03709_0141: Fernando Lemos

FL-41

STATE EDITORIAL IDENTIFICATION FORM

STATE: FLORIDA

VOLUNTEER CONSULTANT: Name [Blank]

Position [Blank]

Address [Blank]

By Carita Doggett Corse Position State Director

DATE: Jan. 9, 1939.

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1935 Fernando Lemos (Cuban) Ybor City Tampa, Florida (Cigar-maker) (Compiled by FERA Sociological Study of Ybor City)

FERNANDO LEMOS

"My father, Manuel del Pilar, worked as truck driver for Mr. Lorenzo Gariche of Pinon No. 1, Havana. Mr. Gariche handled flour and "gofio" (roast corn meal).

"I was born in No. 809 Calzada del Cerro, Havana, Cuba, on May 30th, 1870. Both my parents were Cubans.

"On this same street there was a society called "La Caridad del Cerro," whose membership were composed only of Cubans. It was a recreational and educational society only. During the day, school was conducted for the children of its members. Many Cubans of the better society attended its classes: among these were the Cortinas and Sanguily, who afterwards became famous in Cuban life. The president of this Club was Placido Dominguez, and for professor we had Miguel Rosain who was a very intelligent man.

"I attended this school until I was 13 years of age. At 14 my father placed me in a cigar factory in Havana in order to learn the trade of cigarmaker. At this factory cigars of the "Concha" brand were chiefly made, and sold principally to the cafes. After I had been here about a year, I decided to finish my apprenticeship at the factory of Antonio Belle, which was situated in Arroyo Naranjo, a suburb of Havana.

'' Shortly after I had completely mastered the cigar trade, my uncle, Gonzalo Perez Guzman, brought me to Tampa with him. This was in the year 1888 when I was 18 years of age. The following day after my arrival, I was already working at the factory of Mr. Vicente Martinez Ybor.

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"Neither my father or myself had any trouble with the Spanish government. However, I was always ready to contribute for the various expeditions that were sent from Tampa against the dominion of Spain in Cuba.

"I was married on Monday, November 18, 1869, when I was eighteen years of age. My wife had come originally from Key West. She arrived here on June 12, 1886, and commenced working at Martinez Ybor two days later. She worked at this factory for some 30 years, and afterwards worked 18 years at different other factories in Tampa, or a total of 48 years.

"I, myself, worked for something like 32 years at the cigar factories. However, in the year 1921 when the big strike, which lasted ten months, was declared in Tampa, I purchased a Ford truck and engaged in moving furniture. I remained in this transfer business for some ten years. However, due to the great physical exertion that I had to undergo in the moving of furniture, a vein in my throat was ruptured, and I bled profusely for several days. As a consequence the doctor forbade me to continue working. This happened some five years ago, and since then I have not been able to do work of any kind. My heart now is also weak.

"During our entire married life of forty-six years, we never have had any children, which is something we will always lament. If we had had children we would now be taken care of in our old age. As it is we must now depend on relief.

"With the help of my wife, who worked up until a year ago, I was able to purchase the home in which we live. I have had this house painted and repaired with the help of a home loan which I have been paying at the rate

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of $7.51 a month.

"Some of the finest cigar factories have left Tampa, others have been purchased hy the Trust and taken to New Jersey where they make the cigars from $10.00 to $12.00 less per thousand. The hand made cigars are also made much cheaper than in Tampa. The men who work in these cigar factories in New Jersey are chiefly Porto Ricans, who are reputed as very fine cigarmakers.

"The factory of Schwab-Davis & Co. has also threatened to leave Tampa if the present strike they are having is not called off.

"I have seen statements made by Mr. Davis stating that he was trying to introduce better methods for the comfort of the cigarmakers, and they would also be able to earn more than what they are making at present. This is a gross misstatement on his part as what he has tried to do is to take away more money from what little the cigar-makers are now earning.

"Mr. Davis has an agreement signed with the "Comite Nivelador" (Balance Committee) and with all the other cigar-manufacturers, to pay a stipulated price on each brand of cigar — a price adhered to by most of the manufacturers.

"The method that he wanted to introduce consisted in having the one who has been rolling cigars, to make his own bunches without placing them on the moulds. Therefore, the cigars would come out looser, and not as tight as cigars made from moulds. This would have eliminated the bunch- makers. There are from one, two or three rollers for each bunch-maker, according to the skill and speed of the bunch-maker.

"This system would have meant a reduction of as much as $6.50 per

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thousand cigars. It would have eliminated the bunch-makers, and increased the work of the roller who would then be unable to produce as many cigars, and accordingly his salary would have suffered. Mr. Davis would have pocketed the earnings of the bunch-makers without any compensation to the roller; so what he says of increasing the comfort, and increasing the earnings of the cigar-makers would really have been increasing his work, decreasing his earnings, and throw many out into the streets.

"I, for one, do not believe he will make good his threat of leaving Tampa.

'"To my manner of thinking, the cigarmaking machines are at the root of all the evil in Ybor City. They have gradually displaced the cigarmakers. As an example, the factory of Santaella installed five machines, and threw out 38 cigar-makers.

"The Cubans with their customary good nature, have taught all who wanted to learn the trade of cigar-making. This later was to prove their own undoing as now the greater majority of those who are working are Spaniards or Italians. Another factor is that all the manufacturers are Spaniards, and since there is less work every day, the Cubans are thrown out while the Spaniards are protected as much as possible. The best employments are reserved for them, such as the position of selector.* The Spaniards are the only one eligible to this position. They are very highly paid for this work.

"Although many believe that the Italians are not good cigar-makers, I know that this is not true, as some of the finest cigarmakers are Italians. The Italian women are also very good bunch-makers and rollers.

*A selector, or "escojedor" as they are called in Spanish, is one who selects the colors of the cigars so that all of one color will he boxed together.

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