The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-04-23
A Tobac, oaht Tell. " hat lie Believes to be
an Import snt Industry.

10 PCSH hiCHA"AD ALONG.
A robae.oaht Tell. what lie Believes to be
an Import mt Industry.
To the Editor of The Times:
Sir.-I see through the columns OF
The Times that our Chamber OF Com
merce mas taken steps 10 push Richmond
TO the front in every brancn OF the trades
and | write to call your attention 10 one
OF the most important enterprises thAl
has ever been started in the city.
1'his enterprise mas butit Danvtiie, Va,
up from a village of 100 persons 10 a
good sized city, TOR without It Danville
would have never been known. IL IL the
same case with Durham, Winston, OK
ford, and Henderson, and all prosperous
towns i'm Virginia and North Carolina.
our merchants. hotels. capitalists and
laborers Will be benefited by IT'S suc-
cess. 1nere is no one enterprise ina
VIII add as much trade, capital ana
which l will speak. Richmond has SUI
perior advantages over ali other towns
and cities for its success, II the Chamber
OF Commerce can wake up our tobacco
manufacturers and business men to It's
Importance
refer to the loose tobacco market.
The loose sales system for selling bright
tobacco is IN recent innovation mere II
having started IN 1891, with one ware
house. There are now four warehouses
selling both brights and darks, and TWO
Three OF the bright warehouses are
newly built, costing from $1,000 10 $N,Uv.
in 1880. before the bright loose sales
opened, statistics show uhat Richmond
sold only 49, 40 pounds of tobacco loose
Since then the sales have steadily IN
creased, and for the year ending Octo-
Der l, 1894. we sold II. DO 2S pounds loose
At conservative estimate o,OW.WV
pounds OF this has never before come
10 Richmond. II is the opinion or the
writer and every man posted on the
situation that Richmond can easily sell
100000 pounds of bright tobacco on
her loose WarehNlse floors II her manu-
facturers and BUYERS with one accord
will stand By their home market. There
is no good reason why Richmond should
be cxcellet In quantity sold Dy any maj 81
ket for we manufacture and export more
tobacco than any city in Virginia or
North Carolina our railroad rates are
as low as they are TO any other market,
while we get quick transportation rom
North and South Carolina, virginia anu
West Virginia. In recent years large
proportion OF the crop Is shipped on
the railroads TO market. BY past eNpe-
rience, the tobacco planters need very
little encouragement 70 make them sen
in Richmond, because % It's many at,
fractions and places Of interest, ana
advantages In buying their supplies,
etc. from our large wholesale and retail
stocks In every line.
Besides the employees IN the warehouses
and the firms themselves Which are
mainly new acquisitions TO our populd-
ton, the planters viii be paid m person
from our banks sums ranging from
$50 e9 20 $4,000 per month, according TO
the size OF the market we make IT,
4 large share OF this will be spent
with our merchants. hotels and different
enterprises. We have live ana expert
enced set Of warehouse men, who nave
DONE and are doing, their full duty by
spending their time and means 10 make
this "A market. In the home OF every
tobacco planter In Virginia and West Nir-
ginia, North and South Carolina Georgia
and Tennessee, the advertising matter
OF these firms has entered and they fol-
low this up by personal application
II is impgrtant that the loose trade
of Richmond should be increased, and the
only way 10 do IL Is for our manufac-
turers and exporters TO give k1chmOnd
a fair showing at their trade ana put
men on our breaks who will follow every
pile as the buyers do on other loose
markets. and give us a regular market
and demand for every grade.
Richmond capital is being spen I'm the
support of nearly every market in Nir-
g!nia and North Carolina. This money
goes there, giving employment 10 a large
number of persons, building up those
places and doing our city absolutely no
good II our market Is properly sup
ported by all classes OF our buyers, q
Will be only short time when they can
huv every pound and grade they want
on our warehouse floors under their
own supervision. Then every value IN
our city viii increase, lana, trade and
population. The individual members Of
our manufacturing fraternity are largely
interested I'm real estate, and mercantile
firms here. and II seems 10 MS that per
sOnal interest, 10 say nothing or public
spirit, should compel them to do every
thing IA their power 10 build up this
branch Of trade.
With even the planters visiting us
now. the railroads and many of the mer-
chants tell us that their trade has been
much augmented and they hail with
gladness the advent Of this system.
II any Of our manufacturers are too
busy 10 follow the sales every day, we
have a corps OF young actve buyers
who are, as a class. as good judges OF the
weed as ever followed sale They are
prepared % take orders, buy on contract
or for future delivery, ana 10 recorder on
as advantageous terms as can be gotten
elsewhere.
ket In Richmond or no leaf trade, for
the western, northern and all other man
ufacturers In watching their own inter
csts are going 10 the loose warehouse
floors for their stocks. and TO keen
abreast of the times every man SnOull
do everything in his power 20 make
Richmond the leading tobacco market.
There Is tobacco enough raised trihu-
tary 20 Richmond 10 support ten ware
houses. This would mean larger pOpu-
lation, increased business for our rail-
roads and a greater volume Of trade to
our hotels and mercantile houses.
The matter IL worthy or the greatest
consideration OF our Chamber Of Com
merce. and should be further inyesu-
gated by them. The advantages are TOO
numerous 10 be half discussed IN one
correspondence 10 your valuable paper.
Yours truly.
TOBACCONIST