The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1895-09-05
THE FLoRENCEToBACco BREAK
Immense Sales at Good Prices.


bacco break at Florence last week 1t
will be remembered that last year the
Florence market for the sale of leaf
tobacco opened on September 4. At
that ''breek" about 10000 pounds was
sold. This year the market opened up
just one week earlier, yet the crop was
at least two weeks behind that of last
year. Last year wehad only one small
warehouse. This year we have two
immense warehouses calculated to
hold, when ready for sale 100000
pounds of tobacco.
AS to prices they ranged all the way
from 2 1-2 cents to 4S cents. MIR. j
E. Tomlinson, of Shiloh, Sumter Co.,,
sold one special lot of golden leaf
wrappers at two dollars and twenty
cents per pound. This sale was at the
Farmers ware house. The average
price paid at the Farmers ware house
will be about 13 cents, while at the
Florence" ware houseit will probably
be about 90 cents. Now as to the cause
of the difference in the average ct the
two warehouses; The tobacco that was
sold at the Farmers warehouse was
of far inferior grade of leaf than that
sold at the "Florence" Another
trouble was that the tobacco was not
cured as nicely as that at the Flor
ence." Most all of the tobacco that
was brought here Thursday classed as
'lugs," which is the lowest grade that
is put on the market. Besides being
"lugs'' it was rs q wholc in too ''high
order" or, in plain words, it was en-
tirely too damp, soft and pliable.
There were nine tobacco counties
represented in the tobacco ''breah"
today-Marlboro, Sumter, Clarendon,
Williamsburg, Darlington, Marion,
Horny, Kershaw and Florence.
There were hundreds Of people in
the city today and the hotels were
taxed to accommodate those who came
here just to be present at the "break."
During the entire sale the very best
OF humor prevailed, and with the ex-.
ccption of few men oil were we'll
pleased with their sales. There were
some tag turned down and the tobacco
even taken from the floor, but in these
cases the weed VAS entirely too highly
cured or classed in lower grade than
its owner thought it should be.
The Bank OF Florence kept its doors
open throughout Thursday and Friday
in order to cash all the checks for the
farmers who sold their weed. This
was q great advantage to the ware
house men and buyers, as well as the
pTllaaterszwhos their weed here
Ell Is spsssasxs sssf
adjoining counties, the citizens of
Florence and the business men of the
city should congratulate the Florence
board of trade, inasmucl as it has
done what nothing would have done
without it. For instance, it has been
the means of uniting the business and
professional men of the city into one
strong body, and throug h the board OF
trade We have two immense tobacco
ware houses and a number of immense
prize houses. It was through them
that we got set of frst-class buyers.
It was through them that the American
Tobacco Company sent buyers here.
There are other instances where the
"board of trade has done much good,
and the wish of every FIorentine is
that the board of trade will continue
to be variable and indispensable ad.
junct to the prosperity of the city.
Florence County alone has raised, it
is said; ut least 100000 pounds Of
tobacco.
Over $4,000 changed hands. Al
least $4,000 of that amount was
carried back to the homes of the to.
bacco planters, something never known
before in this section of the State.
Since the closing sale the actual
number of pounds of tobacco sold on
the first day foot up $4,000 pounds:
The managers Of both ware houses, az
we'll as the citizens Of Florence and
the Pee Dee tobacco planters, are
highly elatcd over the sales. Col. J.
J. Hill, manager Of the Florence Ware
House, telegraph his, firm at South
Boston,. VA, that: 'tthe sale: was q
grand success: house full. It was the
finest opening I: have had in thirty
years: .oxperienee."" MI. Glare, buyer
for the American Tobacco Company,
says: SIT WAS an extraordinary break.
Some of the very. best tobacco I've
seen, and good prices prevailed-':
Such were the expressions of men
who knew whereof they spoke. .
The continuation of the sale of to.
bacco that was brought to Florence for
Thursdays E'break'' and which could
not be sold. on account of darkness
was resumed on Friday.
The prices were better than at the
opening "break," as the lowest price
paid was 6 cents and the highest So
cents, while the average exceeded that
Of Thursday and is thought to be
about IS cents. The night trainsfrom
the north broug1tin from North Caro-
lima and Virginia a number of addl-
tional buyers who will settle here.
This will run the number of resident
buyers up to about thirty-f7e.
It is shown that Fridays sales run
up the total to 125, 900 pounds.
For every pound of tobacco sold
here the planters received. the clean
hard cash, which amounts to between
$4,000 and $4,000. In addition tc
this between $1,000 and $4,000 was
paid out yesterday for help in the
warehouses, freights and other Incl
dentals. The farmers paid ort at les
90 OOO +o 3he merchants.