Letter from Joshua Coffin Chase to Corbett Hutchinson (April 26, 1928)
Dublin Core
Title
Letter from Joshua Coffin Chase to Corbett Hutchinson (April 26, 1928)
Alternative Title
Chase Correspondence (April 26, 1928)
Subject
New York (NY)
Chase, Joshua Coffin, 1858-1948
Chase and Company (Sanford, Fla.)
Citrus fruit industry--Florida
Citrus--Florida
Orange industry--Florida
Oranges--Florida
Fruit--Grading--United States
Fruit--Inspection--United States
Washington (D.C.)
Description
An original letter of correspondence between Joshua Coffin Chase and Isleworth Packing House Superintendent Corbett Hutchinson. Topics discussed in the letter include instructions for Hutchinson's business trip to New York City, New York and Washington D.C. to inspect and grade citrus fruit.
Chase & Company was established by brothers Sydney Octavius Chase and Joshua Coffin Chase in 1884. The company sold insurance and later invested in storage facilities and fertilizer sales. Chase & Company was known mainly for its agricultural interests and maintained a series of citrus groves throughout Central Florida. The company was based out of Sanford and became one of the city's largest employers into the early twentieth century. By 1886, the Chase brothers purchased several citrus groves to expand their business, including Isleworth Grove in Windermere, Florida. Isleworth Grove covered a total of 1,300 acres along the Butler Chain of Lakes. Between 1894 and 1895, Central Florida was hit by several freezes and most of the citrus crop was destroyed. Chase & Company did not grow citrus crops again until 1904 when Joshua came back from an extended stay in California. Between 1894 and 1900, different types of pesticide equipment was created, including equipment driven by steam, machines, and horses.Randall Chase joined in the family business soon after his brother, Sydney Chase, Jr., did in 1922. Randall became the president of Chase & Company from 1948-1965. The Isleworth property stayed in the Chase family until 1984 when Franklin Chase, the son of Sydney Chase, sold the property to famed golfer Arnold Palmer.
Chase & Company was established by brothers Sydney Octavius Chase and Joshua Coffin Chase in 1884. The company sold insurance and later invested in storage facilities and fertilizer sales. Chase & Company was known mainly for its agricultural interests and maintained a series of citrus groves throughout Central Florida. The company was based out of Sanford and became one of the city's largest employers into the early twentieth century. By 1886, the Chase brothers purchased several citrus groves to expand their business, including Isleworth Grove in Windermere, Florida. Isleworth Grove covered a total of 1,300 acres along the Butler Chain of Lakes. Between 1894 and 1895, Central Florida was hit by several freezes and most of the citrus crop was destroyed. Chase & Company did not grow citrus crops again until 1904 when Joshua came back from an extended stay in California. Between 1894 and 1900, different types of pesticide equipment was created, including equipment driven by steam, machines, and horses.Randall Chase joined in the family business soon after his brother, Sydney Chase, Jr., did in 1922. Randall became the president of Chase & Company from 1948-1965. The Isleworth property stayed in the Chase family until 1984 when Franklin Chase, the son of Sydney Chase, sold the property to famed golfer Arnold Palmer.
Creator
Chase, Joshua Coffin
Source
Original letter from Joshua Coffin Chase to Corbett Hutchinson, April 26, 1928: box 49, folder 20.91, Chase Collection (MS 14), Special and Area Studies Collections, George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.
Date Created
1928-04-26
Is Format Of
Digital reproduction of original letter from Joshua Coffin Chase to Corbett Hutchinson, April 26, 1928.
Is Part Of
Chase Collection (MS 14), box 49, folder 20.91, Special and Area Studies Collections, George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.
Citrus Collection, Chase Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.
Is Referenced By
Folder referenced in Chase Collection finding guide, http://web.uflib.ufl.edu/spec/pkyonge/chase.htm.
Format
image/jpg
Extent
155 KB
Medium
1-page typewritten letter
Language
eng
Type
Text
Coverage
Chase & Company Office, Sanford, Florida
Isleworth Grove, Windermere, Florida
Chase & Company Office, New York City, New York
Washington, D.C.
Accrual Method
Donation
Mediator
History Teacher
Economics Teacher
Provenance
Entire Chase Collection is comprised of four separate accessions from various donors, including Cecilia Johnson, the granddaughter of Joshua Coffin Chase, and the children of Randall Chase.
Rights Holder
The displayed collection item is housed at Special and Area Studies Collections at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida. Rights to this item belong to the said institution, and therefore inquiries about the item should be directed there. RICHES of Central Florida has obtained permission from Special and Area Studies Collections at the University of Florida to display this item for educational purposes only.
Contributing Project
Special and Area Studies Collections, University of Florida
Digital Collections (UFDC), University of Florida
Curator
Cepero, Laura
Digital Collection
Source Repository
External Reference
Warner, S.C. "Development of Marketing Citrus Fruits in Florida." Florida State Horticultural Society vol. 36 (1923): 198-200.
Hopkins, James T. Fifty Years of Citrus, the Florida Citrus Exchange: 1909-1959. Gainesville, Florida: University of Florida Press: 1960.
"Joshua Coffin Chase (1858-1948)." Florida Citrus Hall of Fame. Copyright 2012. http://floridacitrushalloffame.com/index.php/inductees/inductee-name/?ref_cID=89&bID=0&dd_asId=960.
Transcript
File?
3
April 26, 1928.
Mr. Corbett Hutchinson,
c/o Chase & Company,
Sanford, Fla.
Dear Sir:-
NEW YORK. When you arrive at the Pennsylvania Depot, you can engage a red cap to carry your satchel from the train into the Pennsylvania Hotel, which is directly across from the depot. Our New York office was instructed to make you a reservation of a $4.00 or $5.00 a day room. This may not be ready for you when you reach New York and you may have to wait, as the hotel is usually engaged ahead. If there is any fall-down on the reservation, hire a taxi and secure a room at one of the other nearby hotels.
Our New York office is located at 66 Harrison St. The office is equipped with a telephone under the name of Chase & Company. We want you to visit the office bright and early Monday morning and go with Mr. Lum to inspect citrus fruit from both California and Florida. California fruit is displayed and sold at the Erie Pier before the Florida sale takes place. Give the grade and pack of the California fruit your careful attention and if you find any of the brands have certain features in paper, guards, or any other trimmings that make memos and secure some of the samples. This same holds good on any of the Florida packs and brands that you inspect during your stay in New York. You had better remain there until the last car of Isleworth first bloom Valencias is sold. If you have time and feel like it, go to the vegetable sales with Mr. Newbold. You will have time in between to take in some of the sights and trust you will have a good trip. Ask Mr. Lum to introduce you to Mr. R. H. Thomas. You already know Mr. Gorman of the Fruit Auction Company.
WASHINGTON. Enclosed find a letter of introduction to our Manager, Mr. Wm. E. Edwards, 408 Star Building, Washington. We think you would be interested in stopping off a day just to meet him and inspect the cars of fruit in Potomac Yards, so you will know how it is done. When you return to Florida we want you to write up a report and call to our attention any pointers that you think we can use next session.
Yours very truly,
JCC:H
3
April 26, 1928.
Mr. Corbett Hutchinson,
c/o Chase & Company,
Sanford, Fla.
Dear Sir:-
NEW YORK. When you arrive at the Pennsylvania Depot, you can engage a red cap to carry your satchel from the train into the Pennsylvania Hotel, which is directly across from the depot. Our New York office was instructed to make you a reservation of a $4.00 or $5.00 a day room. This may not be ready for you when you reach New York and you may have to wait, as the hotel is usually engaged ahead. If there is any fall-down on the reservation, hire a taxi and secure a room at one of the other nearby hotels.
Our New York office is located at 66 Harrison St. The office is equipped with a telephone under the name of Chase & Company. We want you to visit the office bright and early Monday morning and go with Mr. Lum to inspect citrus fruit from both California and Florida. California fruit is displayed and sold at the Erie Pier before the Florida sale takes place. Give the grade and pack of the California fruit your careful attention and if you find any of the brands have certain features in paper, guards, or any other trimmings that make memos and secure some of the samples. This same holds good on any of the Florida packs and brands that you inspect during your stay in New York. You had better remain there until the last car of Isleworth first bloom Valencias is sold. If you have time and feel like it, go to the vegetable sales with Mr. Newbold. You will have time in between to take in some of the sights and trust you will have a good trip. Ask Mr. Lum to introduce you to Mr. R. H. Thomas. You already know Mr. Gorman of the Fruit Auction Company.
WASHINGTON. Enclosed find a letter of introduction to our Manager, Mr. Wm. E. Edwards, 408 Star Building, Washington. We think you would be interested in stopping off a day just to meet him and inspect the cars of fruit in Potomac Yards, so you will know how it is done. When you return to Florida we want you to write up a report and call to our attention any pointers that you think we can use next session.
Yours very truly,
JCC:H
Document Item Type Metadata
Original Format
-page typewritten letter
Collection
Citation
Chase, Joshua Coffin, “Letter from Joshua Coffin Chase to Corbett Hutchinson (April 26, 1928),” RICHES, accessed May 20, 2024, https://richesmi.cah.ucf.edu/omeka/items/show/2772.