The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1895-02-01
THE SNUFF HABIT.
It Is Still INDUCED in by Gre at
Many Americans.
A New York TObacconist Gives Some In
teresting Information About the
Production and Consumption
OF the Article.

If the ghost of a man of Queen Anne's
time could revisit this world in these
days it is probable that he would not
be more surprised by his defendants
advance in material achievements than
grieved at the general disappearance of
the snuff box, that indispensable ar
ticle in the equipment of every gentle
man of high fashion on which the
beau.l of his age and of that succeeding
lavished eXtravagant sums. An in
quiry at any tobacconist's of the old
style-and there are still few in New
York-would reveal the fact that the
community of the sneeZe still exists
among not inconsiderable number of
the moderns. If he chose to dip into the
United States internal revenue Stats
ties he would find that the yearly pro-
duction of snuff in this country is large
enough to insure to each inha a
supply of at 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 of antiquarians. he
might yet find good store in a little
Sixth avenue shop writer for the New
York Tribune knows of: not SO elabOr-
ate as his own, but Offering him his
choice of tortoise shell and papier
mache. tastefully inlaid with mother
Of-pearl: of horn (recalling Sandy's
''mull' and OF beechwood, the latter
carved in quaint designs. He might
even purchase the gold and silver re-
L :. IL.
smith. Tor Some of them are still made.
We don't sell as many boxes as we
used to. said the dealer. because the
snuff comes in such convenient pack
.;yes, a f;;c; which would again shock
our eighteenth century ghost and con-
vince llii,l that he had indeed fallen
upon evil days. As matter of fact:
the principal consumers, in this city, at
least. are Foreigners. the Irish. Ger
mans. French and Italians perhaps con-
,titnting the largest number In the
days OF the fashion there were as many
brands OF snuff as there are now of
tobacco. Dut all that is changed now
The varieties most in demand are Mac
coboy. Lundyfoot, French, Scotch and
Lotzbeck. They don't vary much in
price. except that Lotzbccll. the only
imported one. is considera bly, higher
priced. iiic irish seem to prefer Mae
cob"y. per. laps from the idea that the
name ii;t, All Irish origin, but it hasn't
IL l., corrupted from Il West India word
Nae: ijao. Another of their favorites
i, i-undyfoot, known also rs Irish high
AL ;s;id Irish i:lackguard. Lundy-
loot. accJr.liIlg to the sto,y. was Il Dub
lin tUi1:ccOnist. Some of his snuff while
being dried i'll the kiln was scorched,
and he set Il tub OF it outside his shop
for the poor to dip up as they passed
by. 30 many found the high flavor
pleasant that the accidental high dry
ing made his name famous, for it was
applied to the brand he afterward man
ufactured by that process. Curiously
enough, the Germans are fondest of
French snuff known as Gambetta.
My best customers are very reticent
about their snuff-taking. Many of
them say they are buying it for others,
and they make all sorts of ridiculous
excuses for buying. 1t seems to be
habit people are ashamed Of and |
dare say some persons indulge it with
out the knowledge C their families. l.
have more women than men among my
customers. and. yes. some of them dip
men as well as women. Has snuff-tak-
ing any effect upon longevity? Well, l
don't know | lost one customer by
death the other day, an old woman,
who bought snuff of me for fifty-two
! I I, q
thirty or thirty-fve years standing,
and at least twenty who have traded
with me over twenty years."