Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1901-01-01


walks OF life. know "Chandlee," as
they call him. He is w. Il. Chandlee
("not w. L. Chandler, mind that" he
will tell your, and for thirty-six years
he has presided over the destines of the
little cigar store in the street front
OF the Ebbitt House. For eight years
before that time he was in charge Of
the cigar stand in the old Willard Ho-
tel. says the Washington Post.
He could frite an interesting book
on Famous Men and the Cigars They
Smoked" Indeed, he has contemplat-
ed such a work. but has never felt that
he could spare the time or undertake
the labor such an enterprise would in
volve. He takes pleasure in recounting
to friends and visitors incidents in his
career behind the cigar case, and has a
great fund OF "reminiscences Of the men
prominent in the nation, who have
dealt with him.
What Mckinley Smoked.
President Mckinley" he said while
he was a member of Congress, was one
of my best customers. He always
bought one brand of cigars. and bought
them in boxes of fifty. They had q
Havana filler and Sumatra wrapper
and cost him 81 hundred. He never
took the box out of the store. II was
always kept on a shelf back of the
counter, with his name on the box
Whenever he wanted any he woull
come in here and get handful. It was
generally Just before leaving the hotel
l don't think he ever smoked in his
room, out of difference to his wife's oh.
lection to the smoke. He spent four.
teen years in this hotel and | figure
that he smoked the same cigar when al
Canton. | used to ship them to hhr
there in 500 lots. At the rate OF fifty
week for fourteen years you can ses
1t would amount to 3G.400 at cost Of
s2,54S. After his election to the Presi.
dency in 1896 sent him a present Of
500 Of his favorites. and received very
graceful letter Of thanks. He has moi
bought any OF me since he was frs,
elected President. I don't suppose HI
has to buy cigars. know that all the
manufacturers OF cigars send him flint
samples OF their goods, and he get,
more in that way than even ten sucr
smokers as he is could consume.
Grant, HaIIeck and Hooker.
Il probably sold cigars to more ia
nous men during the eight years was
at old Willard's Hotel than durinl
the thirty-six years | have been here
Those were war times. and In thos,
days Willards was the h.adQuarterl
for all the army and navy men and tn,
statesmen and politicians OF the day
sold many a cigar to Grant, who al
ways picked out big, black one with
out asking the price and stuffed ;
handful into his pocket without count
ing them. Gen. Halleck and Hooker
we're also heavy smokers.
Senator Matt Carpenter OF Michi
gan, was one Of my best customers. Hi
bill was always 81 or SO a day. His IA
vorite was big two-for-a-quarter cl
gar. He would frequently come in ant
say: Well. Chandlee. give me a dol
| Iar'o north mara IN nuit IN ua alwa y,
talked about stopping; said that
smoking injured him, but he never did
stop. His monthly bill often amunt
ed to 500.
Gen. Robert Williams was another
good customer. He favored a ciga'
that cost 20 cents straight. He would
come by here on his way to the de
partment and get dollars worrh
Along in the afternoon would come
his orderly for couple Of dolla 3
worth more. His bill was always $6'
or $40 a month.
DIR. Bliss, Garheld's physician, Wal
such another smoker as Carpenter, onl,
he always wanted 25-cent cigar. LIKE
Carpenter, he complained Of the effec
of smoking, and often threatened t
stop, but never did. He got about $2.5'
worth a day. He said to me once
'Chandlee, l know this smoking is hurt
ing my heart. Sometimes at night as
lie in bed l can hear my heart groan
ing like the rusty hinges on a bari
door,
Judge Curtis ]. Hillyer has smoke
one brand for twenty-'hree years.
think that is the record for the smol;
ing Of one brand.
Bishop Satteclee is a regular Gus
toner. He likes Key West He is nc
what you would call hard smoker"
Mr.. Chandlee has noticed man
changes In his business during I'll
f3rty-four years he has been engage
in +.
Tobacco chewing has been decrea!
ing steadily for years" he said, IAN
the use of fine-cut tobacco for chew
ing has almost entirely ceased. r,
D dealers keep it. Twenty-Five or thirt
years ago it was one of the bigge'
. features Of my trade. Cigarettes, VINE
! was at Wizards, where not know
Now they take up almost third of m
space. Few scent cigars were sol