Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1891-01-28
THE TOBACCO SITUATION.
Some Mysterious Movements, Changes
and Disappointments.

Some six weeks ago, when Clargs-
vile was suffering from a shock of
the financial stringency and several
large tobacco houses and two banks
had to go to the wall in the furry,
and the whole country was wild with
alarm oyer the misfortune-and nat.
urally so, because farmers realize that
when GAINESVILLE gets hurt tinan-
cially, they, too, must suffer-our
little rival across the line was rejoic-
ing frantically and proclaiming itself
the great solvent market of the
country and was going to take it all
in. Just then Nashville, known in
Europe as a town up the Cumberland
under the shadow of GAINESVILLE,
skinned her tobacco eye and COM
menced looking over the vast terri
tory, laying claim to all that could
be seen or heard of. She cleaned out
her pig pens and COW barns, applying
the lime brush extravagantly and
proclaimed herself as the great con.
sentative tobacco centre with money
enough to single over the whole to-
baccO section, and especially would
she take care Of the Upper Cum
Standardization, Montgomery,
Chatham, Dickson and the West
Tennessee counties, and some halt
dozen Kentucky counties.
But things have changed. Clarks-
vile, the old reliable, after dividing
out million among the farmers, in
a furry, is on her feet again with
more money than all of them paying
the highest prices and farmers climb
over each others shoulders each try
ing TO get in first.
Nashville is forced to fall back or
her main stay, the Upper Cum5pr-
land, where there is scarcely enough
tobacco this year to justify the open
ing of warehouse. The crop in
Chatham, Dickson and the West
Tennt ssee counties, is very light,
but it will all come to Clarks-
vile. Robertson has a fine
crop, about one third Of which has
been bought by the Reggie dealers
and the balance will come to Clarks
vile. The Reggie contractors have
cleaned up all around Hopkinsville
except a little inside Of the corpora
ton and the boys are sitting W
every night watching that.
GAINESVILLE receipts will be greatly
reduced /; probably will not exceed
$4,000 or 10000 hogsheads, AS was
intimated by the LEAF-CHRONICLE
some days ago, there is mysterious
movement on foot in the dark tObac.
co section, the outcome of which can.
not be clearly predicted, as it is all q
dead secret, and the buyers are af.
flicted with lockJaw. 1t is fact
however, that a strong syndicate is
operating in the dark district, trying
to make corner on the crop. This
syndicate is doub less headed by Mr.
Reusens, of New York, the Reggie
contractor. Orders are out for fifteen
or twenty millions of pounds. The
policy is to buy it directly from the
planters, and some dozen houses have
been opened in different parts Of the
district where the best tob tCco is
grown. These houses have already
bought ten millions at five to six
cents. The other fellows are now
entering the ring and are pushing W
the prices. If Mr.. Reusens succeeds
in getting what he wants he will
then be in position to dictate his own
terms to the Reggie countries. II
some other fellow should step in with
lower bid for Reggie, then Mr., r. u.
sens will be in a position to squeeze
by putting up the prices on the board
crushing the other fellow and force
the Regies to take his bid anyhow
These are funny times and no one
can tell what is going to happen. A
large planting will enable the syndi
cate to succeed and make prices very
low next summer. A small planting
will bring in the German, Austrian
and home buyers and make prices
very high. In any event
good wrappers and fine stemming to,
bacco will ssll high next summer.
Black wrappers are now worth from
Is to % cents in Virginia. These
qualities and good stemming leaf are
said to be very scarce in the Old Do.
minion. 1t is understood that a
Richmond firm now has buyers in
Christian county with unlimited or
ders for good steuming leaf and
wrappers, which are being packed
loose and shipped to Richmond to
fill large orders for strips and wrap,
pers. a small planting and fine to-
baceo this year will bring the farmers
cut on top.
have on hand a large stock of all
wool ladies, gents and chi,dren's
underwear at low prices.
1870. b. FRIEDMAN.
-s
Denth of MIS-. prockman.