The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-07-19
FACTS ABOUT CIGARS,
Prices Of the Better Grades Will
Go Up Under McKinley's
Bill.
It Is Proposed to Increase the
Duty on the Sumatra
Product.
A Hartford Dealer Discourses on Filters,
Binders, Wrappers, and the Con-
sumption of Cigars.

IF the duty on Sumatra tobacco is in
creased, as is proposed by the act now be-
fore congress, it will have tendency to IN
crease the price of cigars in which that to-
bacco is used.'
The above reply was made to Post re-
porter only few days since by one OF the
largest manufacturers and dealers in cigars
in this city, in response to question as to
what the probable effect would be if the
duty on Sumatra tobacco were increased.
He continued: "You can easily see the
force of my statement when you under
stand that at the present time we have to
pay $2.5O pound for the best Sumatra to-
bacco used for wrappers for the best grade
of cigars. The latest sales of Sumatra in
Amsterdam-3O,O 900 bales-brought SLIGO a
pound, and it was all taken by American
buyers. These goods will cost, laid down
in New York, from $3.50 to $3.50 pound.
The dealers in New York must, of course,
get their profit, which brings the price up
to what say. If the duty is increased the
only thing that remains for us to do is to
either increase the price of our manufac-
tured goods or reduce them i'll size. When
we have to do that the result will probably
be decreased sale of the higher priced
cigars, or people VIII w. Winning w again
smoke cigars wrapped in tobacco raised in
this country"
s'How does the price Of American tobacco
compare with that of Sumatra!"
"We can buy tobacco raised in this couC
try, Havana seed, considerable of which Y.
cigars, for 4Oc pound. The seconds of
this tobacco command a higher price in
market to-day than they ever did BEFORE
"Why is it that smokers do not like this
tobacco as we'll as they do the Sumatra?''
II suppose that one reason is that the
taste or fancy just now is for hght-col-
ored cigar, and as great portion of our
best tobacco runs to dark shade it does
not suit the eye"
s.Then great many smokers please the
eve rather than the taste when they buy
cigar?"
lis there anything in particular about
Sumatra tobacco that makes it more desir-
able than the home product?'
''There is one thing and it is very i'm
portant thing with cigar manufacturers. It
is that the leaf of Sumatra is more velvety
from few pounds of it than from four
times the quantity of the best American to-
bacco, and this without the necessity OF
stemming.'
.What do you use mostly for binders?''
american tobacco in the best grades,
i
the latter ranging from zoe. to $1.30 a
pound"
sWhat kinds of tobacco are the cheap
grades Of cigars made from2"
.sGenerally the filler is of PENNSYLVANIA,
the binder Of Connecticut or Wisconsin and
the wrapper of Sumatra. This grade of
cigars sells for from $50 to 1856 per 1000
while the better grades bring from $6l
to $s6. .~aon, .hon,a uon +h;n,
were employed in this branch of business il
this CITY p
..As near as can judge I should say
about lOO.''
innate Of the number Of cigars sold in thi,
city in year ?''
cigars as we'll. about 10, 600, 0OO with a value
OF between $3.50, 600 and 100000. There ar.
moro imported cigars sold here than il
generally supposed, the number to the best
600. Il ID not every one who knows how tt
handle these cigars. They should b,
always kept damp to get the full flavor
Many people in the large cities who handl,
them in quantities keep them in refrigera-
tors and serve them from these cool, mois
reoeptacles when wanted. But then we d,
not get many of the finest Havana
cigars here. The leaf of the Vuelta Aba i
district is the most valuable raised on tn
Island of Cuba. The fine Vuelta cigars hay
much larger sale in Europe than they hav
in this country, only about 30 per cent com
inc here, Some special sizes sent to Russi
!. command price of x1.OOO per 1000 in Ha
yana. If these cigars were shipped to thi
country thsy would retail at the enormou
price Of 1926 or $3.50 apiece. The yer
best tobacco raised in Havana rarely,