The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-10-26


Tobacconist' Again.
Editor Of The Times:
Sir,-The Times editorial in the issue
Of this morning Oho 18th instanO, headed
our Tobacco Market In reply to "lo-
bacconist" in the issue of the 18Th in-
slant, says:
Referring 20 a communication in yes-
terday's Times in reply 90 am editorial u
this paper on the Richmond tobacco mar
ket we desire 10 give assurance. if such
assurance be necessary. that our only pure
pose was 20 promote the interests of the
tobacco trade of Richmond ard ~ we ape
peared 10 chide, 10 was as we stated. for
the purpose Of ar0using the tobacco men
OF the city TO greater exertious on behalf
Of the Richmond market"
So, then, we both have the same ulu-
mate end and object ln view ] am glad
10 say. to-wit. the increased prosperity of
Richmond in general and the advance
mcnt OF our tobacco market I'm particular.
The Times says.
THE figures which our correspondent
prints are not satisfactory
We regret this. but the figures are Off
cial. and the fact remains that our sales
Of loose tobacco are not as large as they
should be-
The Times says further:
"The exhibit for Richmond IS unworthy
Of her usual push and enterprise. If our
correspondent is satisfied with that cX-
hibit, it Is more than we are. Richmond
can do better than that"
Mo- We are not satisfied with the ex-
hibit, Richmond is now the largest to-
bacco market Of the East, as Louisville,
Ky. is of the West Ninety per cent of
Danvilles sales is loose tobacco. ninety
per cent Of RiChmonds sales is hogshead
tobacco. We wish 20 see Richmond what
she ought 20 be-the largest tobacco mar
ket Of the world. It's consummation
deyoutly to be wished and viii our good
editor point out the way 90 the attainS
ment of so desirable an end?
Again The Times says:
"As o. the manufacturing trade Rich
m0nd has progressed. We were not re-
ferring 20 that branch OF the industry I'm
the original article. We referred tO the
sale of loose tobacco on the warehouse
floors, and while we dislike to say that
that particular branch Of the industry is
retrogradng, our correspondent shows
by the table which he printed that the
sales Of loose tobacco for the year 1897
were less than for any year since 1872,
with the exception Of the year 1906.
So he is satisfied that the manufacturing
interests are an they should be- but we
are not agreed on this point. We are Of
opinion that mammoth tobacco manuiac-
turing establishments like the Drummond
Tobacco Manufacturing Company the
Ligget & Myers. 90 ais. I'm 81. Louis. Mo.
and the Daniel Scatter Tobacco Manu-
featuring Company OF Detroit Mich and
the T. Loullard buchanan d. Lyall, 90
ais, of New York. ought 10 Doe located in
Richmond. in addition 90 all the large TOE
baccO manufactures We have now tOI
the reason that an and singular of these
bic tobacco manufacturing companies gcI
the raw material they productivity con-
sumo. in the markets far remote. Tor
neither st. Louis Detroit nor New YORK
arc tobacco markets. while Richmond
Va. is. and can supply an the raw mate
rial they use annually and az greater
convenience for Richmond which now
supplies these big concerns with raw ma
terial I'm the form of h0gshead tohaccos
is 100 miles from South Boston Va, li
miles from Danville Va. l3l miles from
Wilson. \. c.. lA miles from Rocky
Mount, y. c.; 100 miles from GreenViht
~ c.. 1876 miles from oxford. y. a. az
miles from Henderson. y. a. go mics
from Winston, y. c.; from winch WIN
other interior tobacco markets Richmond
draws much o. her supplies or tobacco
as Louisville. Ky. draws her supplies
from markets equally if not more ice
mote from her than the interior luud'eu
markets are from Richmond, Va LOUIS
vile is Gao miles. ST. Louis gli miles and
Detroit Is l.0l2 miles from Richmond
Va. and further yet from our interior
tobacco markets The Times continues
we desire especially To emphasize the
fact that with the large number oi tac-
tories in Richmond for the manufacture
Of tobacco there should bee greater sup
Dlv OF the raw material on the warehouse
floors Ina other words. We do not Sec
why IL is necessary for Richmond manu-
facturers 10 buy their supplies OF lear
tobacco on other markets. We do NOT
see why the warehouses OF richmond
cannot furnish the supply direct from
first hands"
We agree that our tobacco manufactur-
ers ought 70 follow the example or MT
Blackwell. who used 10 come 20 Richmond
and select t0baCcOs suited 20 his wants
and invariably say 10 the merchants here.
Your goods suit me exactly but / Will
not buy anything outside or Durham
Send these tobaccos To- any merchant
there and let the drayman, inc ware
houseman. the insurance man. etc., eei
their charges and / VIII pay you your
price for the tobacco. with the charges
added." His tobacco may have cost HIM
more. but ne bull. Durham. and our man
ufacturers combined could build up Rich-
mond and make her. waste places I'D
blossom like a rose again.
"RichIaond's tobacco manufacturing in-
dustries are far greater than those oi
Danville and yet Danville sold very much
more leaf tobacco on the warehouse
floors for the past year than Richmond
sold"
The Editor answered this In HIS frst
article by showing the prOplnquity OF
DanvilIe 10 the sources Of supply
Again. The Times says. We 10
not profess 10 know the ins ana
outs, of the tobacco business, nut
Il does seem 20 Us reasonable tnat l"'
large demand I'm Richmond for leat t'-
bacco were enough 10 bring the supply
to this market from the fields Oh INC
plarteG"
We do not know who our editor is,
and II we did. we do not propose 20 ~.
In judgment upon him. 80 that ne he,1
make no apologies. but let the ia''s
come out. let the CALLED Jade vince tNat
We may learn where the trouble Is ana
apply the remedy.
we cannot explain everything in D