Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-09-30
OUR TOBACCO TRADE.
as1 I nU Grown n the Past md It's
Prospect iaf tAs Patafa
4 braash q ths Industry mat Mas Built
aeseif Up In Few Ysars--lntsrviews
WIN Men o. 'Changs.

Could the roiiicking, fun-ioving farmer.
Who was wont In colonial times to hitch
Bile yoke OF sturdy oxen to hogshead
o. tobacco. and roll the heavy package
over the hills OF Hanover and Henrico
INTO Richmond. to offer the primitive weed
Tor sale. awake from his slumbers and
behold the busting. bristling life. hear
the humining, whixzing' machinery, the
rapping OF hammers upon boxes being
prepared for shipment to points through
out this and other lands. his eyes would
no doubt dislodgc themselves In amaze
ment and his hair would stand on ends
because Of the great transformation.
Had photograph OF the Richmond
tobacco trade been taken ten years ago.
and distributed among the men who spend
their morning hours on Change now
they would wonder no little at the re-
markable growth Of this great industry.
when that picture was compared with the
picture which Is to-day TO be seen.
Inc oid-fashioned hogshcad market has
not lost its prestige. the dark loose mar
ket has added to its potency. and the
new bright loose has been Installed in
the past Few years. and made itself a fea-
ture OF this powerful industry here.
ALL BRANCHES HAVE GROWN
All branches of the Richmond tobacco
trade have grown. They have developed
with steadiness that gives tone TO the
market here and elsewhere. The pro-
nounced conservatism of the Richmond
dealers and buyers has instilled a conf
depce In their judgment which has made
this city second ~ none In America as a
TOBACCO market. save possibly Louisville.
Ky.
II II manifest that the manufacturers
here and elsewhere are making an effort
10 come closer In touch with the planter,
and are. therefore. doing as the manu-
facturers OF other large cities are doing
placing their own buyers In the markets
of the world. and freezing out the middle
man. This, II is said, is necessary. in
order 20 enable them to compete with
their rivals. Anyhow. the plug. the cigar
cite. and the smoking tobacco factories
are now working on full time with full
forces. notwithstanding the past depres-
sion In business, and almost every one
engaged In the trade Is looking forward TO
brighter and better times.
THE BRIGHT LOOSE MARKET.
The loose market for bright tobacco,
which. as before stated, is a new de-
20 the industry. 1t is bringing here the
product OF a section OF the country that
has heretofore not come to Virginia's
capital. II is hauling from North Caro-
lima millions of pounds of leaf year.
and bringing to Richmond the farmers
and merchants Of that State, who, when
they get here. buy their household sup
plies. farm-implements. and such articles
as are necessary 10 carry on their re-
spective businesses In the ''Old North
State"
Richmond welcomes that element of
trade. and will, by honest. conservative
dealing. endeavor TO hold II and increase
1T as time wags along. The numerous ex-
cursiOns run from the tobacco-growing
sections OF North Carolina have done
great deal TO build up this tobacco-mar-
6et. In fact, the splendid railroad facili-
ties of the community have done much
20 extend the scope of the trade.
WHAT THE TRADE THINK.
The general impression among the to-
bacconists Is that there will be a general
Improvement in the market during the
next year or SO. at least. and that much
larger quantity Of leaf will be sold next
year than was sold last. The fiscal year
of the loose-leaf market closed yester-
day. and an estimate OF its business is
100000 pounds. while II is believed at
least 100000 pounds will be sold this
year.
a Dispatch reporter dr.fted among some
of the principal dealers on Change yes
terday. and received from them the most
encouraging sort Of statements, which are
given below
Mr. William G. Miller. president OF the
Tobacco Trade. said: Il think the trade
has shown "a decided Improvement since
the settlement of the tariff. We are GER
tainly now experiencing an upward move
ment."
Mr.. James T. Parkinson. superintendent
OF the Il. c. Williams Tobacco Company:
1--WE have very bright prospects for
prosperous year In the tobacco business.
IJp to October LIST, which will be Mon
day, we estimate that we have sold
100000 pounds on our loose market.
October list closes the tobacco year. and
we calculate that our loose market Will
dispose Of at least 200Oo,0o0 next year.
The loose market Is here to stay. or
course We have had a good dark-loose
market for "A long time; but the brlght-
loose market has grown upon as in the
last few years With our splendid rail-
road and insurance facilities. and the
amount OF capital here. We should nave
tobacco market In Richmond second TO
none in the land. The bringing OF bright
tobaccos here is a great thing Tor our
manufacturers. IL enables them TO select
their own goods, thereby getting exactly
what they want. The manufacturing busl-
ness so far this year is. in my opinion.
ahead of what IL was last year. The
quality of cutters and smokers Is Tar
superior to these grades of last year"
GOOD TRADE IN STORE.
Mr.. w. 7. Hancock: Il am living IN
hopes Of good trade this fall or early
In next year. The manufacturers ar.
working on full time with full forces. L
believe we will have good loose sales this
year: they will be much larger than last
wear Our trade will steadily increase. ana
eventually we will be the centre market
of the South in the leaf business
Mr.. Frank d. Williams: THE hogshead-
market has held its own this year. with
transactions decidedly increased over 1875.
The loose market We regard as growing
steadily and rapidly. Planters are getting
very fair prices for good colors, whlIe'
Of course. common tobaccos are bringins
low prices They are getting as much
boweyer. for all grades as they can gev
elsewhere. The export season Is now
about closing. Richmond has done her
proport,on in this line. We are large
shippers 10 England and open continentai
markets. Our reggie shipments have been
larger than for years. and this Is a"
important item Of trade. Our foreign
orders. are mostly from Austria, italy,
Span, and France.
THE KENTUCKY hurley.
Mr.. S. +. Carr: 1.-The Kentucky Burley
this year Is the finest we have had Tor
i've years. Everything is looking up. ana
as soon as the New England factories
begin work again we will have hVeiy
operations in our business here. Manu-
fact,irers are now buying tobacco from
me who have not purchased any sooas
in two years The North Carolina farmers
have the finest cutter-crop they have had
I'm four or five years. The crop Is fuily
matured, with less green ana fewer
fiiers and more bright smokers than mere
tofore This crop will evidently Keep
well. which makes IL very desirable.
Prices so far are high, and all the yieid
will be taken at satisfactory figures. on
account Of the fneness Of the leaf. such
big concerns as the American Tobacco
Company will lay In about twoyears'
supply. because they can get exactly whas
they want IN their line of business.
Mr. Parker Conrad: New tobaccoS are