Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1897-08-06
DARK TOBACCO A STAPLE PRODUCT.
Has Carried the Name Of HOpkinSvilIe and Christian
County Far Beyond the Seas
ONE OF THE LEADING TOBACCO MARKETS OF THE SOUTH
Brief Resume of the Industry Tobacco the Leading Bust
ness OF This Enerprising City.

Tobacco is the leading bust
ness of this enterprising city
Hopkinsville tobacco has a world
wide reputation; is noted for ITS
rich, silky, elastic qualities, ant
is better suited than any other
brands to the requirements OF
the European demand; therefore
Hopkinsville is prominent
market of America for eX-
port tobacco. The fine qualities
of the weed are due to the pc
culiar character of the soil and
excellent climate of this famed
tobacco district surrounding this
beautiful little commercial city
of large capital and thrifty peo-
pie. Hopkinsville is one OF the
leading tobacco markets OF the
United States. The receipts and
shipments range from 10000 to
$4,000 hogsheads annually, (ac-
cording to the character of the
seasons; favorable or unfavora-
BILE to the growth of the CROP.
These hogsheads vary in weight
from 1000 to 1900 pounds, and
vast sums of money are paid out
yearly to the farmers producing
this tobacco; which accounts in Il
large measure for the thrift,
prosperity and solid character of
the people, both in the city and
country; supporting fewer loaf
ers and tramps than the average
community, and less complaint
of hard times than is heard from
the wheat, stock and cotton
growing sections. Thls tobacco
section, however, grows a large
surplus of stock Of every kind
of market, and broader fields OF
golden grain that is remarkable
for it's hard, flinty quality and
superiority as flour maker, be-
ing used by many mills to mix
with the soft Western grain.
While tobacco is largely relied
upon as the money crop, yet
grain and stock co ne in as eX-
tras to enlarge the farmers prof
it's, and the cost of cultivation is
very small, as these crops inter
fere very little with tobacco cul-
ture. Such diversifcation being
essential to the healthy produC-
ton of each of the several crops.
Tobacco thrivcS beStafter wheat |
and clover, and, in turn, leaves |
the land in splendid condition for |
wheat, and then, cloyer-while |
this and the grain gives fat
stock, and keeps the land in a !
high state of cultivation, con-
stantly increasing in fertility
therefore the cultivation of wheat
and clover are necessary to the
production of rich, fatty tobacco
of dark brown color, or black and
glossy, averaging from % to %
inches in length. TO be sure
there are few sections so favora-
bic to diversified farming; but
success is assured in one line or
the other, if not in all, thereby
sustaining comic t, and a happy
prosperous people. The Hop
kinsville Tobacco Market was
established in the early seven
ties, by Messrs. Ragsdale, Aber-
nathy, ct al, names which to-day
grace this proud tobacco trade.
There are now seven large ware
houses in active operation, all
headed by strong, vigorous men
of the highest commercial integ-
rity, besides many large storage
houses, to which must be added
the tobacco manufacturing inter-
ests. Each of these houses en-
ploy several men in the various
departments -bookkccpers, re-
ceiving and shipping clerks,
breakers and coOpcrS. The eX-
ports from this market go chief
iy to Germany, France, Italy,
Austria, Spain ana AFRICA, IN
which countries the Hopkinsville
types find highest favor. The
strips go mostly to England, also
much leaf. These countries
keep agents on this market, Civ
ing orders for such types or
grades as are. wanted. There
are always orders ahead to be
filed, therefore Hopkinsville
holds monopoly of the peculiar
types of Hopkinsyille tobacco.
The tweed" must go where the
money is placed to buy it, and
where there is sharp competition
for every hogshead. If stray
hogshead of the Hopkinsville
type is found on other markets,
II il gobbled up by "pin-hookers"