The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1903-09-04

tobacco in Wisconsin consists of what is
| known as binder tobacco. 1t is asserted
| that the product is equal to the best
quality of Connecticut tobacco and that
| it is SO regarded by the great cigar man
| ufacturing concerns Of the country. Eff
| forts have been made to raise what is
known as filler tobacco the finer grades
| used in the manufacture of the better
quality cigars. Attempts made to grow
| Havana tobacco in this section have
been abandoned as impracticable, on ac-
| count of the climatic competition of
Florida, Cuba and the semi-tropics. 1t
is contended that experiments in raising
| good filler tobacco now being conduct
ed by the Wisconsin experimental sta
ton will prove of incalculable benefit to
this state. This work is being conducted
to large extent by the Wisconsin de-
partment, reinforced by the department
of agriculture at Washington, and tobac-
co men are watching the progress of the
work with great interest.
CIGAR MANUFACToRY POSSIBLE.
So far as the tobacco interest is con-
cerned, locally, an effort is being made
to secure the location of large cigar
mandatory here. 1t is claimed that at
least SIC, 900 could be saved at this one
point alone if the tobacco was stripped
here, and that Edgerton affords most ex-
cellent advantages for the location of
factory necessitating this work being
done here, and it is claimed that it is
only question of time when some of the
large tobacco concerns of the country
will locate one of their plants at this
;o hot 81
pounds of tobacco are shipped from here
to the factories in the east and that it is
only within the limits of good business
judgment to expect that the manufac
turers will come nearer to the supply of
the material they use.
n community in which from 100000
to 100000 is distributed annually, in
one industry alone, must be prosperous
community. Wisconsin tobacco towns
are certainly prosperous, and this condi-
ton is reflected by the farming section
surrounding them. 1t would be difficult
to find anywhere a richer agricultural
section than the tobacco belt of Rock
and Dane ties. While it is not every
year that the farmers receive 10 and II
cents a pound for their crop, and there
are partial crop failures and damages
from storms and other retarding infu-
ences to contend with, in the main to-
bacco production is profitable and the
farmers have grown wealthy by engag
ing in the industry.
In this conclusion it should not be
forgotten that the important factor in
the upbuilding of this industry in Wis
consin has been the railroads. AS the
great cheese and butter industry of the
state has been fostered by the railroads
by the giving of exceedingly favorable
freight rates to what are known as con-
centrating points, at which the product
in less than carload lots from wide
range of country is gathered, so in the
tobacco industry the same plan has been
pursued.
SPECIAL RATE A HELP.
Taking the basic tobacco centers of
Wisconsin to be Edgerton, GAINESVILLE,
Stoughton, and Madison, buyers from
these places canvas every section where
tobacco is grown. Purchases made at
the smaller points in the state aggregate
many millions of pounds annually and
this product is accumulated at the points
named, sorted and fitted for shipments
| to the eastern markets. A concentrating
| rate is made on all shipments to these
points. Iflocal freight rates governed,
| this could not be done.
1t clearly follows that the tobacco pro-
ducers, the farmers of the state, receive
the benefit of this, for under local tariffs
the extra cost of transportation would
| have to come out of the price paid them.
| Tobacco men from here purchase the
| product grown in Vernon county and
stored in local warehouses. This prod
uct is shipped to Edgerton and there
fitted for the market. This same condi
ton prevails in the tobacco purchased
at many of the different points through
Rock and Dane county
AS an evidence of the Importance of
| this concentrating rate to Edgerton as
shipping point, it can De stated that the
shipments of tobacco from this station
alone aggregate train load per week to
manufacturing centers and to the sea-
board