ENPages
[FL42] FL-43 1935 Domingo Ginesta (Cuban) Ybor City Tampa, Florida (Cigar-maker) Sociological Survey of Ybor City--FERA
DOMINGO GINESTA.
"Due to a terrible cold in my head which has been caused by the winters here, my memory has been undermined to such an extent that I cannot remember things of my past as well as I would like. However, I will relate the history of my life as well as I am able:
"I was born of Spanish parents in the little town of Guanabacoa, in the province of Havana, Cuba, early in the year 1865. As a visitor to Havana well knows, this town is only a few miles distant from the Capital of Cuba. There is a continuous communication with the capital by boats that ply the bay at regular intervals daily.
"My father was a cigar-maker, and I followed in his footsteps. Here I learned the first rudiments in cigar making. When I was twenty-one years of age I decided to try my fortune in the United States. I arrived in Key West with my parents in the year 1886. It was during this year and subsequent years that the cigar industry in Key West was leaving for Tampa, so in the year 1889, I came to Tampa, leaving three brothers and three sisters in Key West. I came here with the purpose of settling, but I remained only a few months due to the poor sanitary condition of Ybor City, and the many diseases running rampant here. I returned to Key West and went to work with Julius Ellinger.
"In the year 1893 Julius Ellinger was preparing to leave for Tampa, and among the cigar makers he selected to bring to Tampa it fell to the lot of my father and myself. In that same year we arrived in Tampa. Later my father sent for the family and we remained here definitely. From that year to the present I have always lived in Ybor City.
"Around that time we used to form picnics on a little island South-
1448
-2-
east of Port Tampa, from whence its present name: "Picnic Island." The train would take us there in the morning and would come for us at night. It was in one of these picnics that I met and wooed my wife. We had ten children, four of whom died, leaving six that are living today: three boys and three girls. My father and mother are both buried in Tampa.
"Many are the hardships through which I have gone, but none like the different strikes that arose here from time to time. The first strike of importance was one that lasted seven months. It was called the "Weight Strike." It had been the custom of the manufacturers to weigh out 8 or 9 ounces of filler tobacco, and the workers had to produce fifty cigars from this amount. It was practically impossible to produce the required number with this amount, so we went on strike to eliminate the weighing of the material.
"After this there came another strike that lasted seven months. This strike was called in order to have an increase in price and in order that a Regulation Committee be appointed. However, whenever we gained an increase of $1.00, the cost of living went up $2.00 so we were always the losers.
"Still another strike was called in the year 1920, and which lasted ten months. During this strike we put up a sort of restaurant, owned by all the workers. All the cigar-makers on strike were fed here, or food carried to their homes. By means of this joint ownership we could carry on the strike better. However, the manufacturers made some combination with the authorities with the result that one day a few policemen came to this place, destroying everything they could lay their hands on. The food, already cooked, and all the groceries were thrown out on the street.
1449
-3-
"It was during this year that I divorced my wife because of difference in our character. We have heen separated now for some fifteen years. She has been living with my children in a little property in West Tampa which I was able to purchase from my savings.
When we formed the "Partido Revolucionario Cubano" (Cuban Revolutionary Party), a great number of patriotic clubs came into existence. The Cuban apostle, Marti came to Tampa in the year 1871, right after the shooting by musketry of the Cuban students in Havana. Many sustain that he visited Key West first, but I am certain that he first came to Tampa. The outcome of the Revolutionary Party and the patriotic clubs, was that twenty-seven expeditions were sent from Tampa against Spain. At that time I was collector for the factory of Bustillo. I was in charge of collecting a certain percentage from the weekly earnings of the cigar-makers, in order to help finance these expeditions. I was also collector for one of the patriotic clubs that had been formed.
"When the Italians first came to Tampa from New Orleans, the Spaniards were averse to allowing them to settle here, and they tried to keep them from working in the cigar factories. At that time we were in revolt against Spain, and we thwarted every move made by the Spaniards, we ordered protection to the Italians, and would patronize whatever store or business they would establish.
"How are we paid today for the kindness we showed them in those days? They consider us today a lower class. They practically control the politics and business in Tampa today, a position they have reached by their economy and thriftiness, while we have always spent our money freely, giving an impetus to business. We made Tampa what it is today.
"I have led a passive and simple life, always observing an orderly
1450
-4-
conduct. I have never been given to drinking, going out with women, or have ever had trouble with the authorities.
"The only form of gambling I have indulged in occasionally, has been "bolita." The terminal numbers of the Cuban lottery determine the winner. Once in a while I have purchased a Cuban lottery ticket. However, now I only play domino with a few friends.
"Another form of bolita has lately arisen called "pajarito," and on which the person holding the lucky number will win $6.00 on 1 [cent] or $30.00 on 5 [cents]. This is based on the last three numbers given daily by the news papers for the New York bonds. This form of gambling has come into existence because many do not have even the 10 [cents] to play on bolita. It has been truly said that there are only two industries in Tampa: the cigar industry and the bolita.
"Ybor City today is in a steady decline. Families after families are leaving for the North. This exodus is chiefly observed among the younger generation, who, finding themselves here without work, migrate to New York where they find many opportunities. They usually leave in automobiles owned by several who have made a business of this. They are usually charged from $10.00 to $12.00 for the entire trip, and sometimes less.
"Another inducement for this migration is the difference of the relief given in those Northern cities: they are given house, light, groceries and a certain amount weekly. In many cases also the churches contribute with something.
The latin people are very peaceful, otherwise with conditions as they are today here, there would be countless robberies and murders, as has been observed in other localities where depression has touched, not as intensely as it has in Ybor City. I believe, however, that with the millions of
1451
-5-
dollars Mr. Roosevelt is injecting into the nation, we may soon see a betterment of conditions here.
"In the last three years more than one thousand homes have been destroyed. The reason for this is that the people do not have money with which to pay the taxes, and by destroying the houses they eliminate this expense. Most of the dry-goods and grocery stores have closed their doors.
"At one time there were more than sixty cigar factories dealing exclusively in pure Havana tobacco. Today there are only six, and a total of some twenty factories dealing in mixed tobacco.
"I have been in the cigar business, in a small way, two or three times, but have not been able to succeed due to lack of funds.
"In the recent Cigar Industry Golden Jubilee, I was chosen as one of the first cigar-makers in Tampa, and was invited to a banquet.
"The cold weather here is killing most of the first settlers of Ybor City. Last year twenty-seven died from diseases contracted from the cold, such as pneumonia, and severe catarrh. Though catarrh is not classed as a dangerous disease, it has cut down many due to their run-down condition.
"We are now in contact with the Cuban government in an effort to have them take us back to Cuba, and allow us a pension for the few remaining years of our life. However, I have little hopes that anything will result from this as the Cuban government has always been indifferent to us, although at one time we were instrumental in bringing about the freedom of Cuba.
1452