New-York tribune., 1907-06-26
Cuban CIGARS SCARCE.
NEW YORK DEALERS OUT.
Hauana Strike Causes Dealers to
Resort to Substitution.

Innorters iobbers and retailers Of Havana cigars
in this city say that the crisis in that Hluus''
which has been expected for some time IN coiiSe-
o,erce Of the cigarmakers' strike in havana mas
come and that condition exists IN 'he uauo ''e'
for which there has never been paraleI- Inc
most popular sizes of some of the pest 9 hl9" -
bronds of Cuban cigars have become eA Ailaus'st 80
- % -tors and resort is had to substitution
The latest news from Havana is that 'he =, 80
are holding firmly for an increase , -. tss,,e4
cont in wages while the manufacturers nave lSsu ~
&c tbeir rtimatum an offer OF a per cent INC
Dealers in New York see no hope OF -
before the end of the strike, which began 49,, u"
ruary ana affects 10000 men Inc "oi ttaai ~
that they be paid in American money liis'esle -,
Spanish currency, between WIlch 'lie'' - " 80
ence In value OF 10 per cent. .,- - ,ne
trade as 10 the apparent indifference OF the
manufacturers TO the depletion OF thelr Slo0NS a.
are agreed mat the strike will be OF great peleht
10 the factories in the United States 1'','-'s ,i
clear Havana cigars. so the famine VIII pe nm I'M
tied 10 the imported article. 1t is declared III so
quarters that the trust embraced the opportunity
presented by the strike to work OH n large supp
cigars held in bond and which nave nave ld ~, no ~
There are a few importers who nave Il Supl'S -. "a
bond and who do not fear the shortage. Oie u
these concerns is the Waldorf-Astorla Clgar Oolii
we will supply ell the demands made on US
said an officer of the company yesterday ana
he added If the strike holds out longer & nan IA
Havana made cigars do then the Key west anu
osher American factories VIII get chanc'.
But not many importers and dealers find them
elk In advantageous
Company for Instance. finds ltselt uiaole 10 III
orders for perfectos Of the best known prahos
which are the greatest in demand Inc ftoya
Company Is the depository Tor the 1idVtHld y"
bacco Company, which is known as the imported
Cigar Trust" On the other hand, the Unled
cigar stores COMPANY controlled BY the Ameri-
can Tobacco Company. will sell its supply Of popu-
lar cigaSs only at retail. This shortage, howeV~r
is not confined the goods manufactured by the
trust for the operatives in the Independent fac
tories went on strike in May, and have tied UP
that branch Of the trade
There is a hint that tho Havana manufacturers
are not at all disconnected the shutting down
OF their factories. for the last crop OF Nuelta
Aha 10 tobacco from which the clear Havana cigar
is made was not of the best, and is scarce The
cron was damaged by untimelv rains, and the sup
ply IS not what 1t should be. BY the time the new
tobacco Is ready the strike will have been ended
the factories will have disposed OF the stored
up odds and ends
The prediction is made that prices will be ad-
vanced II the demand of the strikers is finally
acceded to- which It is the general belief VIII hap
pen AS for the strikers, they are In position 70
hold they are receiving snbstahtial support
from their fellow workers IN the United states II
was learned yesterday that every Cuban cigar
maker in this city is contributing 81 eacE week 10
4be sr,pport OF his compatriots In Havana Even
when they do get back TO their benches II WI! ne
some time before the market is again fully sup
piled. ~ ,. -. !,
hos come NAV be judged from the methods adopted
~, trust agents IN canvassing the retail trade.
Their argument has been; 49,,
"TF YOU order now we will deliver what we nave
,,t r. YOU weit until after July We Will not guar
arte. deliveries. ,
rto customer however. is fortunate to receive
nc 80 nc order A dealer showed Tribune re-
nortcr a large size cigar OF a wen known ortn'i, am
- ,ba remark that there were only 100 OF these
ci~ars IN New York. In Europe. where the supply
of tIayana cigars is never as large rs mere. the
h,aea r,tlI he fcit even more Since the be
-iDr,ne NJ the year the failing off in shipments OF
ia-n frnn1 Havana compared with last year
amounts 10 4l2i,4h -, G., ,,.,u r,c
carlos Behrens, proprietor Of FL sol cigar lac-
torv in Havana which is one of the largest or the
ip,.nendent concerns who IS no" IN Nv \ % ~. ~
said to "A representative Of the Chl'eo s'd'es 10
bacco Journal: -, ,,.. =,
TIE price of imported IaTana cigars must IN IN
,,f,ablv be raised within the next few months oH
INC othcr hand the cigars will be the best since
1881 Even should the strike be orousht 10 :"
ene,6y aad satisfactory conclusion INC cigar ih@-
,ractiiring industry Of Cuna would sun 0e III idI
from an ideal condltloa. For the last yoal or 50
tho manufacturers have had hard row 10 noe.
7 c-o not overstating when | say mat the iiFeiiSe
factory has been manufacturing al an act"n ] I,TS
of q a thousand The reason for this IS oi courSp'
tho enormous advances in the price q. tooacco.
Nor Is tber, ar- prospect of leaf prices decinl1s
for = long lime to come. Never was there so little
tobacco IN Cuc2.