Letter from Sydney Octavius Chase to E. Magnuson (December 2, 1927)
Dublin Core
Title
Letter from Sydney Octavius Chase to E. Magnuson (December 2, 1927)
Alternative Title
Chase Correspondence (December 2, 1927)
Subject
Windermere (Fla.)
Chase, Sydney Octavius, 1860-1941
Chase and Company (Sanford, Fla.)
Fruit--Packing
Citrus fruit industry--Florida
Citrus--Florida
Orange industry--Florida
Oranges--Florida
Labor--Florida
Description
An original letter of correspondence between Sydney Octavius Chase and E. Magnuson. Topics discussed in the letter include Chase's instructions for Magnuson to assist C. Hutchinson in the packinghouse at Isleworth Grove and how to grade and pack the fruit at a higher standard.
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, Sydney Octavius
Source
Original letter from Sydney Octavius Chase to E. Magnuson, December 2, 1927: box 49, folder 20.84, Chase Collection (MS 14), Special and Area Studies Collections, George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.
Date Created
1927-12-02
Is Format Of
Digital reproduction of original letter from Sydney Octavius Chase to E. Magnuson, December 2, 1927.
Is Part Of
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.
Is Referenced By
Folder referenced in Chase Collection finding guide, http://web.uflib.ufl.edu/spec/pkyonge/chase.htm.
Format
image/jpg
Extent
162 KB
Medium
1-page typewritten letter on Chase & Company letterhead
Language
eng
Type
Text
Coverage
Chase & Company Office, Sanford, Florida
Isleworth Grove, Windermere, Florida
Accrual Method
Donation
Mediator
History Teacher
Economics Teacher
Geography 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
University of Florida, Special and Area Studies Collections
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.
"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.
"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
CHASE & CO.
SANFORD, FLORIDA
December 2, 1927.
Mr. E. Magnuson,
Windermere, Fla.
Dear Sir:
Now that your days of testing the fruit are at an end, I will want you to assist Hutchinson in the packing house, and endeavor to raise the grade and pack to a higher standard.
We want to have all the Isleworth fruit packed so it can go to auction or be sold F.O.B. My brother, J. C. Chase, will instruct you about the grade.
We want to avoid throwing too much fruit into the Coat-of-Arms grade, but want the Isleworth brand to carry the fruit of the proper texture, and which is not real russet. Some of the golden tipped russets can be included in the Isleworth grade.
More attention should be given to improving the bulge pack. In other words the pyramid pack should be followed, which is the nest name I know for the high pack. If small oranges are selected for the ends of the box, and large oranges for the center of the box the pack will show up the way the buyers like to get it, with a good full bugle in the center.
The fruit should be more carefully wrapped, especially the top layer. Every orange should be wrapped with a good, hard twist, so that the paper will be absolutely smooth and the box as a whole will present a very neat appearance. You know from the experience you had at Neamathla just what we want. We want to improve the Isleworth pack where ever it can be improved.
Yours very truly,
SOC:HMR.
SANFORD, FLORIDA
December 2, 1927.
Mr. E. Magnuson,
Windermere, Fla.
Dear Sir:
Now that your days of testing the fruit are at an end, I will want you to assist Hutchinson in the packing house, and endeavor to raise the grade and pack to a higher standard.
We want to have all the Isleworth fruit packed so it can go to auction or be sold F.O.B. My brother, J. C. Chase, will instruct you about the grade.
We want to avoid throwing too much fruit into the Coat-of-Arms grade, but want the Isleworth brand to carry the fruit of the proper texture, and which is not real russet. Some of the golden tipped russets can be included in the Isleworth grade.
More attention should be given to improving the bulge pack. In other words the pyramid pack should be followed, which is the nest name I know for the high pack. If small oranges are selected for the ends of the box, and large oranges for the center of the box the pack will show up the way the buyers like to get it, with a good full bugle in the center.
The fruit should be more carefully wrapped, especially the top layer. Every orange should be wrapped with a good, hard twist, so that the paper will be absolutely smooth and the box as a whole will present a very neat appearance. You know from the experience you had at Neamathla just what we want. We want to improve the Isleworth pack where ever it can be improved.
Yours very truly,
SOC:HMR.
Document Item Type Metadata
Original Format
1-page typewritten letter on Chase & Company letterhead
Collection
Citation
Chase, Sydney Octavius, “Letter from Sydney Octavius Chase to E. Magnuson (December 2, 1927),” RICHES, accessed April 27, 2024, https://richesmi.cah.ucf.edu/omeka/items/show/2751.