This extensive tobacco factory, established some twelve years ago, is one of the most important in the city. It was commenced at a time when Kentucky manufactured tobacco found very little market in the cities of the United States, but has grown with astonishing rapidity and vigor. Mr. Holbrook is an old dealer in tobacco, and has acquired great sagacity in the selection of the article suited to the various departments of manufacture. His skill as a manufacturer is also worthy of notice. For many years he has been employed in testing the value of the various methods of producing the finest qualities of Chewing Tobacco, and has added many valuable improvements to the ordinary methods of manufacturing the article. By the industry and enterprise of this gentleman and his fellow tobacconists, the Louisville-made article has driven entirely out of market all the medium and lower brands of Virginia tobacco, and readily competes with even the higher brands of this favorite manufacture. The business of this factory is extended over a large surface of country. From the Lakes at the North to New Orleans, this tobacco is not only rapidly bought up, but is eagerly inquired for. Barker & Co., of Detroit, Mich., write to Mr. H.: “We have orders daily, which we cannot fill for want of your tobacco.” Preston & Bros., of Evansville, write: “This tobacco gives good satisfaction.” Twitty & Smith, of New Orleans, say: “We doubt not, speedy satisfactory sales may be made of several hundred boxes by 1st of September.” Rawson, Wilby & Co., of Cincinnati, under date of June 7, 1852, write: “We have a market for all the tobacco you can manufacture.” Hundreds of similar letters could be shown from various points. These however will be sufficient to establish the character of the article.
This is the oldest tobacco factory in the city, and was the first which managed successfully to introduce this article. Previous to the establishment of this factory, all descriptions of chewing tobacco were brought from Virginia. Almost any other manufacturers would have sunk under the distrust and ill-will evinced by dealers of every class against this tobacco in the earliest years of its introduction. It was difficult at first to persuade the dealers even to receive the article on commission—and prodigious efforts were then required to overcome the prejudice against western made tobacco. The gentlemen who are at the head of the firm, however, fully persuaded of the value of their manufacture, and knowing it needed only to be known to be appreciated, continued their exertions, and finally succeeded in reaching the market. The results were great beyond their expectation. In 1832, the first iron tobacco press was brought by them to this city; ten years have elapsed, and nearly two hundred presses are now in full operation. The Union Factory merited and has received its full share of the benefit of this increase. The tobacco made by them competes with the best Virginia article, and has completely supplanted all the inferior qualities of that tobacco. The city dealers are almost entirely supplied by this factory, and hundreds of boxes are daily sent abroad. Their tobacco has found a market even in the distant California. Several hundred boxes were recently shipped to that point by the way of New York. A great revolution has been effected in this article by these gentlemen, thousands of dollars have been added to the trade of the city, and an entirely new market has been created by them. They have not only richly merited the success which has awaited them, but they also deserve much at the hands of the friends of the city for their sagacity and enterprise in this regard.
This is an old and well established firm, and one of those which have risen to eminence from small beginnings. The manufacture of cigars, Mr. Bast shares in common with some hundreds of others, though his establishment is by far the largest in the city, but in the making of snuff he is without a rival. The attention of this factory is principally directed to the manufacture of the finer quality of cigars, though many common cigars are made here. Mr. B. is himself an accomplished workman, and his articles may be entirely depended upon. There are about three millions of cigars made and sold here annually. The smoking tobacco from this factory is eagerly sought for wherever it is known; its superior quality and cheapness making a ready market for it wherever introduced. Mr. B.’s manufacture of snuff also forms a large branch of this business. The peculiar quality of this article consists in its entire adaptation to every climate, and its capacity for withstanding the influences of time. It may be transported everywhere, and kept for any length of time without receiving injury. Mr. B.’s sales at wholesale are not confined merely to the usual country trade; many of his articles find their way in large quantities to the great cities, and many of his brands receive distinguished preference in these places. Beside his own manufactured articles Mr. B. imports choice pipes, snuff boxes, cigar cases, and similar fancy articles. As a retailer, his store is celebrated as the resort of all the connoisseurs in smoking, snuffing, and their various equipments.
This factory was organized three years ago on a very extensive scale, with a view to supplying the demand for Sashes, Doors, and other like articles for the builder or the house carpenter. Since its commencement, however, it has constantly increased both in the amount and variety of work, until it has come to be one of the largest establishments in the city. Enormous buildings have been put up at great expense, new machinery of various kinds has been added to the original supply, experienced workmen have been brought from the older cities, and everything has been effected which could contribute to place the concern on an equality in point of capacity with any similar establishment in the country. The manufacture of railroad cars is a new department of the business; created by the growing necessity for procuring such work at home. The cars made by these gentlemen have all the new improvements known to the car builder, and are beautiful specimens of handicraft. In this immense factory, the painter, the turner, the blacksmith, the cabinet maker, the car builder, the upholsterer, and the carpenter, all find employment at their various trades. All the screws, nuts, &c., used in the factory, are made on the premises by machinery. The gentlemen who compose the firm, are entirely competent to the management of their diversified business, and great credit is due them for the promptness and excellence with which they execute all descriptions of their work.
This large and well organized mill is well known to western builders. It is one of those conveniences which are found only in large cities, where the builder can find ready made to his hand all that is necessary for the interior and exterior wood work of his house. Boards are taken from the lumber yard, and by machinery planed and moulded into all the forms necessary for the house carpenter, thus saving all the tedious hand labor, and reducing the enormous expense which has attended the building of houses. The majority of planing mills have never attempted more than the preparation of work for cheap houses; but this establishment before us has specimens of its manufacture in some of the finest residences in and about the city. The proprietors of this mill are devoting much attention to the finer departments of work, and their success is at once complete and merited. The feeling which once existed against the work of the planing mill, is rapidly disappearing before the exertions of these gentlemen; they have supplied such large quantities of work of all sorts, and have so entirely the confidence of the community, that their work is eagerly sought after, and they are constantly full of orders. They employ about seventy-five hands, and have machines, which plane about twenty-three thousand feet of lumber per day. They also manufacture large quantities of Packing Boxes, which they furnish to the stores at small prices. This department of their business is of itself of considerable extent. Lumber in the rough is also sold in large quantities.
