The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-03-15

HiBA9 Will q iull mousse. The commit
tee on the tobacco question made full
report as follows:
To the President and members of the
Commercial Association of Roanoke:
GENTLEMEN: We. your committee, af.
ter close inquiry OF persons CON
versant with the subject under discus
sion, and after careful Interchange of
opinions as to the relative merits of the
many plans proposed for opening a to-
bacco market in our city, respectfully
submit the following report:
We would suggest that Joint stock
company. with capital of SlO0, 900. be
organized at once, S65, 900 of which
shall be paid in by August lst, and the
remainder to be called for by the ,ard
OF directors during the year 1893, If the
said board of directors shall find it
necessary for the success Of the com.
pany; that $4,000 shall DO expended in
the building and fixtures, and that
$4,000 shall be for working capital
We would further suggest that, as soon
as the capital stock for tho factory is
obtained, an effort be made to open
warehouse for the sale of leaf tobacco.
Tho license tax on dealers in leaf has
been removed, and warehouse in our
city would irduce many individuals to
open other factories
In defense of these suggestions. wo
would say:
First. That we have made the cant
tai stock large figure in order that the
company might manufacture 500 600
pounds of tobacco each year, which
largo amount of output would have
several good results, namely:
1t would place us at once in tho front
rank as one of tho largest manufac.
turers and at the samo time overcome
the rapidly growing prejudice among
lobbers from buying from small manu-.
1acturerS, from that reason as soon as q
lobber has worked up q large trade on
any particular brand the capacity of the
small manufacturer is not sufficient to
supply tho demand.
Our large capital would enable us
also to employ 300 laborors, ma ;ority
of whom would be women and children.
End. That this company be organized
at once in order that work may be com
mehced on the factory rs soon as posi-
Die, the order placed for the machinery,
ana orders placed at once with BUYERS of
loaf tabaoDo in the neigh boring markets
for stock of leaf to get tho benefit of
spring prices, aftor that period the
bulk OF the tobacco has passed from tho
hands of tho farmer to that of the
speculator and consequently will ncccs-
state our paying larger price than
was paid by our competitors.
Bird. At this time there are sold in
our city annually five hundred thousand
pounds 100000 lbs) of manufactured
tobacco by tho wholesale trade. and
some of the houses carry as much as
$1,000 worth at one time. If these
]obbers in our city could be induced to
take stock in this company. it would be
passing strange, if they refused to bny
inc output OF our company, our prices
and terms being equal with others, and
at the same time our jobbers would no,
he forced to carry this largo stock of
manufactured tobacco, as they could
have their orders filled directly from
the factory.
Gentlemen from other cities, who have
had years of experience in tobacco,
assure us that factory located here
should be success provided our stock
was properly worked and our business
conducted by experienced men.
1t is our opinion that this factory will
be the nucleus around which other fac
tories Will gather, started both by pri-
vate firms and othe joint stock com
panles; warehouses for the sale of leaf
tobacco will be opened and the farmers,
with their wagons loaded with tho
weed Will como to our city and gladden.
the hearts of our merchants by their
purchases OF all classes OF goods, and in
this way our city will reap tho bene fit
OF both agriculture and manufacture.
Respectfully submitted,
w. K. ANDREWS,
e. G. lIOGE,
Il. l.. REYNOLDS,
Il. a. RIvEs,
r. FIsHBURNE,
r. j. PHELPS,
Committee.
The report was then eXhaustively
discussed President Pechin stated
that with the report tho function of the
Association in the matter had largely
ceased The matter was placed in the
hands Of the committee to which Jas.
5. Simmons was added, with power to
increase to whatever number thew
wished.
Mr.. Reynolds said that two acres of
ground north of the city could be had
at low rate OF figure part cash and part
stock. Mr.. Gilpin went him one better
by stating that, though no spoke with
out authority, tho Roanoke Develop.
ment Company would follow in the line
OF Its policy by donating site for a
tobacco factory on the belt line which
would soon be connected with the Roa-
noke and Southern.
Pesident Pechin said he hoped other
land companies would come forward
and make even more liberal PROPOSE.
tions.
Mr.. Thomas, of the wholesale grocery
firm OF Huff, Andrews e Thomas, dis
cussed the report at length. The
tobacco business in Roanoke had not
been marked success in the past ewing
to lack OF railroad connection with
tho hest fold Of supply, that was now