The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-03-03
C|GAR-MAK|NC
IN RICHMOND
1t Is One OF the Most Profitable
Industries and scatters Much
Money.
TH1RTY-sEvEN FACTORIES
Largest Cigar Factory in America
Located in This
City.

It is prOha BILE that very few peopla
know 1T, but the fact fs that the cigar
business of Richmond Is tremendoua
factor in the industrial situation. Therel5
are in this city thrty-seven factories
engaged In the manufacture OF cigars.
cheroots and cigarettes, and these thir-
Ety-scven factories employ not lees than
six thousand people. who turn loose
Il great deal of money in the retail
stores every week
Al a matter of course, the American
Cigar Company. which is sometimes
called the trust. is the largest estab-
lishmcnt in Richmond, and, as mat
ter of fact, 1t Is the largest cigar
factory in the United States. Thera
arc factories in cha and l'ropab'y
some in Mexico that are larger. enn-
rloying more hands AID turn out more
goods than the Richmond factory OF
|lhe American Cigar Company. but It
| is n fact that perhaps few Richmond
people know that this establishment -
| the largest in the United States
They have just completed a large adds
! ton to their already mammoth building,
and it is called the Whitlock Branch sf
| the American Cigar Company. 1t IS sit
/ mated an Twenty third Street. extending
| from Main to Cary. This concern fur
nshes steady employment to two thous-
| and wage-carners. The factory IS cons
| coded TO be the most perfectly equipped
| Of It's class in the world. III the CONSTRUCT
! ton of the building no expense has been
/ spared. and the hundreds OF employees are
protected with the most modern hygiento
and sanitary conditions.
). The Uniform heat is maintained by
drawing air from the roof and forcing the
same over hot coils of pipes by means
/ fn. ft1nt hon
ed air through ducts made in the wall
into the various depa rtments. The floors
are all Of hard wood, and are kept abb
! solutely clean at all times. ss
\ A visitor going through this factory
i would be impressed with the fact. that
on acconnt of the absolute cleanliness
OF the entire building and equipment, the
cheroots and cigars produced therein
i should be Very good.
But the interest taken by the company
in the arrange,nents for their employees
/ Is more worthy of comment.
They have recognized the fact that
to obtain the very best labor, it ia
necessary to provide for The comfort
1 Of the laborers. Therefore they have
made their immense factory building
perfect in all respects. The hygienio
conditions and the arrangements for
tho comfort of all the employees are
i simply perfect.
/
1 Richmond. which include cheroot man
i ufacturins. which are regarded in law
as cigars, paid to the United States
1 government last Year in the matter
OF taxes the sum of $7s7,549.41, which.
means that the th;rty-seven factories
made and sent out to be smoked up
very nearly 2.Ooo,o0O,n00 of cigars
Tie cigarette product OF Richmond
for the past year amounted to more
than the cigars.
1 The Allen and Ginter department. nk
tho American Tobacco Cigar Company,
g which is really the only cigarette fao-
tory In Richmond, paid the United
states government in taxes last year
: s9s2 .56sso, This fncto ry employs cutie
as mary wage-earners as the CLEAR
factory on Twenty-ttird Street. and In
Inn respects it. Is as we'll arranged LOT
the comfort OF the employees
Tie thirty six factories In Rlehmon y
,yhich make cigars. Their than that DC
. the American Cigar Colnpany employ
ebout three thousand hands, and their
weekly payroll Is in the neignnor.
i rood Of ten thousand dollars. Ehat -
y the American Cigar Company IS quita
q rs much. 1t will thus be seen tnat
!, the people who smoke cigars pay
ycrv handsome tribute to the ahduss
| trial interest of Rtcnmond. 5s