Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1907-04-17
THE Havana CIGAR INDUSTRY
THE OUTPUT is EXPRESSED
IN MILLIONS.
Long Hours Of The EMPLOYEES Talking
Is Prohibited Professional Reader
TO Entertain MOrkmen.
SMOKING A CHEAP LUXURY ON
THE ISLAND.


Tobacco ranks next to sugar in be-
ing the staple product Of the Island of
Cuba and is largely contributory TO
its wealth. We were told by lead
ing Cdban gentleman. in position
10 know whereof he spoke. that the
tobacco crop on the Island netted from
twenty TO thirty millions annually.
Every man who smokes knows what
Havana cigar is, and appreciates the
grade made here. Americans who
come 70 Cuba endeavor to take home
as many Havana cigars and cigarettes
as the customs regulations viii per-
init. BY the Treasury Decision 25. 100,
any passenger, whether American or
foreign. is entitled, free Of duty, TO
either fifty cigars or three hundred
cigarettes, any excess Is dutiable.
BY the word passenger, however,
must be meant male passenger as we
attempted 10 bring home the permitted
amount of cigars for relatives and
male friends, when we were told on
the transport that woman was not
allowed TO take any cigars from Cuba
to the United States unless she could
swear they were for her own personal
use, and might be asked to give an
occnlar demonstration.
We shuddered at the mere possibility
OF being made to smoke cigar, espec-
ially after stormy voyage and forth
with went down into our trunk, took
out the two boxes we were bringing
home with MS and consigned them TO
the care of male passenger who ex-
pressed them to us from Newport
News. But to return to.IIavana cigars,
the best grades OF which are made of
tobacco raised in the Vuelta Abajo
district. This comprises the Province
of Pinar del Rio, and the western
portion of the Province of Havana.
The statistics expressive of the cigar
and cigarette manufacture In Havana
Is estimated in millions. The indus.
try is prodigious.
During our stay in Havana there
was a strike among the employees of
the cigar factories. and we were un-
able to 20 through one. The strike
was because the employees demanded
To be paid in American money instead
of Spanish money, as they are now
paid They say the cigars are paid for
in American money, hence their rea-
sonable request. All tourists are per-
mitted visit factories IL they first obtain
permits for the inspection of the fac
tories. which permits are given upon
applicatior at the main Office. AT
tho Inglaterra Hotel we were amused
10 pick up circular with the follow
inc startling announcement "Par
I.nrranga Marga Indendiente de Ia
bacos de Vuella Abajo Manufacturado
Habana, established 1884. only
Cigar factory visited by President
Roosevelt's family when in Havana,
open to vitiors from 8 a. m. to 5 p.
m. except Sundays What members
of the Presidents family enjoyed any
of the cigars made here the circular
fails to state, but the fact that the
family did visit this factory seems to
be an advertising card for the firm.
The Henry Clay and Book Company
mt Havana are the largest tobacco con-
Germs in the world. Their annual out
put is estimated at eighty five million
cigars and one hundred and sixty
million cigarettes. The one cigarette
factory we were privileged TO visit
gave us an insight into the successive
steps which are taken by which the
raw leaf is converted into the finished
product. First there is the unfolding
of the baled leaf 1t is then moisten-
ed and stripped from the stem. The
leaves are then assorted according to
the lighter and darker shades. Then
begins the actual making of the cigar
or cigarette and the subsequent sort
ing, labelling, packing and sealing,
each of these several processes being
performed by workers whose def
fingers and skilled manipulation OF
their successive steps in the work
cannot fail to excite the admiration
of the visitors. The cigarette factory
we visited was the Havana Cigar
Company, situated on Paseo de Tacon
not far from the Botanical Gardens
| The courtesy shown us here was mark.
| ed as it was throughout our visi'
| everywhere we went while in Cuba,
| The manager is an American and :
| New Yorker. lie has been in Havana
| for number of years and is thorough
| ly familiar with the business of man
| ufacturing ciagrs and cigarettes, hav
| ing had considerable experience il
that line.
Instead OF first inspecting the depart
ments of interest on the lower floor
| in n cigarette factory one begins a
the top of the building and come
down. We were taken out on the roo
garden, place characteristic of al
buildings i'm Havana, and from her
we had beautiful view and com
manding outlook OF the city. On tn
top floor inside the factory, the tobacc'
is dried before ii can be used. an,
the odor that pervaded the entire floo
was almost suffocating. one coul'
scarcely get ones breath so heavil.
was the air charged with tobacc
fumes. The moist SHREDDED tobacco
placed in shallow wooden receptacles
row upon row and the air which free
ly circulates the building dries it in