The times., 1899-06-04
SIX IN every 4bN
| MEN USE TOBACCO
Deyotees of the Soothing Weed
in the Capital.
Great Sums Spent Every Day by
Smokers and Chewers.
Few Hayanas in the Mnrket-WOme
Who Delight In Pulling Gig
arettes.

"A
ton of Washington is probably no larger
in proportion to the number of its inhabi-
tants than that of other cities and towns
of the country statistics OF the amount Of
tobacco used daily and the amount of
| money spent for its purchase prove high
ly interesting upon examination. That
Americans are nation of tobacco devotees
is pretty thoroughly established when the
evidence presented here and in other cities
| of the country is taken into consideration.
An observer who starts out with the pur
pose of noting the number of men met in
the streets smoking or using tobacco in
some form can safely assume that about
every other male of an age Of sixteen
years or more uses the weed in some one
or more of its forms. Although it is diff
cult to arrive at an exact estimate of the
amount of money expended every day for
! the purchase of tobacco, the figures pre-
sented by number of well-known local
| tobacco dealers are not without value and
| interest. The figures are variously placed,
but amount to about $1,000. This includes
the money spent for cigars, smoking and
chewing tobacco, cigarettes, and snuff. 1t
is estimated that the money which is thus
expended each day would comfortable sup
/ port all the charitable institutions in the
District for period of week.
| The population of the District of Column
| bia at the present time Is estimated to be
more than 2SO,00O inhabitants. or this
number it was stated by large wholesale
tobacco dealer of the city probably 100000
are males of a tobacco consuming age.
| The same merchant thought it very reas-
enable estimate to place the number of to-
bacco users as being six in every ten of
| those 100000 Figuring at this ra-
| ito the total number of tobacco consumers
| is about 6O,000
| The number of men who smoke cigars
is placed at about $4,000, and assuming
| that each man is a moderate smoker US
| ing on an average three cigars a day at a
cost of cents each, the total amount spent
| for cigars is in the neighborhood of S3.600
The consensus of opinion among the
| tobacco retailers is that 5 cents is the av-
erage price paid for each cigar. Washing
tonians can purchase cigars at many
stands in the city ranging from four for
| cents to 81 each. The demand for good
! smoking material is very noticeable at the
stores along the Avenue, Street, in the
vicinity of the departments and at all the
| larger hotels. Here cigar selling at 10 to
| Is cents each is quite generally demanded
| In other sections of the city cents is the
maximum price paid and the demand for
even a cheaper grade Of cigar is of large
| proportions.
| Careful calculations place the middle
| point between the two extremes in prices
at about cents. Counting fifty cigars to
the box. one thousand four hundred boxes
are emptied here each day. II the average
| length of each cigar is three and one-half
| inches the cigars placed end to end would
reach from the navy yard to Georgetown,
distance of more than three miles.
| The pipe while not so generally used as
| cigars comes in for a large share OF devo-
| tees. One wholesale tobacco dealer placed
| the number at between ten and eleven
| thousand. Tobacco for pipe use averages
| in cost more than 5 cents per sack or bag.
| The minimum cost per package is gener-
ally cents and the prices range upward
to several dollars per ounce for the fin
/ est brands The average may safely be
| placed at about cents per package. Go
| ing upon the assumption that each pipe
| smoker consumes about one-third OF a
package day, the amount spent every
day for this one preparation of the sooth-
ing weed is between $3.50 and $500.
The Chewing Habit.
The habit of chewing tobacco is more
general than the average person supposes-
If notice be taken OF the sidewalk or pave
ment on busy street where the majority
of the passers-by are seen the stains of to-
bacco-charged saliva are everywhere ap-
parent. A careful guess places the num-
| Der of users of this preparation of the
weed at about 30 per cent of those who use
tobacco in some one of its forms. If each
man averages three cents day for the
purchase of chewing tobacco, the sum spent
by all would be about $500.
! To an active member of an anti-cigar-
ette league. the number of cigarettes sold
in Washington is APPALLING. The estimate
agreed upon by tobacco men places the
| number of cigarette smokers at about 25,-
600 and reckoning that each man uses one
small pack every day at cents a pack,
the total spent for cigarettes amounts to
about 81 $50.
/ No account has been taken of the num-
ber of the fair sex who smoke or use
snuff. 1t has been often stated and there
must be some foundation for the allega-
tion, that the practice of cigarette smoking
is carried on more extensively by young
women than is generally supposed by their
male friends or relatives. They, however
do not advertise the fact that they are
guilty of the charge, making it difficult tc
make an estimate of the amount of mon
ey spent by them. The ladies who dc
make cigarettes are said to use only the
best Turkish and Egyptian brands. These
are expensive, but 1t is probable that the
fair devotees of the weed do not smoke as
necessarily as their brothers, bringing tht
average cost down to a low price.
A very noticeable feature OF the sale
of tobacco during the past year or two
has been the material decrease in the
number of manufactured cigarettes put or
the market. The decrease has occurred
not because cigarette smokers are coming
to recognize the harmful effects OF the
ready made brands, but for the reason
that it is more economical to purchase to-
bacco and papers and roll the cigarettes
1t is generally claimed that by smoking
handmade cigarettes the drugs which are
said to be mixed with the tobacco used In
factory made cigarettes is avoided.
The real reason no doubt is to be found
in the smaller cost. Notwithstanding the
decrease it is probable that fully 250.000 o.
the various manufactured brands are solo
every day in the District.
One store on the Avenue passes over IL!
counter from $500 to 1000 each day TAX.
ing into consideration the fact that tn,
places where tobacco can be pur.
chased are located in almost every
drug store. grocer's shop, barber
shop. restaurant, saloon, fruit stand
and hotel. besides at the regular tobacco
and cigar stores. some of the figures giver
above will not be surprising. One revenue
officer is reported as having said that ht
had counted while going from Pennsylva
mia Avenue to the Arsenal on Four and a
half Street more than two hundred place:
where tobacco is sold. There are more
than thirty wholesale tobacco dealers il
the city and all are said to be doing pay
ing business.
Product of Old Virginia.