The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-11-09
TOBACCO BELT
 ;CETSBIC SLICE 3-OF PROSPERITY
Prices Up 6 to IS Cents and North Carolina Has
 Bumper Crop
BY CHILES COLEMAN Unlted Press Stan CNrresnanAAnl

OuASoW KESS8 9t0M OVgEG8EVuUeub
 Raleigh, N. C., l;ov. g -. (Up) = While the rest of Dixie is worrying over the doldrums of the cotton market, farmers of the North Car oltna tobacco belt are experiencing one of their best seasons in his- tory.
 With prices averaging from 6 to 1b cents Q pound higher than last year and Q record crop in sight, Tar Heel growers expect to realize Sl30,000, 900 or more from sale of the golden leaf. Less thar half Uf the estimated crop of 600, 100000 pounds has been hauled to tho auction floors, but already farm- CTS have received $68, 1908 in cash from the buyers of the big tobacco companies.
 Since 1t Is the usual procedure to sell the low grade tobacco early tn the season and save the choice leaf for the final months, tobacco experts predict that the yet un- marketed part of the crop will bring even higher prices. The mar- keting season continues through the winter until about Feb i.
 Grown on Small Farms
 North Carolina produces about three-fourths of American flue- cured tobacco. Most of is Is growu on small farms, and 1t Is oil mar keted at open auction in upward of 30 North Carolina cities. Ths farmers haul wagon and truck loads of leaf to large warehouses, where 1t is stacked In long rows. Then the auctioneer ard sets Uf buyers move down the rows, each pile being sold to the highest hid- der.
 Last year the average price paid for Q pound of tobacco on North Carolina markets was slightly more than 22 cents. This season, the auctions opened Ut 26 cents Q pound and have been steadily rise ing. Statisticians predict the aver- age for the entire season will be nearly 36 cents c pound.
 Buying Market Rooms
 The steady flow of cash from Ehe giant tobacco companies - Reynolds, American, Imperial and the others - Is the lifeblood of North Carolina commerce and business of oil kinds. Tobacco farmers with hundreds and some- times thousands of dollars in their pockets for the first time in Q year are ready spenders, and they quickly make oil the purchases that have been delayed during tho planting and harvesting seasons.
 New automobiles, washing ma chimes, new clothes, furniture, farm implements, as well as many smaller necessities and luxurieS, attract the flood of tobacco dol. lars. The resulting commercial awakening is felt by every business man and tradesmAn In the state.
 The unusually high prices this year, coupled with the bumper crop, have heightened tho effect Of the seasonal boom in the state.
 Vast Manufacturing Business
 Located in the state also are tho largest cigarette and tobacco Ynan- ufacturing plants in the world, and they contribute to the fall up. swing of business by employing large numbers of mon and women, North Carolina tobacco factories this year will manufacture more than Sb00,0o0,000 worth of cigar. cites alone, In addition to smoking tobacco, snuff and chewing to- baceo.
 State and Federal governments take their share of the flood of tobacco money. Tn addition to its direct tobacco taxes, the state government receives revenue from q 3 per cent general sales tax, which Is greatly increased by the stimulated retail business of the marketing season. The Federal government collects more than S300o00,o00 annually in the state, most of which 1 the excise tatx o,i cigarettes,