice, " quoth the proprietor of
an establishment that dispenses n score
OF boxes amongst daily, and
one that takes y tighter grip of a woman
who commences it than aver did mok-
ing or chewing OF a man. There are
rnun0 Untnan uhO nA@a n ~ ofNra
every day and take away a box of the
possibly imagine, unless they give it
away to their friends. To consume all
that they purchase they would have to
keep at 1t without let-up day or night.
But IL they don't mind it | don t.. "
A Twenty-sixth street young IN
whose immaculate worries never by any
chance meet except through a slab of
gum, and who keeps a generous supply
told the reporter that devotion Ia the
habit was conducive to an interesting
train OF thought, and served on all occa-
sions to whet the wits. 1t SO much
easier TO think when one is lusy with
something that takes so little trou lie
as chewing does" she twittered be-
e~cth uSi Shhupss IL 1 maven 4 du1
gum | feel wretched and can't pin my
mind to anything. and | get the blues
horribly. hhen | have got some am
comfortable again and feel easy in my
mind. NO, | don keep it In my mouth
when | 90 to bed; | take 1t out and put
it in a safe place where | can nd it the
first thing when / awake. once, now I
come to think Of il, when / chewed
until ] was seven parts asleep, let the
gum drop on my right eyebrow and
didn t know 1t, and | had a fearful time
getting It oil. Part OF the eyebrow
came of with it, as you may see in
dicatirg a barely p%erceptible inclination
to badness in a certain spot Of what
would otherwise lie a very presentable
set OF eye-mountings-''but that was
the only inconvenience I ever suffered
from gum. would as o think of
going without my shoes as without it
nowl'-Chicago Tribune.