The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1903-11-27
NOTE BOOB. SKETCHES.

The death of Mr.. Orrin Pomeroy, which |
took place at his home in Fulton last |
week, again recalls to mind the intimate |
connection of the Pomeroy family with
the introduction of tobacco growing, not !
only in Wisconsin but Ohio as WE'LL In |
both states they were the pioneers in !
starting tobacco growing, which has
since spread to become such an import
ant farm product. More than sixty years
ago, in 1889, Orrin and Ralph Pomeroy
emigrated from Suffield, Conn, to Wayne
township in the Miami Valley, Ohio, and
grew the first crop of cigar leaf from seed
brought with them from Connecticut.
From this beginning tobacco as field
crop began to spread until now this
state is the third largest in production of
the country. In 1853 the Pomeroy broth
ers, Ralph, Orrin and William, settled on
adjoining farms in the town of Fulton
and began to cultivate tobacco the first
year with ten acre crop and at no sea-
son since has there been less than that
acreage grown on any one of the three
farms. Orrin Pomeroy has ever since
been one of the largest growers of to-
| bacco in the west. Some years ago the
Reporter published an account of visit
to the farm when 73 acre crop was be-
ing harvested and single field enclosed
80 acres of growing tobacco. Seven large
curing barns, more than 100 feet long,
were necessary to house the crop that
season. From the small beginning near
ly fifty years ago, thus outlined, tobacco
growing has continued to spread until
Wisconsin is now producing nearly
10000 acres annually. Thus the credit
of introducing this industry now yield
| ing a revenue of several million dollars,
j,'belongs to the Pcmeroy family. VIM T.
Pomeroy of GAINESVILLE, is the only sur
viving member of the three brothers who
were pioneers in two states.
~
I Growers no are wondering why the
new crop is not moving at this season
when buying is usually we'll under way,
should read the communication publish
| ed in another column which discusses
the situation from the buyers stand
point, and they will doubtless reach
some kind of a solution to their inquiry.
The matters complained of in this arti-
Gle are pretty strongly stated and prob
/ oh har dati IN foot
There is no one who feels the force of
/ the argument like a dealer who has
pocketed a good big loss through the
troubles complained Of. It is a we'll
known fact that the filler end of the last
two crops has proven a source of loss
| and vexation to the packers of Wiscon-
sin leaf. It is hardly reasonable that
they will go on and repeat the unfortu
nate experiment again this season when
the situation is no more favorable. If
| filters are to be taken with the crop at
all in this seasons contracts, it is quite
likely that growers must be prepared to
accept less price than heretofore. The
communication aims to encourage grow
ers to exercise more care in preparing
their crops for market, and in this re-
spect the warning should be needed. If
it be true as stated, that much of the
damage from must is due to the indefen-
| sible practice of sprinkling snow Or wat
er onto the tobacco, the criticism is none.
too severe and those who are guilty of
the practice deserve to be exposed. To
preserve the best relations between all
engaged in the tobacco industry spirit
of fairness must exist.
| ~
Commenting on the effect of the Sut-
ter failure in the eastern trade circles,
New York exchange says: "And what
is the trade in New York saying of the
great failure? Firstly, that it is the
largest on record. It beats the famous
100000 M. & E. Salomon failure of six
teen years ago by 100000. The Suffers
have a previous failure of their own
which was rather ambitious. It was the
the second in their history and caught
number of the biggest leaf houses of this
city for large amounts. These houses
have long memories and some or them
never ceased the attacks they made on
Suffers when they resumed business
These attacks undoubtedly crippled the
credit of the Suffers, and it is the fact
that in this city they owe very little
money, practically none at all in the leaf
market, though it is thought they are
heavily indebted to merchants in Hol-
land for Sumatra and in Cuba for Ha-
vana. Full details of the liabilities of
| the house will not be known until the
report of Receivers Niblack and Pearson
is published. What the general effect
of this gigantic failure will be on the
trade as whole is still question. To
conservative merchants it will be whole
some rather than harmful because dem
onstrating that old methods in the leaf
trade are better than the new ones in
| augurated and aggressively conducted
| by Sutter Bros"