The Washington times., 1905-02-13
SNUFF DIPPING
on The INCREASE
Two Million Women Ad-
dicted to the Habit.
20,157,58O POUNDS OUTPUT
Over Million Pounds Annual In
crease-Little Used IN
City.


In the recent annual report of john
W. Yerkes, Commissioner of Internal +
Revenue, the official figures show that
in every year for the last six or eight
years there has been a great increase
in the production and consumption OF
snuff.
The statistics show conelusively that
Instead of decreasing the practice OF
snuff dipping is increasing among the
women of the country Snuff is becom-
ing more popular among the women JUST
as the use of tobacco is among the /
men.
The report of the Commissioner OF IN |
ternal Revenue shows an increase in the |
production and consumption OF all kinds |
OF tobacco goods. More cigars, cigar |
cites. and chewing tobacco were manu- |
featured during the twelve months which
ended June 80. 1904. than in any year III
the history of the country.
Women Use It.
The fact. however, that snuff is used
almost entirely among the women folks
adds considerable interest to the state
ment that there is great increase IN
the production and consumption OF this
form of tobacco
For the fiscal year 1901, the snuff mills
of the country produced 1861, $40 POUNDS
of snuff most of which was consumed
During the next two years this amount
was increased by about million pounds
each year, until in 1903 the production
amounted TO Is. .S40.T49 pounds
For the fiscal year ended June so, 1904
The production was 20, Isl, $50 pounds. or
an increase of 1,3165s3a= pounds for one
year. The internal revenue collection on
This production of snuff was s., ,209, ASA So
an increase of SIS, ,999. so over the previous
year.
For the calendar year 1903, the pro-
duction of snuff was greater than for the
fiscal year 1901. The production was
p 6Ss, 767 pounds, as compared with
IS es2 341 for the calendar year 1892. This
shows an increase of 4,o0I, ,426 pounds for
the year.
Consumption Equals Production.
The Internal Revenue Bureau has not
been able to collect positive figures on
the consumption OF snuff, but the con-
sumption as far can be ascertained Is
almost equal to the production
According to a semi official statement,
the consumption of snuff in the United
States IN 1903 amounted to about 0.00o,-
e0G pounds, or an average OF about one
pound to every female in the country old
same source. there are about 2.00O COG
women who are almost slaves to the
habit OF dipping snuff
SNUFF is principally used among the
women of the coal mining districts OF
Pennsylvania: in the fishing villages OF
the East, and the mountains or the
South. Wherever the women forced
bv circumstances to do hard manual la
bor as is the case with the wives and
daughters of miners, fishermen and
mountaineerS, the habit of dipping snuff
is likely to be found strongly en-
trenched as smoking and chewing among
the men.
ducing State in the Union. The produc-
tfon in this State in 1903 amounted TO g.
232. .u29 pounds. Next TO Tennessee stands
New Jersey, which produced 5,955, ,115
pounds, and close to the latter stands
Delaware. The mills IN this State ground
5,314,15s pounds Of snuff in 1903.
Shipped Away.
In New Jersey and Delaware, however,
most Of the snuff is exported TO other
States, where it is consumed, but in
Tennessee most of the product is con-
suned by the women in the mountain
districts of the State.
Massachusetts also makes a good deal
OF snuff. The production there in 1906
was :, ,494 POS pounds, which was sold to
q large extent among the fishing viii
lages along the New England coast.
The history of snuff-taking is perhaps
more Interesting than the discovery oil
tobacco itself. Sir Walter Raleigh was
the man who started tobacco smoking
in England. and the faabit soon spread
all over the kingdom and into Europe
despite the efforts of King James to
stop IL
Snuff taking, however. did not originate
IN England. II was started in France
about 1910. during the reign of Charles
TX. An ardent courier wishing Il
please the wicked Queen Catherine de
zpEzft xaf
fumed snuff. and taught the Queen how
10 use it. 1t soon became practice
among the knights and ladies of heI
court 10 snin the stuff up their noses
and under her favor the habit spread
all over the country.
England Takes to It.
In England the physicians had for
many years favored practice of eject
ing various pungent Preparations up the
nostrils as relief for colds and tc
clear the passages of the nose To the
English people, therefore, snun was q
Godsend. and pretty soon it had become
as strongly fortified among the British
as the French The French people called
the preparation ''L'Herbe de la Reine >
but the English people gave It the plain
term which has ciung to it until this
day
King James the Scotch Solomon, and
King Louis XIV of France. vainly tried
to stop the pfaetiee OF snnH taxing, but
10 no avail There was no stopping the
habit The tickling sensation produced
by the snuff passing up the nostrils was
d sufficient fascination TO cause men
and women TO brave monarch'S wrath
Snuff taking soon became a sign OF
nobility. Any man or woman who did
not use snuff was considered com
moner.
The gentlemen became as particular
about the beauty and splendor of their
snuff boxes as they were about the
shape and strength of their rapiers
The ladies, too. were fond OF their snuff
As early as 1850 is written by d
poet-knight of the day:
She that with sweet tobacco will not
prime
Her nose. can be no lady OF the time "
Stained Nose of Quality.
a stained nose, therefore, was the
badge which marked lady Snufr mer-
chants became as popular and wealthy