The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-12-13
The Cigarette.

"a number Of interesting letters have
been published In our afternoon contem-
porary as to who .:Has the first man
ufacturer Of cigarettes In this city. as
yet, the question has not boon decided; It
Is an opet, ono STILL It Is admitted, now
ever, that Allen & Ginter we're the first
persons to establish a factory here TO
produce cigarettes. Kinney, however. was
already in the field In Now York. Long
before that time, Of course, the cigarette
was In use in many parts Of the world.
especially among the Spanish and French.
The custom Of cigarette smoking had
made some advance here before the war;
but was nothing like as general Iii Rich
mond as 1t was In New Orleans Forty
or fifty years ago, at least. some OF tho
boys OF this city were In habit Of making
and smoking cigarettes, but having no
cigarette paper" they used paper OF
other grades rolled 1t and thon filled 1t
with smoking tobacco. Such cigarettes
the boys made for their own use, though
Il now appears that they placed some
for sale In the stores. Later on, Allen =
Ginter opened their factory.
The Mr.. Allen who was associated win
Mr.. Ginter was Mr. John i. Allen, VINO
was or had boon cigar manufacturer, and
who for q long time lived on the south
side Of Cary Street, near Fifth. in house
that stands far back In the yard. Directly
opposite Major Gnter bought an old
house and remodeled 1t at great expense
and made 1t one of the most luxuriously
furnished homes In the city. This Is the
house now occupied BY, Captain ". Cor
don McCabe.
The place OF business OF Allen Ginter
was for long time on FRANKLIN Street.
one square below tho Ballard House,
There they laid the foundation of their
fortune, and there in the beginning they
turned out cigars, cigarettes and smoking
tobacco.
Major Ginter foresuw the great future
OF the cigarette trade and was willing TO
make large expenditures to develop It,
but Mr.. Allen was moro conservative. lie.
| therefore, sold out his interest In the firm
| to Major GInter and retired with for
tune suited to his simple habits. The rest
of his useful and honorable life no spent
In ease and In tho enjoyment Of painting
and music.
we all know Major enters life his
tory; how creditable 1t was to him and
how valuable it was to Richmond, but
his old partner was also q worthy charac-
ter, deserving, too, to be gratefully re-
menabered. Mr.. Allen used his income AT
| the bidding OF his kind heart, and In hls
will generously remembered public char.
tiles as we'll as those dear ones whit
were dependent upon him.
The cigarette busenas grow and multi
/. piled, not only here, but In North Caro-.
lima. and North and West, Competition
was rife; the road was covered with theil
drummers, and fortunes were expended
annually In advertising. Thcn talk begar
to be heard about a consolidation, ant
the result was that the American To
9 bacco Company was formed. Major Gintel
Il opposed the proposition for sood "hlle
hut finally yielded. and all application TO-
charter for tho combination was made
TO the Virginia Legislature.
Our recollection Is that 1t was granted
I but upon a hue and cry being raised
steps were taken by the legislature t.
repeal 1t, pending which the compan,
went to New Jersey, and were there In
corporated, And there they yearly con
tribute to the public treasury neat lit
tie sum Of money In the shape OF cor
pora ton tax.
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