From: fuerzo@earthlink.net   
      
   On 12 Jan 2005 07:21:52 -0600, clematis@dontemailme.com (Clem Mattis)   
   wrote:   
      
   >Store-bought cigarettes are a Modern thing.   
   >In the "good ole days" you rolled your own,   
   >or you "chawed" instead. If you've ever rolled   
   >your own you know it's not the easiest way   
   >to get your nicotine fix. Hence the popularity   
   >of the "plug." Cigars were an option but   
   >expensive and a luxury for most working folks.   
      
   So basically all those spittoons were for the numerous people who   
   chawed - must've been a lot of them.  Machine made packaged cigarettes   
   in the 1890s (checked on the Internet) spelled the end for spittoons.   
   Never thought about spittoons until I saw them on eBay.  It looks like   
   chawing was sort of a gross habit with all the spitting and oral   
   problems.  At least chawing didn't start fires or produce second hand   
   smoke.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)