The times., 1899-08-06


novel is that for cutting picadura, the fine
tobacco used in filing cigarettes: the hy-
draulic press, used in compressing tobacco
for expectation into solid blocks as hard
as wood; and the press for stamping brands
upon the boxes, which, instead of being
burned in as they appear, are printed by a
very rapid and ingenious process The
barrel department is also worth inspection
barrels turned out by steam with great
velocity, all hooped and headed, and though
in such numbers, every one is perfectly air
and water tight. On the second floor is a
complete printing outfit every branch of
typography and Hthography being con-
stantly employed in printing circulars, la
bells, wrappers, views of the factory, let
ter heads, and millions OF the beautifully
colored and tastefully designed papers that
enclose the cigarettes in packages of twen-
ty-five.
In the engraving room is a fine mag
neto- electrique machine invented by
Frenchman, for drawing On stone by
chemical action and machinery run by
electricity. The receiving and examining
rooms are most interesting. After the Gig
arettes are made and put up into packages
of the allotted number the packages are
examined, wrapped in large round bun
dies and packed in barrels The store
rooms are as sacredly guarded as a bank
yault-and, indeed, some of the tobacco
leaves in 1t might each pass current as
greenback Of large denomination. The
products of this factory find their way to
all parts of the world, being made to suit
the taste OF every class of smokers. Some
of the cigarette papers are combined with
rice, coffee, perfumery, corn, ETC., and the
cigars are strong, mild, and medium. The
manager will tell you that the value of the
Vuelta Abajo leaf lies in its flavor rather
than In its strength. and that the Honra-
dez cigars, best known from their delicate
aroma, come from the Pinar del Rio plan
tations. The Remedies leaf is very strong
so strong that Cubans do not like 1t, and
ii is used only to mix with American to-
bacco for the American trade; and he will
also add, with a shrug of his shoulders,
that Los Americanos do not know what
good tobacco is-they demand strength
rather than aroma and as a rule would
rather pay ten cents for crude thing a
quarter of vara long than a dollar for
a three-inch cigar fit for San Marcial him.
SELF
What it's churches are to Rome, "Fa-
brieas" are to Havana. Before the war
| there were more than two hundred of them
| In the one city, from the obscure tiendas,
open to the street and employing two or
| three assistants, to the great factories Of
thousand skilled employees The poor
| little shops turn oat inferior grades, such
as wives and sisters have a perncious
| habit Of presenting to the husbands and
brothers on Christmas and birthdays, for
! some of the vilest cigars on earth may be
| bought by the unsophisticated in Cuba
Among the largest and best factories is La
Cabanas, which has given its name to a
certain brand known 10 all smokers. 1t is
a great stone building opposite the Campo
| de Marte, and was founded by Senor Don
! Francisco de Cabanas hundred years ago.
For time its annual output was limited by
| the Government to 100000 cigars a year,
| but when the war began 1t was disposing
of an average of sixteen million cigars per
annum 1t used only Yuelto Abajo tobac-
CO. and the bestfof that, by contract with
certain plantations. Besides permitting its
six hundred operatives to smoke all the
cigars they desired during the hours of
| labor, the too liberal managers allowed
| each man to carry OF five. to last him over
night. At first glance this seems trifing
| detail, but come to figure it up, you find
/ it means something like two million cigars
! a year. the cheapest OF which sell for $40
per thousand.
When tobacco bales. carefully packed
and wrapped in palm leaves, arrive at the
factory, they are kept in cool, dark place
on the first floor. where they are divided
into classes according to quality, varying
| in value from $40 10 S400 per bale of 20U
/ pounds. When the bales are opened for
| use the manojas and gabillas are separated
and the latter carried in their dry. state to
the moistening room. The leaves are sof-
| tened by putting them in hogsheads con-
! tanning a solution of saltpetre and water;
then the water is poured off and the leaves
spread upon the edges of the barrels tc
partially dry. After being thoroughly wet
| the leaves unfold easily, without tearing
if care is exercised. The stems are then
| taken out and with the refuse of other to-
baceo is laid aside for filling the cheapest
cigars. This filling is known as tripa, and
few Of the best cigars are altogether guilt
less of Ii. The manufacture of cigar looks
simple enough. The workman, supplying
himself with handful of leaf called capf
(the Spanish word for "cloak'), and a lo
of tripa for the body of the cigar, seat:
himself at his little table, which has rails.
ed lodges on every side but that neares
to him. He spreads out the capa and cut!
it into strips with sharp knife. This il
the most delicate part of the operation, re.
quiripg skill, knowledge, and experience.
BY it the different qualities are sepa
rated which determine in great measure
the strength, aroma and value of the cigars
the outside of the leaf being generally th'
best and that nearest the stem the worst
Then he lays few fragments of tripa IL
the centre of each strip, rolls the whole
into the required shape, and then. taking
wrapper, rolls it spirally around the nov
completed cigar Ii an expert, he ha
made it precisely the right length. shape
| and size, without any trimming. Try you
own bungling hand at it. and you come
| to the conclusion that the manipulate
must be juggler as well as an artist
Besides educated hands, he must hay
| fingers with the Eensitiyeness OF antennae
an unerring eye, sound nerve, and a judi
cial nose.
The sorting of tobacco is done by work
| men of great judgment and experience, VIII
command the highest pay. At La Cabana
the official escojedo, or sorter OF wrappers
gets 81 a day, while the torcedores, o
twisters, receive an average of 81. Afte
being assorted, counted, and done up i
packages Of twenty-five the cigars ar
packed in boxes already branded as Re-
galias" ''Londres etc, and are ready 10
market. The names on the boxes mean
|, good deal more than the uninitiated ma
imagine. The ''Regalia Imperial" for ex
ample, is seven inches long and worth al
most its weight in gold. The "Trabues
, is a medium grade, short and thick, the ia
vorite of the Catalan shop keepers in Cuba
The Dana" is very small and delicate
, smoked by Cuban ladies, and by men be
tween acts of the opera. 1t is generall
, highly favored, by vanilla or some othe
extract. The "Vegueros, plantation
cigar. is made on the vegas Of the yer
best leaves, roughly twisted for the plant
ers' own use, and if sold at all, at th
i most exorbitant price.
FANNIE BRIGHAM WARD.
HE OBJECTS TO A SALOON.
Dennis Fitzgerald Alleges Viola