Letter from Sydney Chase to Joshua Chase (February 18, 1928)

SC00220.pdf

Dublin Core

Title

Letter from Sydney Chase to Joshua Chase (February 18, 1928)

Alternative Title

Chase Correspondence (February 18, 1928)

Subject

Chase, Sydney Octavius, 1860-1941
Chase, Joshua Coffin, 1858-1948
Citrus fruit industry--Florida
Florida Citrus Exchange
Penney Farms (Fla.)
Chase and Company (Sanford, Fla.)
Sanford (Fla.)
Orlando (Fla.)
Winter Park (Fla.)
Lee County (Fla.)
Arcadia (Fla.)

Description

An original letter of correspondence between brothers and business partners Sydney Octavius Chase and Joshua Coffin Chase. Topics discussed in the letter include information about an annual banquet held at Penney Farms, and other information about members of the Florida Citrus Exchange including L. W. Tilden and Earl Work.

Chase & Company was established by the brothers 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. The Florida Citrus Exchange was founded by a group of growers on June 21, 1909 to help improve production of citrus in the state. Members shared facilities and helped establish operation and shipping standards. Both Sydney and Joshua Chase were hesitant to join the Exchange because they did not want to jeopardize the business they had successfully managed. Chase & Company eventually became a part of the Exchange, but backed out three years later.

Creator

Chase, Sydney Octavius

Source

Original letter from Sydney Octavius Chase to Joshua Coffin Chase, February 18, 1928: Chase Collection (MS 14), box 3, folder 13.46, Special and Area Studies Collections, George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.

Date Created

1928-02-18

Is Format Of

Digital reproduction of original letter from Sydney Octavius Chase to Joshua Coffin Chase, February 18, 1928.

Is Part Of

Chase Collection (MS 14), box 3, folder 13.46, Special and Area Studies Collections, George A. Smathers Libraries, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.
Florida Citrus Exchange 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

application/pdf

Extent

3,209 KB

Medium

2 page typewritten letter on Chase & Company letterhead

Language

eng

Type

Text

Coverage

Sanford, Florida
Orlando, Florida
Winter Park, Florida
Pierce, Florida
Penney Farms, Florida
Arcadia, Florida

Spatial Coverage

28.811729, -81.268138
28.538084, -81.378593
28.600047, -81.339369
27.447353, -80.325222
29.979844, -81.810308
27.216014, -81.858459

Temporal Coverage

1928-02-18/1928-02-18

Accrual Method

Donation

Audience Education Level

SS.K.A.1.2; SS.1.A.1.1; SS.1.A.2.2; SS.1.A.2.4; SS.1.E.1.4; SS.2.A.1.1; SS.3.A.1.1; SS.4.A.1.1; SS.4.A.7.1; SS.4.E.1.1; SS.4.E.1.2; SS.5.A.1.1; SS.6.W.1.3; SS.7.E.2.4; SS.8.A.1.5; SS.8.E.2.1; SS.8.E.2.3; SS.912.A.1.1; SS.912.A.1.6; SS.912.A.5.4; SS.912.E.2.3; SS.912.W.1.3

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

Curator

Marra, Katherine

Digital Collection

External Reference

"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.
The Unique Farm Project of James C. Penney. Green Cove Springs, Florida: The J.C. Penney-Gwinn Corporation Farms, 1927.
Hopkins, James T. Fifty Years of Citrus, the Florida Citrus Exchange: 1909-1959. Gainesville, Florida: University of Florida Press: 1960.
Warner, S.C. "Development of Marketing Citrus Fruits in Florida." Florida State Horticultural Society vol. 36 (1923): 198-200.

Transcript

CHASE & COMPANY
GROWERS' MARKETING AGENTS PACKERS AND SHIPPERS
FLORIDA FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

SANFORD, FLORIDA
February 18, 1928.

Mr. J. C. Chase,
Orlando, Fla.

Dear Josh:

I have your note of yesterday, written at Winter Park, enclosing Dr. Burdette Lewis’, invitation to attend the Third Annual Banquet to be held at the Penny Farms.
In spite of the fact that we considered this Penny development a little doubtful one so far as its ultimate success is concerned I believe that it might be a good scheme if you could attend a portion of the banquet exercises during the day, and eliminate yourself in the evening. There will be lot of hot air released, and many statements made which you cannot indorse, but nevertheless you will be getting information which will be helpful.
I learned today that Dr. Lewis, the economist, was at one time employed by the A.A.C. Company, with headquarters at Pierce, Florida. I doubt whether he has ever handled any agricultural development successfully, so far as follars and cents are concerned. He is one of these men who is full of theories and knows how it should be done, and can tell others how to do it, but fails when he attempts to do it himself. He may still be on the payroll of the A. A. C. Company. I would feel convinced he was if the Penny Farms are heavy users of the A. A. C. goods.
I was not favored with an invitation.
Did you know that Earl Work had a nerveous breakdown some months ago, immediately following the death of the President of Work's bank, and that he has been out in the woods somewhere in Lee County ever since, occasionally coming from under cover when it is necessary for him to officially preside at the Exchange meetings?
I also learned today that Mr. L. W. Tilden is reported to be improving at Johns Hopkins, and the doctors state that in about three months he will be O.K. again, but state that if he returns to his old activities he is apt to have another breakdown. Wilbur Tilden and his sons are looking after his affairs during his absence.
I presume you noticed in today's Tampa Tribune, on the last page, the make-up of the citrus meeting held in Arcadia. Some smart alex has recently visited California and knows all about it.
The Citrus Forum article in today's Tribune is another slant on how to control the movement of citrus fruits, which will result in increased revenue for the crop.

Yours very truly,
S.O.C

DISTRIBUTORS
Sunniland
FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
SOC:HMR

Document Item Type Metadata

Original Format

2 page typewritten letter on Chase & Company letterhead

Citation

Chase, Sydney Octavius, “Letter from Sydney Chase to Joshua Chase (February 18, 1928),” RICHES, accessed December 30, 2024, https://richesmi.cah.ucf.edu/omeka/items/show/651.

Locations

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