December 4 - Eduardo H. Gato Died in Havana, Cuba - a podcast by 43 Keys Media

The first Gato cigar factory is a three story building constructed in 1870, the first for the fact that was used for receiving tobacco and distributing scars. The second story consisted of rows and rows of benches, and rolling tables, where workers produced a wide range of cigars in front of the workers was a raised lectern for a reader.

This reader was paid by the factory workers to be books, poetry, and daily newspapers. While they work on the third floor, the tobacco was both stored and sorted to the best grade of tobacco leaves that was chosen for the outer layer of the cigars. In 1915, the original building was destroyed by fire.

Construction of a new fireproof factory started in 1916, and was finally completed in 1920, during the construction of the new factory. Eduardo Gato moved his operations to several buildings on the island that had been vacated by the cigar companies that have relocated to Tampa when Eduardo Hidalgo Gato open the new factory in Key West. He did everything he could to ensure that he had the best cigar artisans working under his roof to better the lives of his workers. He built a city of 40 cigar makers cottages around his factory started the first street car system, created a hospital and supported a baseball league.

The average day of factory workers was very structured Saunders would arrange the Cuban tobacco leaves into 20 shades of brown, the most expensive leaves were used for the wrapper. The rollers knew exactly how many tobacco leaves to roll into cigars each day. All the rollers had their own rolling tables, and were paid by the number of cigars they crafted each day, a good roller could produce an average of 300 cigars a day, the factory itself was illuminated only by natural sunlight. cigar factories were typically built on a north south axis, so that the windows face the east and west. The maximizing the hours of sunlight in the Gato factory employed 500 workers and produce 70,000 cigars every single day in December of the factory output reached 400,000 cigars a week. From 1899-1905 Key West averaged $2.3 million a year in cigar exports.

Eduardo Gato's house located at 1209 Virginia Street, with its elaborate Queen and style detailing was built in 1911 by E.H. Gato, Sr. The Gato family was one of Key West most prominent families and three generations of the family lived here all the way up until 1951. Eduardo Gato was a Cuban patriot who helped finance Cuba's revolutionary leaders, including Jose Marti who fought for freedom from Spain.

Gato came to Key West in 1874 he was instrumental in Key West evolution from a small fishing town to one of Florida's wealthiest cities through his development of the Cuban tobacco industry gotta was president of the E.H. Gato Cigar Company, Vice President of the Key West Bank and proprietor of the Key West streetcar a horse drawn system and oversaw the extensive Gato real estate holdings.

In 1911. Eduardo Gato donated his house to become a hospital with the stipulation that it would be called Mercedes hospital after his wife Mercedes. On a side note this property at 1209 Virginia street is currently for sale its list price, $3.85 million.

It was today, December 4, 1926 that Eduardo Hidalgo Gato died in Havana, Cuba.

And that's what happened today in Key West history. Today in Key West History is brought to you by 43 Keys Media. To learn more about Key West's glorious past and what's going on currently on the island visit http://43keys.com you can get this show as an Alexa flash briefing as well as the Florida Keys, Fishing and Weather report every day as an Alexa flash briefing. To find out more visit http://43keys.com.

 

Further episodes of Today in Key West History

Further podcasts by 43 Keys Media

Website of 43 Keys Media