The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-02-18
THOUSANDS or TONS OF snuff
What Becomes of the Billions of Pinches
in tho Annual Output Of This Country.


Where does all the snuff go2 There
was manufactured in this country during
the last fiscal year ending June 80, 1897
II, l6i35i pounds, Just think of it. There
was an increase over the preceding year
of no less thean 774l32 pounds, and over
the product of 1887 656i,S7S pounds, an
Increase Of 1902 AS pounds. Now, having
digested these figures, think again where
does 1t all go 10. when one scarcely sees
any one taking snuff.
The principal makers are the company
I'm New Jersey, which turns out about
$40 coo pounds a month, and one in Penn
sYlvania, with q monthly output OF 90.00O.
The remaining factories are compare
lively small. the next largest output being
46, 600 pounds.
Now where does it go? Neary all the
Catholic priests use snuff. also the Italian
and German music teachers, several of the
latter being so devoted to the habit that
they have their vest pockets lined with
leather, and carry 1t there. with tiny
spoon Of horn, with which to convey
it to the nose; the Swedes. Norwegians
and Scandinavians of the Michigan lum-
Der forests and the West, generally. are
inveterate snuffers. and many merchants
catering for the trade of these sections
even import Norwegian snuff for the
use Of the more wealthy. The South Is
great territory for the use Of snuff.
but there the natives dip II, rather than
snuff II; that is TO say. they use piece
Of wood that has been dipped in snuff.
as a "cud' to chew upon, instead of
piece OF plug or fine-cut Tobacco.
Arkansas is the great home for chew
ing SNUFF these days, and, whenever the
typical native is met, with his pants
tucked into his rough boots, his sleeves
rolled up and his shirt bosom open you
cannot talk TO him for a minute before
he will dive his hand into his pocket and
fish out his spoon or hardwood stick,
which he Will plunge into another pocket,
and dip up some snuf. which he will con-
vey to his mouth and deposit with great
relish along the lower gum, between IL
and the cbeehbOne. The tongue IS then
rolled from side TO side until the stuff
forms tiny ball. then, In an instant, the
Juice is extracted, the saliva shot out.
and the operation resumed. This custom
originated in Virginia, up in the noun
tains, spread throughout the South, cor
allied Texas, and is now great among the
Swedes I'm the northwestern part of the
city OF Chicago and wherever else they
may be found. The latter chew the snuff
in a different way, taking a teaspoonfui
Of snuff into the palm Of the hand, max
ing 1t a ball with a little moisture, and
then depositlng it inside of the jaw This
Will last an hour If he keeps quiet, but
If he becomes excited and gets chewing
on IT the saliva Gisintegrates Ii, and be-
tween what he swallows IN his excite
ment and what he expectorates, there u
not very much left In a very brief period
Many of the stores in this section Of
Chicago get through with $50 70 go pounds
of snuff
One large firm doing d heavy Southern
smut trade built II up in curious way.
The colored people are great snuff peo-
pie and on the cotton plantations down
South are rarely lucky enough to get
piece of silver In their lands. Food and
clothes they will get, and orders on
the store to be taken out in goods, but
actual coin was scarce, indeed. SO the
manufacturer put up his snuff In small
Jars. TO he sold at 81 each, ard In each
lar right at the top was Te cked bright
ten-cant piece This fact was mace
hnowc TO the colored people, and from
then on the Southern demand for that
snuff y.as. in the choice verLacuiar OF he
sport "a lead pipe eineh.'
I'm New York city the trade Is curious
w distributed Avenues and b and
East Houston street sell largely TO the
factory girls and tenement house popula-
tion. Third avenue, around Twenty eighth
street. sells principally to Germans old
settlers. and In the beer gardens and
saloons patronized by this most conser-
yative race is continually handed around
the birch-bark box or the smaller deep
black bcx filed with the deep black smut
scented with rose and bergamot. On the
same avenue. around Fourteenth street,
the snuff trade is TO the piano tuners, and
also street musicians who live around
here. and load up their boxes before start
ing out on their route. The Bowery trade
is principally 10 girls, and is universally
condemned by the dealers as a nuisance.
one well-known dealer breaking the back
OF their coming 10 his store by persisting
in serving out Maccaboy when they wish
ed for Scotch.-Courier-Jo Journal