The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-06-06

IL.
nr,f stock of leaf tobacco. The capital
was accordingly reduced from =; 10000 to
ff 6HD 600. the full value of the shares was
dimished in like proportion and they
we're made fully paid up. Thus the
go share (of which 4l0 had
4 further liability for calls of f10. and
which. moreover, participated in the
losses of 81 IS and So was transformed
into an IS share fully paid up and freed
from all connection with the losses of the
first three years. Since that time the COM
pany's financial history has been that of
one with enormous profits 70 divide. On
all net profits a first call of per cent Is
made for the benefit Of the stockholders.
The promoters and founders get per cent
of the balance, 20 per cent. Is applied 10
paving of the E2l0.000 advance and the
other Is equally divided between the gov
eminent, the regie, and the holders OF
government bonds
THE FACTORY.
Being in control of all the tobacco traffic
of the Turkish empire it can well De under
stood that the manufacturing business OF
the regie Is q very extensive one. for
purposes of manufacture it has four large
and number of smaller factories distrio-
uted in different parts of the country ne
main factory is situated at Constanunopie
in the old quarter known as Stamooai.
This factory, within whose walls are car
ried on all the various processes, from the
manufacture of machinery itself down 10
the making of the boxes, is in all proba-
biIity one of the completest manufacturing
establishments in the world.
About 1 go persons are employed,
equally divided between the two sexes.
The tobacco after being unpacked Is care
fully sorted according 10 the locality OF its
production and the size OF the Leaf This
work is done by the most expert hands,
chiefly men of middle age. There are
about $50 men in this sorting room squat
ting in rows surrounded on aii sides by
heaps of tobacco, and, in q very few in-
stances. having young boys. presumably
apprentices, as their assistants. Inc men
seem TO be grave and solemn set, rather
unhealthy looking and fully impressed
with the serious nature OF their occupa-
ton.
After the tobacco has been sorted il goes
TO the cutting rooms. The finer grades are
cut by hand and the inferior by machines.
The method employed by the hand-cuttsr
is rather curious. Each workman Is pro-
vided with wooden mould about two feet
long. six inches deep and with an aperture
five inches broad. Into this he forces the
tobacco with his knee, and, pushing IL
with hand and knee to the mouth OF the
arerture. brings down the knife with his
free hand, producing an incredibly me
cutting. In the machine cutting room
about flfty machines are IN use. working
constantly BY steam power-a rather IN
usual form of power for Constanunople.
where manual labor is so inexpensive.
These machines are attended by men.
Three large rooms containing about 80
persons each are devoted TO the raanufac-
lure of cigarettes by hand. Here, IS else
where, the maker is paid by the thousand
produced and everything IS hurry, hustle
and activity. The papers, which have a.
ready been cut and stamped, are shaped
by being wound around q cylinder
stick; they are then parted and the to-
haeco is pushed with rarnner through
paper funnel into the rolled paper. The
entire process Is m many cases performed
by one person. but sometimes the process
OF rolling and FASTING Of the papers Is left
70 small boy, the more expert hand ex-
clusively forcing in the tobacco and clip
ping the ends. These men work with an
almost INDISPENSABLE activity and some
times succeed in turning out :. 800 pieces
per day.
one room is entirely filed with girls,
some of whom appeared TO Re no more
than years old, while the third room
contained beth male and females. In
still AZ 5sher room there are about dozen
very complicated machines which perform
all the operations necessary 20 the making
Of oompiste cigarette. They stamp the
papers, paste them. roll them into the
proper form, cut them the proper size, and
The tobacco Is then forced in through
funnel in exactly the same WAY as in the
handmade cigarettes These machines
are Of extremely delicate workmanship.
and show much mechanical ingenuity:
most Of them are imported from France;
the room. however, contains one machine
built under the supervision Of the conn
pSny here and now On trial ltappeSrs 70
De OF better construction and simpler in
its operation.
Still another room was devoted 70 the
packing OF smoking tobacco. A girl stands
5 enc end Of long counter st which about
dozen others are seated. She weighs out
the tobacco and put, il in = small iin boy
which - sent dying along groove 10 the
operators. They p1s the tobacco into = sort
OF funnel which Is placed into the skeleton
Of che package, tobacco Is then rAnned IN
shronSA funnel and the little package is
then closed up. pasted and : stamp put
around. Although the tobacco has been
weighed before being put into the pack
sges. one test Is not considered sufficient.
Every package IS again submitted 20 an
automatic Weighing machine. % most deli
cate construction. which IS so arranged
that the packages q exactly the proper
weight fall into 3 receptacle in the center.
these thss a-e too heavy 20 10 one side and
Bat the sesusl handling Of the tobacco
IS only PORTION 81 the work done in this
factory. Paper must be cut for the pack
ages 81 smoking tobacco, ami cardboard
boxes must be made for Cigarettes and
tobacco intended for home eoaSunptioy,.
Tin ho1eS for export must &c made,
and machines rs3St be repaired and even
manufactured. In fact this factory Is de-
pendent only Cpon the tobacco growers
fo- its raw material and upon Vienna
machine shop for IT'S three large steam
engines Sad Boilers: everything else that
: required IS Row being produced On It's
own premises
WORKING PEOPLE.
The employees are Of Sll nstionalisSes;
Turks, Greeks, Americans, Jews and Bal
gaEiaaS. Some q the girls seem 70 be
mere infants. not mere than SIX or seven
years 81 sge. In appearance they are 10.
sood looking, although here Sr3 there one
nigAt see = pair OF pretty eyes. aud now
and then pretty faee.
Wo-kia from early - the morning M
~ sunset the hours vary from about eight
in wiater "a quite ten daring the sumner
One hour = allowed for lunch. and for
overtime work GoGSls pay IS given. Near
lunch time vendors ok nuts, sweets 4 re-
clllar cream. the bread hoops which re-
GlSes cur p-eszelS or rolls. station them
selves N the coaTsS o. the building and
carry On y thriving trade.
As The gong strikes men, wc-nea and
children. h1elsei - every Conceivable Cos
same. crowd arc2nd and make their pur-
eASsss to- their MONDAY meal With The
gxcsTstoc Of the financial si2rSSsuent OF
she concern. al the work Is done and Sapsr-
y3SsG BY natives