New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-04-24
MAKING PLUG TOBACCO.
Scenes Among Workers IN Big
Richmond Factory.

ez kin see machinery s gwine do way wild de
Niger" was the sagacious remark of son or
Ham as he disapprovingly contemplated the re-
Gently perfected 'stemminE machine his boss was
experimenting with IN his tobacco factory
All sorts of short cuts to labor are being fash
toned in machinery and Southern negroes are con-
stantly having fat lob wrested from them
by the introduction OF some labor saving device
It is FOR this that n visit TO a Kichnohd
VA tobacco factory which has not yet succumbed
10 the destinations such devices. and whose pay
roll OF hundreds of hands Is not small, may
prove OF interest.
The investigation OF plug tobacco factory
begins on the outside. not account Of any
popularity In the architecture Of the building itself
but because OF the delicious odor OF seasoning
which pervades the atmosphere around II and
sails the ncstrils for several blocks before the
building has been reached. II is an indescribabie
mixture Of orris corice Strawberries and tobacco.
mingled In delicate proportions by every warm
south wipd that blows f-om the river. Lured by
its perfume the writer turned into side street.
narrow and cobble paved. and found himself at the
Office OF the biggest tobacco factory in Richmond
Here the general manager or boss az he is
commonly called offered TO show the writer over.
Entering huge freight elevator, they began
operations on the top floor. TO which sliding door
gave access The room first entered resounded with
the hum OF voices and the low clink-cllnk OF ma
chnery At the upper end the tobacco was heaped
in great brown piles over the floor and at each
pile sat dozen or TWO picturesque loOhlhs negro
men and women engaged in sorting the leaves into
smaller heaps These according TO the boss"
were the sorters whose business was to separate
the light tobacco from the dark I'VE use these
bright yellow leaves cbrights. We call them as
wrappers for the plugs. and II is the kind OF to-
bacco exclusively used in cigarette factories The
light mahogany goes into the highest priced plugs
and the darkest brown into the inferior grades the
cheap plug such sure. old Uncle Jonas
there has in his pocket"
Uncle Jonas" a grizzled old darkey OF befo-ds-
wah type, pulled out the questionable brand and
looked at II affectionately Dis good nur fuh me-
he said grinnng lavishly no held 1t up for
inspection
How long have you been working herer'
asked.
Wall. sab. nineteen yeah. orn on"
What do you mean By Off and ONT Don't they
give you steady job?"
"Oh. vas, sab; faint dat. or ginrully means
gittin' drunk er gittin' mailed Dey is two things
had tub resis. marster, en- one is likely tub cur
ez tother My wife is down wild de fnal-come-
en-git-us.' ne added. wagEing his head from side
to side.
What does he mean?" the visitor asked.
Spinal meningitis" explained the boss brief
ly "Jonns is old reprobate."
They made their way TO the further end OF the
room, where in enormous vats the sweet smelling
seasoning Of Icorlce and other ingredients was
simmering. 1--WE buy our lcorice by the tom
said the boss" pointing to the huge Jumps near
the vat. III is melteQ mere anu Carried lnIOubA
pipes to little sprayers. which you see overhanging
those big copper cylinders. Then, you notice.
the tobacco Is tossed INTO the cylinders. which
slowly revolve till each leaf is thoroughly sat
urated with the seasoning. and 1t lis then tossed
out and falls through these chutes the
floor where we will follow and sec what becomes
of it, But first, ! must introduce you to the only
white woman in the leaf department OF course.
there are many in the labelling rooms. but this
good old soul has helped to superintend these
darkeys for thirty years or more.
Miss Phelia Ann Ut is not necessary to mention
that she hailed originally from Erin) showed her
two teeth and broad sxpanse OF gum
"Oi r-remeber Misther Jeems here, hin he WORE
kits" she said. smiling anectionately at the
boss" land II liver he needs q Recommendation
to any young Teddy. let him me for Z Through
two foires and two changes OF bosses do l rimmber
him. an the best thing say him Is. he's
his feythers own son." and shs dropped US a deep
curtsey.
But what a constitution you must have had to
stand so many years of hard work. the visitor
said glancing at her frail. Bingham clad anatomy.
Her faded eyes had a glmmer of tho "ould coun-
thry' In them she answered. Faith thni it
amt the constitution that does the work.: It's the
resolution"
On the next floor women were feeding the sweet
ened stun to revolving dryers, half long and
wide the roof. from which 1t emerged soft and
plable, be seized by the steamers. who de-
prived 1T Of its backbone These stemmers wore
small nickel thimbles their thumbs. which n
abled them to seize the end OF the peel It
quickly from the leaf. They paid by the
pound and the deftest workers among them aver
aged from rs cents to 81 day.
Negroes of all ages, sizes and both sexes were
engaged in s:emming, and I noticed small pick
aninny OF twelve fourteen. who worked without
the thumbpiec- and OF the best hands
among them
What do you smell now?" asked the boss"
as we descended to the next floor
Peaches" said the visitor, with luxurious
snIY .and--'' Stop. stopr' he cried, laughing
cor you will guess all our secrets You probably
do not know that the recipes for the different
brands of tobacco are Invaluable. and that some
of the most famous suits decided In Southern
courts have been those relating to tobacco recipes
No housekeeper of the olden time ever boarded the
hand-me- down recipes of her great ndmother
religiously as we do for the different brands
e enb.1 nv trad ran