Letter from Joshua Coffin Chase to Sydney Octavius Chase (October 14, 1919)

Letter from Joshua Coffin Chase to Sydney Octavius Chase (October 14, 1919)

Chase Correspondence (October 14, 1919)

Windermere (Fla.)

Chase, Sydney Octavius, 1860-1941

Chase, Joshua Coffin, 1858-1948

Chase and Company (Sanford, Fla.)

Citrus fruit industry--Florida

Citrus--Florida

Labor--Florida--Orlando

An original letter of correspondence between brothers and business partners Joshua Coffin Chase and Sydney Octavius Chase. Topics discussed in the letter include a clause in the Chase & Company's contract dealing with fruit prices and labor wages.

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, Joshua Coffin

Original letter from Joshua Coffin Chase to Sydney Octavius Chase, October 14, 1919: box 49, folder 20.84, Chase Collection (MS 14), Special and Area Studies Collections, George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.

1919-10-14

Digital reproduction of original letter from Joshua Coffin Chase to Sydney Octavius Chase, October 14, 1919.

Chase Collection (MS 14), box 49, folder 20.84, Special and Area Studies Collections, George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.

Isleworth Collection, Citrus Collection, Chase Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.

Folder referenced in Chase Collection finding guide, http://web.uflib.ufl.edu/spec/pkyonge/chase.htm.

application/pdf

356 KB

2-page typewritten letter on Chase & Company letterhead

eng

Text

Chase & Company Office, Jacksonville, Florida

Chase & Company Office, Sanford, Florida

Isleworth Grove, Windermere, Florida

Donation

History Teacher

Economics Teacher

Geography Teacher

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.

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.

Special and Area Studies Collections, University of Florida

Digital Collections (UFDC), University of Florida

Cepero, Laura

University of Florida, Special and Area Studies Collections

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.

"Sydney Chase Sr. (1860-1941)." Florida Citrus Hall of Fame. Copyright 2012. http://floridacitrushalloffame.com/index.php/inductees/inductee-name/?ref_cID=89&bID=0&dd_asId=600.

CHASE & CO.
CARLOT DISTRIBUTORS
CITRUS FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA

Oct. 14 1919

Mr. S.O. Chase,
Sanford, Florida.

Dear Syd:

Referring to your letter of the 13th regarding a clause in our contract that will enumerate last season's rates upon which the packing charge is based, with the understanding that if we are force by a combination or union to pay more, that this advance or increase be passed along to the grower.

We do not know whether or not it is possible to do anything of this kind; we are now looking into it and will advise you again.

Our contract provides that there shall be a readjustment or refund on account of the strikes, walkouts or other labor troubles in connection with the operation of the packing house.

We are now looking up the rates of wages we paid for the various jobs the last four or five seasons and will see where we are getting off. You might also look through your records and let us know the increase in cost. You might be able to find this out from the Isleworth payrolls.

Yours very truly,
J.C.C.

JCC/s

Union labor has worked the [?] to a finish. In shipyards here so we [?] would report [?] noon. Work all night - all day Sunday Sunday night. drawing double pay then loaf [?] balance of work or [?] [?] own business.

Sunniland
TRADEMARK
UNITED STATES FOOD ADMINISTRATION LICENSE NUMBER G-04516

2-page typewritten letter on Chase & Company letterhead