The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-04-27

Mr.. John Babcock, president of the
Wakefield Institution for Savings,
Wakefield, II. L., was chosen by
a committee OF representative bust
ness men of Wakefield and Nara
gansett Pier, II. l., TO visit Florida and
investigate the cigar industry OF Tampa,
with a view Of ascertaining the desira-
bility of an investment in preferred stock
OF the Tampa Building and Investment
Company.
The following is his report:
Messrs. Brown, Rose, Sherman, Tucker
and others:
GENTLEMEN-As requested by you, /
nave made my trip TO Florida, and care
FULLY and thoroughly investigated the
affairs OF The Tampa Building and Invest
ment Company.
On my way down ] was q good deal de-
pressed by the appearance of the country
tho Southern towns through
winch we passed. There was a want
OF thrift and business which stood
out in sharp contrast to New England
towns, and when | reached Florida things
aid not look brighter, for the damage
done to the orange trees was indeed very
6ff - W. N0ne dOnh lnIOuEn luG
State from Jacksonville to Tampa, q
distance OF nearly 200 miles, we rode
through and passed many thousand
acres OF orange trees which had
been badly blighted by the frost.
Upon reaching Tampa the scene
completely changed, for there we found
a bustling town of some 10000 inhab-
%itants, with the streets filled with BUSH
ness, new buildings in process of con-
struction on every hand, where Is located
the great Industry OF cigar manufsctur-
ing. The chief reason for Tampa's
activity is that O large numbe OF fac
tories have not only moved from
the Island OF Key West, but they have
gone from the North as well. / found
that the reason for the transferring of
this Industry from the island was mainly
on account OF better shipping, banking,
mailing and telegraphing facilities at
Tampa. From the North the transfer is
Tor reasons OF greater economy in the
manufacture of clear Havana cigars, on
account OF climatic conditions, etc.
Eight or 10 years ago the first factories
came over from the Island of Key West,
and were established at Ybor City.
THINK Hbor and Manrara were the first
large manufactured to leave the Isla nd.
In order 10 make a correct comparison
between the amount CT cigars manufac-
tured by Key West and Tampa, 1 visited
the Office OF the collector of internal
revenue and learned from him that
the requisition made on his office
fox stamps for cigar boxes, by the
Tampa manufacturers, was far in excess
of the amount called for by the Key West
manufacturers. l should say there were
now located in Tampa 100 or more facto- |
ries, and their output of cigars is some
where from six to seven million dollars
annually.
visited several OF the large factories
anc saw the operatives at work and
learned from personal interviews with
them that they receive in wages from g
10 70 per day. Some OF the laborers were
even more than this. They
work by the piece and not by the J
day. Several men who receive four cents a
piece for making the cigars could roll
one thousand per week, earning $40. The
weekly payroll of cigar operatives in
west Tampa is now $4,000. No
women were employed in making
Tho cigars are all made
by hand, and not by machinery.
i carefully examined the houses which
are being built near the factories by the
Tampa Building 81 Investment Company.
found all that were finished were oc.
'upied. Mr.. Gillett, the general manager
of the company, informed me that all
in process of construction for the
were engaged. There certainly
to be a healthy, pressing demand
'or these houses, and / should saw that
With the manufacturers of clear Havana
moving there, as they are doing
rom all parts of the country, the demand
or these houses cannot be supplied for
time to come. j was asked before
for Florida, by some member
~ your committee, to ascertain
he value of tho houses and learn
'iso about their durability.