James albert bonsack biography definition

James Albert Bonsack - The Inventor of the Cigarette Rolling Machine

James Albert Bonsack, an American inventor, is renowned for creating the world's first machine for rolling cigarettes.

Prior to his invention, hand-rolled cigarettes were considered a luxury item, expensive and inaccessible to many. The demand for cigarettes, however, continued to grow, while the supply lagged behind. Skilled artisans could only produce an average of four cigarettes per minute.

In 1875, the 'Allan & Ginter' company, based in Richmond, Virginia, offered a prize of $75,000 to anyone who could invent an efficient cigarette rolling machine.

James albert bonsack biography definition ap

This proposition intrigued James Albert Bonsack, to the extent that he even left school to dedicate himself to the development of such a machine. By 1880, Bonsack had completed the first working prototype. Unfortunately, a fire at a warehouse in Lynchburg, Virginia, dest