The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-07-17
TOBACCO SMOKERS
Are Forsaking Cigars for Old-Time
Pipes-Surprising Figures.
From the Cincinnati Enquirer.

Pipes-Surprising Figures.
From the Cincinnati Enquirer.
From no less authentic figures than
those furnished by Uncle Sans servants
in the customs department il is learned
that dreadful thing has happened as a
result of the greatly bemoaned hard
times.
The American of average means. who.
in times of peace and prosperity, loves to
liuger over the stored fragrant Havana.
has given over the enjoymentof his favor
ties and taken to the primitive and more
economical form of the habit-that of
smoking the weed in a pipe. Figures
from one of the eastern ports alone show
that at that point the decrease
IN the sale OF cigars reaches
the appalling figure of something
near 500, 900, and the increase in the con
sumption of pipes and tobacco will reach
s., 600 From this it will be seen that the
money market has its way with the
luxurious habit of smoking las well as
other thing; and it will also show that for
s, OO0 worth of pipes and tobacco, smokes
can be had equal to the number OBJ
tainable from Sl0O,000 worth of cigars.
Allowing that this estimate is approx
mately correct and the decrease on the
one side is met by the increase on the
other. fifty smokes can be eked out of a
bag of tobacco to one from cigar, the
sack and cigar costing the same OF
course, some of the decrease in cigar
smoking was due to some smokers who
anti altogether, not even taking up the
pipe as a substitute, and this would alter
the figures slightly.
This state of affairs among smokers has
reached Cincinnati. A talk with local
dealers shows that in some cases the con
sumption of cigars has fallen of almost
a fourth, while the demand for pipes has
increased so as to necessitate new stocks
OF them and tobaccos. Opinions upon the
matter are various. Coupled with any
influence that hard times may have had
upon the decadence of the cigar, it is I'M
dOubtedly true that in the east at least,
the taking TO pipes is fad as well as a
means of economy.
said one local tobacconist: 'FPeople
often come in ask me how trade is, and
before | can answer, reply to their own
question by saying, Why, of course;
your business is the same the year round
People must smoke In reality, we feel
the influence of the times most easily
Right now our sales in cigars-es specially
the fine grades-haVe suffered greatly, to
the advantage of pipes. You can't very
well get figures upon the subject, but the
change has become almost a prevalent
one"
Another dealer, who is located down
town and caters to the business men,
said 1T is fad, pure and simple. 1t
originated in the east. May have sprung
from the prevalence, of pipe-smoking
among the college boys, but, at any rate,
it is a comparatively late thing to see a
pipe smoked on the street by man that
formerly smoked d cigar. l don't think
it is due to any desire to economic. A
man who has desire Of that sort will
buy fve-cent cigars where he used to
smoke two for quarter, smoke twice or
three times as many because they're
cheap and he's economizing and then
finally decide that he'd rather smoke
fewer and better. Then, if a man does
buys a fine brand and smokes d great
deal, so that, in the long run, there's alb
solutely no economy in it,
I'VE do not sell pipes and tobacco
here said cigarist of the best grades,
"but we can easily notice that our Gus
toners have left their oli-established
favorites and are skirmishing around
among the cheaper brands to find one to
suit. You would be surprised if | should
point out to you the bankers and mer-
chants who get a pOckeGful of scent
cigars, whereas, not long ago they bought
just as many high-priced onesr
The opinion is almost common The
old meerl haums that were colored sew
eral years ago are brought out, caressed
with admiring fingers filed with to-
bacco and enjoyed as of old. 1t is the
fashion, whether voluntary or forced
upon US by the 'stringency," and the old
standby clays, briars and meerschaums
may as well be got out first as last.