State

September 21, 1935 THE STATE The Story of Tobacco MOST North Caro¬ linian* are ac¬ quainted with the fact that we rank first in production and value of the tobacco crop, first in the manufacture of tobacco product# and that we have the largest markets and factories in the world. But this is as fur as the knowledge of the majority of us goes. Of the history of this mammoth in¬ dustry. we an- woefully ignorant and we have little conception of what the industry actually means to the state. The early settlers in North Carolina found tobacco growing wild in the fields. After becoming addicts to the smoking habit through association with the Indians, they began to culti¬ vate tobacco "patches” in their own garden*. Pipe smoking became a com¬ mon habit among the men and snuff dipping was practiced hv both men and women. Among the prized heirlooms of many Carolina families today tin- silver snuff box holds an ilii|>ortaiit place. We might say that tobaeco. ns an industry, had its beginning in the state 3(10 years after Columbus crossed the sen. It was in 1852 that the first really important event in connection with the industry in North Carolina took place. In that year the first "bright-leaf" tobacco, for which our state has now liecome so famous, was grown. This fine type of weed was first produced quite by accident by EH and Elisha Slade of Cas¬ well County, N. C. At first it was thought that the method of curing was responsible for the qual¬ ity hut later it was dis¬ covered that the soil was particularly adapted to tobaeco of this class. Five years after this important event took place, Durham started on its way to fame as a tohneeo-manufacturing town when It F. Morris and T. B. Wright began making tobacco products in that town. Before the day of factories, the farmers ITS <lckvel<»|>iiitkiif in prmliH'lion. iiiiirketing anil inaiiiifacfurc* lias boon оно of North Carolina's great¬ est agricultural a a cl industrial assets. By MAJIJ, IVEY SEAY shredded the t 1>Ь|«чч>. | > iv pa rot l it for smoking and chewing and peddled it through the state. When larger quan¬ tities l.-gnu to In- prepared, it was necessary to roll the tobacco to mar¬ ket or draw it with mules or oxen. In 1SC2. Morris and Wright were bought out by d. L. Green of Person County. It was he and hi* partner who started the mniiufaeturo of the now world-famous “Bull Durham.” Tlu- Civil War played a large part in scattering the fame of Bull Durham and North Carolina tobacco. When tin- soldiers of General Joseph E. John¬ son retreated across the slate before Sherman's- army. Green's factory in Durham was raided, Sherman’s army finishing the job. The blend of the smoking tobacco so appealed to the Yankees that they demanded North Carolina tobacco thereafter. What Greene at first considered a disaster proved t<* be a blessing in disguise. He was besieged with orders and instead Tobacco on a warehouse floor, awaiting the bids of the buyers. of being ruined, rebuilt hi* factory and pul Bull Dur¬ ham on the map to ttiv. The story of “Duke’s Mixture” is equally ns romantic. Sherman** army also ravaged Washington Duke’s farm while he was away serving in the army. Fortunate¬ ly. however, the soldiers missed some leaf tobacco which the Duke boys J. В.. B. N. and Brodie had hidden. When Washington Duke returned home, lie and the boys bent tbi* up and packed it into log*. They loaded them and two l»arrcls of flour on a wagon drawn by two blind mule* and went down into the eastern part of the state, peddling. Fortunately, they wore able to diejKise of their tobacco ami flour. Willi this as an incentive, they returned home and in n 20-30 foot log hut. started the manufacture of "1 hike's Mixture.” The present Duke factory in Dur ham was built in 1*4 by the Duke, and G. W. Watt*, who formed the W. Duke Son* and Company branch. In 1890. .1. B. Duke foruii-d the American Tobacco Company, an enor¬ mous concern made up of practically all the tobacco companies in the l’nited State*. In 101 1 , it was broken up into the four companies of I.iggctt and Myers Tobacco Company, American Tobacco Company. P. Lori Hard and the R. J. Reynolds Com¬ pany. Many millions of Chesterfield and other brands of cigarette* arc shipped daily from the huge Liggett «V Myers plant in Durham. The Atnoriean Tobacco Com¬ pany also ha* a large plant in Durham, where it produces “I. u e к v Strikes" and others. So much for Durham. Winston-Salem i* also famous for it« tobacco factories, the Reynolds factories being located there. In addition to mnnu- facturing something like 10, 000, 00П Camels and other brands of cigarette* annually, millions of tins of Prince Albert smok¬ ing tobacco and million. (Continued on page 19)