The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-03-08

The meeting at the Commercial Asso-
citation last night to discuss the tobacco
question was a great success. The
room was crowded with gentlemen who
participated in and listened to the dis
cussion.
President Pechin presided and opened
the discussion BY stating the objects of
the meeting.
w. Il. Andrews agreed with the sub
stance of Mr.. IIardaway's paper pre-.
sented last week. The tobacco bust
ness in Roanoke could be put on a pay
ing basis. The statement that the bust
ness had not been a profitable ono in
Roanoke was wrong. The section around
Roanoke was as fine for leaf manufac-
turing as any in the country. Several
places within few miles of Roanoke
could raise as fine filler tobacco as any
place in the world.
w. A. Turner state that in his iudr-
ment $4,000 would start a factory that
would emp 10y so to IS hands and manu-
facture $4,000 pounds of tobacco. One
thing favorable to the manufacture of
tobacco was that the revenue tax had
been reduced to cents a pound from
40. which was on just after the war
Mr. Rncker, of Martinsville, thought
that $4,000 would be safer sum. as
manufacturers have to pay cash and
sell at from 90 days to months credit.
That sum would work up l00,O 900 pounds
OF tobacco year.
Col. Penn presented n plan for tho
establishment of large cooperative
tobacco factory, with $780, 600 capital to
be subscribed in small sums and the
stock to be made payable in small in
stalments. This would make easy its
organization and equipment.
MIR. Phelps went at length into the
tobacco business. The best tobacco to
manufacture, he said. was the Western
hurley. When the Ohio extension was
open we could get it here cheaper than
Richmond does and handle 1t to better
advantage.
new factory working on Virginia
tobaccos with new brands would have
hard fight to establish itself. Roanoke
should use Virginia wrapper and a
Western filler. Freight rates are very
much to Roanoke's advantage as com
pared with what might be called com
peting points.
The tobacco business now properly
handled is profitable If a market is
made. Prices are fixed. 1t is a mis-.
take to deal directly with the retailers,
the factories should deal strictly with
the wholesalers for their own protec-
ton.
d. A. Rives told how q tobacco mar
ket was established in small town
whero he lived. He was confident that
IS Roanoke could erect two warehouses
so that there would be competition, til @
tOhnpQn rnjSnra tunn1l
trade.
Mr.. Reynolds spoke as a tobacco man
of long experience. The manufacture
OF tobacco took class of labor which
otherwise was idle and burden on the
community. This is the best wrapping
tobacco country in the world. Further
South was the best chewing tobacco
country. The Western hurley is a fine
navy plug tobacco.
Tobacco raised in Roanoke has
brought the highest price ever paid for
tobacco. One lot, which sold at Lynch
burg Tor S1.75 pound, was taken to
the Cincinnati Exposition where it took
$50 premium and was afterward sold
for 81 SO pound.
DR.. Pedigo made a few remarks and
then on motion of Mr.. Andrews, The
chairman appointed a committee of fiye
to put the whole matter in shape. The
committee is as follows: Messrs. w.
X. Andrews, Phelps, Reynolds, E. c.
Hoge, Fishburne and B. A. Rives. The
committee will meet Thursday at s D,
m. at the Commercial Club rooms.
President Pechin then brought up a
pet prof. ct of HIS.
81 want to see," said he, "a free
library and reading room started in
Roanoke. This town can grow only by
bringing in the wage earnors. To bring
them and keep them we must make
them contented and happy. A free
library will do more for their good than
anything which can be established.
Let us see if we cannot secure by volun-
tary action the commencement of a
free library. I ask for authority to APP
point committee at an early date to
put the project in shape"
The authority was given, and the
committee will be announced at an early
date.
The meeting then adjourned till next
Monday night.