Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1890-02-13
KEY WEST CIGARS.

A visit to the cigar factories Of Key
West would repay any tourist The
finest leaf from Northwestern Cuba,
from the Vuelta Abajo, Partidas and
Vuelta Arriba is brought to our shores,
where, under the same climate inf1u-
ences, it is rolled into cigar shape.
While novice can roll cigar that will
smoke, considerable practice is neces-
sary to become expert enough to earn
SIS or $35 per week, because workmen
are paid according to the number OF ci-
CARS rolled. The operator rolls to-
gether sufficient quantity OF ma
terial to form the filing of one
cigar. Experience enables him to
select leaves of uniform grade. This
filling may also be made by machinery,
but the best Havana brands are always
rolled by hand. The filler is then wrapped
in the inner cover, which is an oblong
piece Of leaf, then rolled to bring 1t into
proper shape, and then rolled in the
outer cover or wrapper, which is so
shaped as to inclose the whole in
cover, beginning at the thick end and
running down to the fine point, where it
is dexterously finished by twisting to
q point between the fingers. II The cigar
or the process is hurried by artificial
heat.
The finest brand Of Havana cigars is
''regalias." The former are made of the
leaf when half dried, and no water is
used, but the latter, or regalias. made
from the dampened, dried Leaf, are in
no way superior to the Key West
cigar made from the same leaf.
While the word ''legitima" brands
. Havana cigar as made in that city
and Of Cuban tobacco, the brand "Key
West cigar" does not mean that the
cigar was manufactured in Key West,
because Tampa and Jacksonville, being
in the same internal revenue district,
are taking advantage Of that fact by
turning out 'Key West cigars, and it
is for this reason that Key West wishes
to have its own separate district for the
better protection of its brands Of cigars.
Tampa and Jacksonville have not the
game climate as Key West and Cuba.
and putting the cigars OF those two
cities on the market as Of '.Key West"
make Injuries that brand Just as much as
the California wines made in Chicago
injure the reputation Of tho genuine
brands from the Pacific slope.
While it is all hustle and work at Key
West during the day, after working
hours 1t is singularly quiet town. The
mild, soft evenings permit families to
sit in the open air. and in strolling
through the streets at night the lighted
ends Of cigars and cigarettes are so thick
in front of the houses as to remind one
of frefies. The little darkies and the
children of the poorer classes of Cubans
play together on footing Of social
equality.
On one occasion saw an amateur min
strel performance by fifteen or twenty
little fellows not more than thirteen
JeNES old. For initiative skill had
never Aeen any thing superior to
the little Cubans when mimicking
their negro associates. Jokes were
cracked between tho lend men,"
tambourine and bones were there,
and the soft, mellow little VOICES
singing Southern melodies made as ?
whole an entertainment worthy OF Q
higher stage. I had seen Chrfsty's,
Kelly & Icons, Dan Bryant's, the San
Francisco and Dockstader's minstrels,
but none of them had the natural charm
ct kbRt Cuban-darky troupe at Kew
West. Bright and early on the follow
ing morning these MtHstrels could be
seen working at the cigar tables with
faces so solemn as to preclude the idAa
of any sense Of humor in their compost
ton. The characteristics and tastes OF
different nations as smokers are as we'll
known to the Key West manufacturer
~ 70 the retailer. For the English mar
kes . hsATF. strong, richly-fiavoredc cigar
is the Asyafi6e, while for the continent
q mild, quica1-&apzEAFe S9e must be made.
The URited States consnWss every kind
Of cigars. light and dark, large Ap5
smail--N. z, Times.