The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-06-01
VOLUMES OF SMOKE
Millions Of Cigars Consumed Annually
in the United States.
TOLD BY A MAN WHO KNOWS
He Says Montana Is the Best State
in the Union for His Trade
Tobacco Chewing Crow
Ing Less Every Year.

Great Falls, May 31.-Henry T.
Sterne. representing one OF the leading
cigar manufactures of the world.
whose factories are in New York. is in
Great Falls, and to-day talked enter
tainingly to a representative of the
Standard about cigars and the trade.
He is an enthusiast in the business
and firmly believes that a good cigar
is a benefit to a man. He advances
arguments in support of this conten-
ton at every opportunity, and knows
about all there is to know concerning
cigars. In his conversation he said:
I'm this country the number of Gig
ars sold annually is somewhat over
1000, 000. 600. and of these only 10000. 900
are imported from Cuba. The United
States exports about 100000 annually.
II requires 100.000.0O0 pounds of tobacco
to manufacture the cigars made in this
country, about one-fourth of this guam
tity being imported. while the remain
ing three-fourths come from the great
plantations of Virginia and Kentucky
and the smaller farms of other states
of the South and the Mississippi val
ley.
New York manufactures the great
est number OF cigars, largely of fine
grades, but they are, in too many in
stances, the product of sweat-shop or
convict labor. However. the general
boycott upon such goods has proved
effective. and the union label is being
affixed to a greater proportion of the
boxes than heretofore. Next in the
quantity of production Pennsylvania
ranks, but with lower grade cigars.
THE value of the cigars smoked in
the United States each year. estimated
at wholesale rates, which are scarcely
so per cent. of retail rates. is from
$500. 900 900 to $175.O00 900. Fully one
third of all cigars sold are retailed at 5
cents each, or lower in the East, and
their wholesale prices are from $l2 to
$35 per thousand. And IL smoker
really knows good cigar he can get
good one for 5 cents. But in the
manufacture of some of the '5-centers'
every variety of adulterant is employ
ed and an artificial flavor is added.
II find that in my Montana trade
there are frequent calls for cigars
which retail at 20, % and so cents. l
believe that the smokers make n mis-
take in calling for such high-price
stock. More care is devoted to the
manufacture of 10, 1914 and Is cents
cigars on account of the greater de-
mand for them. In these grades one is
sure to get a perfect blend, while in
the higher-priced grades, which are
generally from the same leaf. there
may be imperfections. In making the
blend IN the cheaper grades the man.
ufacturer takes the same care as the
| German in the manufacture OF beer
| and endeavors to cause the 'suffig'
that is that one glass will produce a
| longing for another.
Montana is the best state in the
| Union for the cigar trade. There is nc
| larger a proportion of tabacco users
| but there is a greater proportion
| among the users of tobacco themselves
| of smokers, than in any other state
and other travellers for my house re-
| port that the sale of chewing tobacco
| in Montana is smaller proportionately
| than in the other territory covered by
representatives of my house"