Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-03-26
MANUFACTURING CIGARS IN TAMPA
One OF the Days Best Cartoons.
ny FREDERIC J. HAskIN.

but the American may. nevertheless
got :, worth while idea from their
methods. For tho philosophical Latin
knows how TO make work both pleas
ana picturesque, His shop is a long
room on AN upper toor finely lighted
and ventilated -Four hundred nsn
ana women arc seated at long benchc.
working with dcXtcrous rapidity At
frequent intervals along the benche.
arc tail pottery water jugs with LONE
hcGks These are the original and
primitive sanitary drinking vessels
When the roller Is thirsty he lifts tn,
lus high In the air. invcrts 1, and
deity catches the falling stream In
MS mouth without ever touching his
lips 10 the vessel
Near tho center OF the room IL scat
Cd portly Spaniard. reading loudly
ana dramatically from a Spanish ro-
nance. lie uses plenty OF gestures and
sets All worked UP over the story
80 do his hearers They laugh, his.
ana Otherwise express their emotion.
a. the story goes forward When II i
over tho room is filled with a buzz OF
comment and criticism. In the morn.
ing tho reader will read from news
papers and periodicals. so that IN.
workers. may keep Thoroughly posted
on current events and In the after
noon hct'on is in order The worker.
thcrn contributing small sum weekly.
and n" frequently earns as much ,r
S1n or $50 week. Ills career as a
reader - unusualiy not many years
long, however. for he is compelled 70
Shout ut the top o, his lungs. and r..
soon loses his voice FOR all time. There
~ an occasional exception. however.
one reader here has been holding forth
daily tor twenty years. The material
To he read is prepared by u bureau for
tho purpose.
The cigar business has working
hours all its own. The days work be
girs At and continues until q when
the force goes home for breakfae,
Trey como back NJ 10 and work until
DO. when they :" 10 supper. Only
IN" Two meals ar" eaten, but coffee IL
served four o. i've times day. Most
OF the workers are indcfatiEable sinok-
orS Each OF them is allowed three
cigars day, upon which no revenue
tax need u. paid, but many Of them
smoke ten or nftecn. aud some Of them
twenty. TN" foreman Of tho Largest
factory here. q short, fat Spaniarl il
literally never seen without a cigar OF
heroic PROPORTIONS in his mouth Iie
lights each one OF tho last stump. Hi.
smoking is not altogether for pleas
nrc; IN the course OF a day he samples
tn" product Of number Of different
workers. The ci.ar roller is a we'll
paid worker, making from SD to $50
week. according to his skill lie has
70 serve AN apprenticeship OF four
Years before he becomes a journcyman
lie - paid bv the piece and go cigars
ls considered good days work.
These Spaniards live In West Tampa
where there are about 10000 OF them.
"nd in Yhor City. where there are about
$1,000. Both of these are typical Span
ish towns. with Spanish theatcrs. coffc.
shops and clubs Tho latter include
.ttIZ
insurance and dement's. and tho high
class clubs or the owners and man
ayers. many of which are affiliated
with Cuban organizations Although
the Spaniards aud Cubans live pretty
much to themselves in their little
cities there are many marriages be.
tween Spanish or Cuban girls and
Americans. The senoritas are decidedly
attractive. and they have discovered
that their Latin compatriots, while
vcry adept ana eloquent at Iove-mak-
ing. are not nearly as steady In the
matrimonial harness as the American
Youths. Hence intcrmarriage proceeds
apacc, and with apparent satisfaction
TO both parties.
The tobacco is stripped in Cuba.
where most of the large firms have
their warehouses. 1t is then sewed IN
IN bales made of linen. which costs
4" cents yard, and shipped to this
country. The ladies OF Tampa arc able
TO purchase this linen at II cents u
YARD. and 1t ii in great demand for
making dresses.
I'm important figure in tho tobacco
business is tho revenue collector. ono
OF them Is provided for each firm Ia
see That the revenue stamp Is duly at.
liked TO every box Of cigars. This OF.
iicsr carries the keys to the factor
opens IL every morning and locks II
every night. and the proprietor himself
may not enter it. unless accompanied
by the revenue man. when the -iyarg
have been duly sorted and packed In
POKE" these arc placed i'll large car.
tons. which arc closed with both
cords and straps. and carefully sealed
me railroads viii not accept them for
shipment any other way: for there is
no other commodity which is SO read
ny stolen IN transit If there Ia the