Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-05-21
GOVERNMENT SELLS
TOBACCO OF ALIENS
of Weed Purchased for Aus
trian Government Brings
1924, ,710.3O.
MANY BUYERS TAKE PART
High Prices Are Realizcd-Manufac-
turcrs and Dealers Show Need Of
Stock and Acquire ALI They Can
Get Their Hands On.

That was some leaf tobacco sale yes
terday morning in the old Tobacco EN-
change on Shockoc Slip. Thirteenth
Street extended. In the short space
Of one hour and half 3,ls2 hogsheads
aggregating in weight 4.340,638 pounds
and In addition several thousand four
or five-pound samples aggregating
about 10000 pounds were sold. This
tobacco averaged s23.55 per 100 pounds
and was bought by four concerns. The
amount OF money it took to pay for
the entire lot was Sl.024,719.30. It was
all sold by sample.
This tremendous lot OF tobacco was
originally bought by agents, principally
in Virginia markets. for the Austrian
government. 1t was Of the crop grown
in 1915. and was purchased on the
dark tobacco markets OF Virginia
notably Richmond. Lynchburg. Farm
willie, Blackstone, brakes Branch and
Dillwyn. in the latter part ot 1915 and
the early part of 1916. and worked up
and packed in the latter year and
placed on storage in Richmond, Lynch
burg and Baltimore for shipment to
Austria after the war" small part
of the lot was OF Eastern Ohio-grown
firc-cured tobacco. of the semi -Burley
type. There were 22s hogsheads OF
this type, weighing 1880 pounds. All
tho balance was of the Old Virginia
long dark. shipping tobacco grown in
Southside Virginia.
SEIZED BY GOVERNMENT
AS ALIEN PROPERTY
After this country got into war with
Austria the tobacco belonging to that
government, as we'll as other property
of the dual monarchy, was declared to
be allen property" and the United
States government seized il. 1t has
since then been held by Uncle Sam's
agents, known az alien property GUS
todians. John NJ. Taylor. tobacconist,
of Richmond, has had direct charge OF
the samples for soma time past, and
has exhibited them to all prospective
bidders Uncle Sam waited until the
close OF the regular tobacco selling
season before Offering these confiscated
goods for sale, rs he did not wish TO
go into the tobacco business in compe-
tition with the farmers of Virginia.
The sale was announced to commence
in the old Tobacco Exchange. at 10
o'clock yesterday morning. and long
before that hour the room was well
filled with tobacco men from all parts
OF the country. Every Virginia mar
ket and several Of those OF North Car
olina were represented and there were
present tobacconists from New York,
New Jersey. Louisville, Baltimore. Gin
cinnati and perhaps other points. All
OF them did not expect to be bidders on
the weed the government had to offer
but such big sale Of tobacco, to be
made under circumstances never before
heard of In this country naturally at
tracted tobacco men from all the mar
kets They could at least see an auc-
ton sale the like OF which never be-
fore occurred in Virginia, and then
too, they could gather an Idea as to
the value the large manufacturing and
shipping concerns OF the country are
placing on tobacco at this time These
men spent tho time before the auction
sale commenced, critically examining
the more than 5000 SAMPLES that were
spread out in the exchange. and all the
while there was a busy scene.
The sale was In the charge OF AIr.
Taylor. and Joseph a. Eower Vice.
president OF the Liberty National Bank
of New York. who acted as auct'onecr.
Mr.. Bower is one OF tina. army of pa
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