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1850 Industrial Middletown 1948By GEORGE C. CROUTMPaul Sorg Built Big Tobacco Plant On Eaat CenfralMiddletov, n Paul J Sore began great tobario industry, which ill ranks third in imports nee m the city's econotnn structure T^da.v the n’am is part of the P. Ijorillard Company, which controls many plants throughout the United States, with the main office in New York t ny,The Middletown branch factory specialize?, n the pronuchon of chewing and pipe tobacco Union Leader, Friends and Briggs are well known pipe tobaccos made locally, while Beech Nut. Bag Pipe and Havana Blossom are the chewing brands hest known Several other brands are pc1ucelt;i • long with the old-fashioned plugs which are slowly leavingthe market TVie Louisville and | New Jersey plant* produce Old Gold cigarettes and chewing tobacco The company lt;n*rates a large cigar factory* at Richmond where Muriels are made along with the smaller cigars. Smaller plants are ojreiated in Pen nay 1-vama, Kentucky. Virginia, Wisconsin and Connecticut.In the Miami Valley the tobacco industry is localized at Dayton and Middletown. The industry got its start in the last century, when this valley was an imjrortant leaf production renter, specializing in the production of cigar filler tobacco.The crowing of tobacco gradually spread westward from Virginia, and as early as 1839 Ohio ranked seventh in the production of this crop. By 1889 it had ' jumped to third place While from1889 to 19IB the state feH fromthird to sixth place in production, the number of pound* produced tumped from 38,000,000 to 64.-000.000 pound* In 1932 there were 30,000 acre* in tobacco in the Miami Valley. The ngar-filler producing area centers in Darke. Montgomery, Preble and Miami |counties, with outliners in Warren, Butler, Shelby and Greene.In 1838 Seed loaf tobacco was introduced into this region, and in 1841 its production was begun in the Dirk's Creek valley, four mile* south of Middletown. Since this Miami Valley region had heavy clay *oiis in some parts, this particular variety of tobacco did very well, particularly in the i lowlands The Spanish Zimmer variety was introduced in 1869 and became a popular variety for growth on the uplands. Tfeie re- I gion gradually increased it* annual yield of tobacco until 1909.When men turned to smoking cigarettes during the first World War, the demand for cigars slowly declined, and with it the market for ngar-filler tobaccos. This meant the decline n tobacco production and in manufacturing Since this valley was not suited to the growth of other varieties as used iB cigarettes, the Importance of the tobacco industry declined.However, when the Miami Valley became the center of the tobacco industry in the last century. Middletown became the center of important processing plants John G Clark and J. B Cecil entered, into the manufacture of tobacco in i8f»9, but. due to the Civil War which caused a depression in the tobacco industry, this first business failedIn 1864 John Auer, a tobacco roller in Cincinnati, met Paul J. Sorg. a foreman in a foundry. Auer could make tobacco, but he eouldn't keep books, and while Sorg knew nothing about tobacco, he was a good bookkeeper. These two men organized a firm for the manufacture of tobacco, starting a plant at Cincinnati with $6,000 anr; 28 workers. In 1869, this firm was consolidated with that of Wilson and Jacoby, who also had a plant at Cincinnati. Jacoby lived in Middletown and induced the newly formed company to move to Middletown. So Wilson Sorg and Company began construction of a tobacco plant here This company soon sold out, and Sorg and Auer again began their own business.The new Sort and Auer plant hu built on ICmI Central Ave.. across from the HU Four railroad line. The first building was built in 18*9 and was 146 by IH feet. The business grew toWpa
Newspaper Details
Middletown Sunday News Journal
Middletown, Ohio, US
Sun, Mar 21, 1948
Page 18
Full Page
Clipped by
Midpointe L.
OH, USA 12 Dec 2024
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