The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1895-02-07
THE SNUFF HABIT.
IT. Is Still Indulged In by q Gre at
Many Americons.
"A Now York Tobacconist Gives somo In.
teresting Information About tho
Production and Consumption
of the Article.

If the ghost of man of fQucen Anne'e
time could revisit this world in these
days 1T is probable that he would not
be moro surprised by his dcccudants'
advance in material achievements than
grioved ut the general disappearance of
tho SNUFF box, that Indispensable ar.
tlcle In the equipment of every gentle.
man OF high fashion on which tho
bcaux of his age and of that succeeding
lavlshcd cXtravagant sums. An IN
qulry at any tobacconists Of the old
stylc-and there arc still few in Now
Yorl1-would reveal the fact that tho
community Of tho sncczc still exists
among not inconsidcrnblo number Of
tho modorns. If he chose to dip into the
United States internal revenue Stats.
tics he would find that the yearly pro-
duction of snuff in this country is largo
enough to insure to each inhabitunt a
supply Of ut least two ounces, the total
output averaging eight million
pounds. And of snuff boxes, though
those Of his day are now to be found
chiefly in collections sofantiquarians, of no
might yet find good storo in q littlo
Sixth avenue shop writor for tho New
York Tribune knows of; not 30 clabol.,
ate as his own, but Offering him his
choice OF tortoise shell and pnpicr
maohe, tastofully inlaid with mother
of-pearl; Of horn recnlling $nm1y's
'mull') and of bcechwood, the latter
carved IN quaint designs. Uc might
even purchase the gold and silver no.
ceptacles If he found tho right silver
smith, for some Of them arc still made.
I'VE don't soil as many boxes as wo
n onS. 4 ltl.
snuff comes in such convenient pack
ages TACT which would again shook
our eighteenth century ghost and con.
vince him that no had indeed fallen
| upon evil days. AS u matter Of faot;
tho principal consumers, In this city, at
least, aro Foreigners, tho Irish, Ger
mans, Fronch and Italians perhaps con,
stituting tho largest number. In tho
days OF the fashion there were rs many
brands OF Snuff rs there are now OF
tobacco, but all that IS changed now.
The varieties most in demand arc Mac.
coboy, Lundyfoot, French, Scotch und
Lotzbeck ''They don't vary much in
price, except that Lotzbccl1, The only
imported one, is considerably higher
priced. The Irish seem to prefer Mac
coboy, perhaps from the idea that the
name has an Irish origin, but 1t hasn't,
IT Is corrupted from Il West India word,
'Macabao. Another Of their favoritcs
is Lundyfoot, known also as Irish High
toast and Irish Blackguard. Lundy-
foot, according to tho sto'.y, was II Dub
lin tobacconist. Some of his snuff while
being dried In the kiln was scorchcd
and he set u tub Of it outside hi, shor
for the poor to dip up as they passed
by. So many found tho high flavor
pleasant that the accidental high dry
ing made his name famous, for it was
applied to the bra nd he uftcrward man
ufacturcd by that process. Curiously
enough, the Germans are fondcst of Il
Fronch snuff known rs Gambotta.
My best customers arc very reticcnt
about their snufI-takinE. Many OF
them say they are buying it for Others
and they make all sorts Of ridiculous
excuses for buying. 1t seems to be IL
habit people arc ashamed Of, and l
| dare say some persons indulge it with
out tho knowledge OF their families. |
have more women than men among NV
customers, and, yes, some Of them dip
mcn as wcll as women. Illus snuff talk
Ing my effect upon longevity? Well, l
don't know. l lost ono customer by
death tho other day, an old woman,
who bought snuff Of me for tifty-two
years. l have four or five customers OF
thirty or thirty-iivo years standing,
and at least twenty who have traded
with Inc over twenty years"