The Delta independent., 1889-07-30
REVOLUTION IN CIGARS.
Important Facts Made Known to the
Smoking Public. ,.a,s,;x.
An Intervlew with MIR. TansIii; 0f n
W. Tansill e Co. -He Explains tho
Origin aud Development OF HIS Inn.
mense BusIness-Relates tIlo Causes
Of lAis Phenomenal success.

bcHNer lIOlOJ J"y
So many causes have beet, assigned
for the success OF the celebrated "Tan-
sill's Punch" cigar, that Republican
reporter, learning OF Mr.. Tansill's So
journ nt the Albany, called on him to
ascertain for the benefit Of smokers
true explanation OF these causes. Mr..
Tansill expressed readiness to com
municate on this subject, and the ro-
porter piled his questions.
"Have you any objection, Mr.. Tan
sill, to giving the rehlers Of the Repub-
lican an inside view of the success you
have attained in your business?"
"Well, no. I can't say that have"
was tho reply. "Since have no patent
on my methods OF conducting business
and no secrets to withhold from tho
public, nm perfectly willing to crafty
you to the extent of my ability. 70
commence with: After the great Chicago
fire of II, 1 became convinced that
there was n large mud increasing de-
mand, q tidal wave, MS it were, for a
first class five cent cigar. How to pro-
duce such cignr and to market it profit
ably was the problem to solve.
81 was young man Mt the time and
full of ambition. After carefully study
ing the condition OF the trade, I settled
upon plan to accomplish my object.
Bnt before 1 give it to you, let me ex-
plain the situation rs it existed ut that
time, Tho average retail dealer in
those days never thought it possible to
sell five-cent cigar Mt less than 100
per cent profit, while the average whole-
sale dealer or manufacturers made q
profit varying from $40 to Sl5 per 1,OO)
on that class of goods. Such tive-cent
cigars, of course, were made OF very in
ferior domestic stock.
"Now conceived tho idea that by re-
ducing both profits and slightly increas-
ing the price, aud Mt the same time max.
ing cigar that should contain tho
choicest Havana filler, aud then placing
it in the hands of prominent retail deal
ers all over tho United States, with an
exclusive control or agency for the same
for their towns or ncighborhoods, they,
through the superior quality OF tho
cigar, which Mt once commanded n
largely increased trade. could afford to
sell it ut reduced percentage OF profit.
In other words. first raised tho price OF
the goods to the retailer, and at the
same time / reduced my own profits
more than ono half. This difference en-.
nbled me to furnish IN Havana filed
cigar that could be rctailed for five
cents.
''rhen personally travelled over tho
United States and established my agen-
cies, relying chiefly on mail orders,
thereby dispensing with double drum
ming" and the jobbcr's profit, thus Of
fccting great saving. 1 charged moth
ing for my services and sold my goods
Mt less than onc-linlf the profit made by
my competitors. In taking this stop |
trusted solely to the intelligence OF tho
smoker and dealer for my recompense.
Punch cigar, like tho names of my
thousand imitators, Yuld have been
obsolete long ago"
"Has your faith in tho intelligence oi
the smoker and dealer been sustained?'
"Yes, far beyond my most sanguino
expectations. And ms the business has
grown from year to year, j have appro-
priated percentage of my profits for nd
vertising. might add in this conneo.
ton that liavo Just placed contracts
for advertising 'Tansill's Punch in
nearly 2. 900 daily aud weekly newspa.
pers, with combined annual circulation
OF over 900, ,00o,0 900 copies. From
this it can bc seen that my faith in the
merits OF my goods aud in my methods
of selling them is stronger than ever
before"
"Hns your plan OF doing business mel
with the approval OF the merchant"
my success emphatically answers
your question in the affirmative. Could
you but read onr correspondence. you
would then realize how our agency and
goods nre appreciated by both dealer
and smoker. As to the valuo OF our
agency, will give you mn illustration.
Nine years ago W. NJ. Dale, n Chicago
druggist, was trying to establish n
trade on n five-cent cigar. 70 accom-
plish this he was paying S3S per 1000
for his leading five.ccnt brand aud re.
failing but 200 OF them per week. I
gave Mr.. Dale the agency for 'ransill's q
Punch for his ncighborhood, and his
trade steadily increased from year to
year until 1t reached tho enormous
number OF $1,000 'Tansill's Punch per
month, while his aggregate sales, all nj
retail, mind yom. of that single brand
have largely exceeded 1900. 900 cigars.
] could cite You similar illustrations in
almost every part of the United States. II
"Tlien understand, Mr.. Tansill, that
Sour plan is TO sell first-class cignr II,
. small profit and rely upon the large
volume of your trade for tho rcsults?"
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