Arranged by topic, as follows: business papers for the offices in New Orleans and New York; papers dealing with business partners, organized geographically by foreign country; a section on steamships arranged alphabetically by name of ship; and minutes of internal divisions.

The collection consists of 17 boxes and 44 volumes. It is 30 linear feet.

Date Acquired: 00/00/1981. More info below under Accruals.

Subjects: Fruit trade -- Latin America -- History., Fruit trade -- Louisiana -- New Orleans., Latin America -- Commerce -- North America -- History., Louisiana -- History -- 20th century., New Orleans (La.) -- Commerce., Standard Fruit & Steamship Co., Steamboat lines -- History -- 20th century., Steamboats -- History -- 20th century.

Forms of Material: Annual reports., Certificates of incorporation., Clippings (information artifacts), Contracts., Correspondence., Financial records., Minute books., Minutes., Reports., Tax records.

Languages: English, Spanish;Castilian

Scope and Contents of the Materials

This collection is composed of the business records of Standard Fruit & Steamship Co. and related bodies, including the files of Salvador D'Antoni as well as administrative records throughout the corporate evolution of the company. Items include business papers, blueprints, newspapers, correspondence, minute books, articles of agreement, financial papers, minutes, contracts, telegrams, reports, clippings, and pamphlets.

Biographical Note

The history of the Standard Fruit and Steamship Company traces the success of two Italian immigrant families in building a small fruit stand into a large trading conglomerate, chiefly the efforts of the four Vaccaro Brothers and Salvador D'Antoni in developing a fruit-export business from Honduras. This New Orleans-based firm united with Fruit and Steamship Company, Bragman's Bluff Lumber Company, Standard Navigation Company, Bluefields Lumber Company, Eastern Seaboard Corporation, and Southern Banana Corporation. The company owned plantations, railroads and lumber camps in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean Islands, as well as a fleet of steamships. The family businesses continued to extend and combine until 1926 when the company was reorganized with a group of bankers into the Standard Fruit & Steamship Corporation. In earlier and later years it was also known as the Standard Fruit & Steamship Company.

Subject/Index Terms

Fruit trade -- Latin America -- History.
Fruit trade -- Louisiana -- New Orleans.
Latin America -- Commerce -- North America -- History.
Louisiana -- History -- 20th century.
New Orleans (La.) -- Commerce.
Standard Fruit & Steamship Co.
Steamboat lines -- History -- 20th century.
Steamboats -- History -- 20th century.

Administrative Information

Repository: Louisiana Research Collection

Accruals: Additional records donated in 1984 by Thomas L. Karnes.

Alternate Extent Statement: 30 linear feet

Access Restrictions: Collection is open to the public. No known restrictions.

Use Restrictions: Physical rights are retained by the Louisiana Research Collection. Copyright is retained in accordance with U.S. copyright laws.

Acquisition Source: Standard Fruit & Steamship Company.

Acquisition Method: Gift.

Preferred Citation: Standard Fruit & Steamship Company records, Manuscripts Collection 653, Louisiana Research Collection, Howard-Tilton Memorial Library, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118

Processing Information: Collection processed in 1986 by Sue McGrady Woodward.

Finding Aid Revision History: Finding aid information entered in Archon by LAC Group in 2011. Revised by LAC Group 4/21/11.

Other Note: OCLC Number: 298132161

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Box:

[Box 1: History and business papers, undated, 1901-1928],
[Box 2: Business papers, 1929-1938],
[Box 3: Business papers, 1939-1945 August],
[Box 4: Business papers and Cuba, 1945 September-1957, 1906-1927],
[Box 5: Cuba and Haiti, 1928-1947, 1939-1945],
[Box 6: Haiti, 1946-1948 August],
[Box 7: Honduras, 1906-1932],
[Box 8: Honduras and Jamaica, 1933-1963, 1925-1947],
[Box 9: Mexico, 1910-1947],
[Box 10: Nicaragua, 1923-1931],
[Box 11: Nicaragua and Panama, 1932-1947, 1920-1928 August],
[Box 12: Panama and steamships: Amapala to Kosmos],
[Box 13: Steamships: Louis Geraci to Worden],
[Box 14: Steamships Yoro-Yuma, other blueprints, Castle and Cook, United Fruit Company, Newspapers and printed material],
[Box 15: Haiti diplomatic correspondence],
[Box 16: Vaccaro minute books, 1918-1920, 1927-1935],
[Box 17: Serials],
[Volume 1: Abbott Motors, Incorporated, minute book, 1923-1927],
[Volume 2: Alonzo Church and Company, Incorporated, 1928-1931],
[Volume 3: American Fruit and Steamship Corporation, minute book number 4, 1929-1932],
[Volume 4: American Fruit and Steamship Corporation, minute book 5, 1933],
[Volume 5: Banana Distributing Company and Gulf Banana Dispatch Company, 1926-1930],
[Volume 6: Bluefields Lumber Company minute book, 1921-1922],
[Volume 7: Bluefields Lumber Company minute book, 1921-1927],
[Volume 8: Bragman's Bluff Lumber Company, Incorporated, minute book, 1921-1926],
[Volume 9: Bragman's Bluff Lumber Company, Incorporated, board of directors minutes, 1926-1934],
[Volume 10: Bragman's Bluff Lumber Company, Incorporated, corporate records, 1935-1942],
[Volume 11: Bragman's Bluff Lumber Company, Incorporated, minute book, 1935],
[Volume 12: Ceiba Steamship Company, corporate records, 1915-1921],
[Volume 13: Cerveceria Hondurena, Sociedad Anónima, a history, 1916-1966],
[Volume 14: S. DiGiorgio and Company, Incorporated, 1918-1922],
[Volume 15: Eastern Seaboard Corporation, number 1, 1930],
[Volume 16: Eastern Seaboard Corporation, finance committee, 1930-1933],
[Volume 17: Eastern Seaboard Corporation, collateral trust indenture, 1930],
[Volume 18: Gravier Realty Company minute book, 1912-1923],
[Volume 19: The Grunewald Hotel minute book, 1917-1923],
[Volume 20: Mexican-American Fruit and Steamship Corporation, executive committee minutes, 1924-1926],
[Volume 21: Mexican-American Fruit and Steamship Corporation, executive committee minutes, 1925-1928],
[Volume 22: Mexican-American Fruit and Steamship Corporation, board of directors and stockholders minutes, 1923-1924],
[Volume 23: Mexican-American Fruit and Steamship Corporation, board of directors and stockholders minutes, book 2, 1924-1926],
[Volume 24: Mexican-American Fruit and Steamship Corporation, board of directors and stockholders minutes, book 3, 1927-1930],
[Volume 25: New Orleans Independent Laundries, Incorporated, board of directors minutes, 1929-1940],
[Volume 26: Seaboard Steamship Corporation, board of directors minutes, 1933-1941],
[Volume 27: Southern Banana Corporation, number 1, 1923-1925],
[Volume 28: Southern Banana Corporation, number 2-A, 1926-1927],
[Volume 29: Southern Banana Corporation, number 3, 1927-1934],
[Volume 30: Southern Banana Corporation, number 4, 1935-1941],
[Volume 31: Southern Steamship and Banana Company, 1910-1924],
[Volume 32: Southern Steamship and Banana Company, 1926-1938],
[Volume 39: Standard Fruit and Steamship Company Banana Handling Committee, 1953-1955],
[Volume 40: Standard Fruit and Steamship of Mexico, board of directors and stockholders minutes, 1932-1941],
[Volume 41: Standard Navigation Corporation, 1936-1949],
[Volume 42: United States Development Company, minutes of directors and stockholders, number 2, 1923-1931],
[Volume 43: Wawa Boom, Incorporated, 1927-1932],
[Volume 44: Winship Fuel Oil Service, Incorporated, 1922-1932],
[Volume 45: Yoro Steamship Company, 1915-1921],
[Volume 46: Zito Trading Company, Incorporated, 1917-1925],
[Volume 47: Castle and Cook, Incorporated, annual report, 1969-1977],
[Volume 48: Castle and Cook, Incorporated, report, 1970s],
[All]

Box 2: Business papers, 1929-1938

Folder 1: Business papers, 1929 January-March

Correspondence concerns final settlement of the estate of Captain Simpson of the steamship Amapala, sinking fund of Standard Fruit, and fuel oil for ships.

Folder 2: Business papers, 1929 April-June

May 4. Memorandum outlining unfavorable dealings with United Fruit (further correspondence June 13 and 20).

Minutes of Board of Directors of Vaccaro Brothers and Company and correspondence concerning letters of credit for Lake Division and Canal Zone in Panama.

Folder 3: Business papers, 1929 July-September

Correspondence concerns letters of credit for Panama, land deals with United Fruit, and loan with Belfast Banking Company by Vaccaro Brothers.

Folder 4: Business papers, 1929 October-December

Minutes of Vaccaro Brothers about contracts to build two new steamers, and account with Illinois Bank and Trust Company.

Trade agreement with Ginocchio Costa and Company to liquidate debt.

Organizational chart for DiGiorgio-Huart Banana Company (names, occupation and salary).

Balance sheet for Marine Division of American Fruit and Steamship Company.

Correspondence concerning bunker oil contract with British Mexican Petroleum Company Limited.

Folder 5: Business papers, 1930 January

Correspondence concerning Ginocchio Costa and Company debt and meeting with Arthur A. Pollan of United Fruit about employment.

Folder 6: Business papers, 1930 February

Correspondence with Standard Fruit's agent, W.D. Stella, stating that Ginocchio Costa owed United Fig and Date Company $30,000 in unsecured debts and an order of a Copra dryer for Honduras from Tyenside Foundry, England.

Folder 7: Business papers, 1930 March

Minutes of stockholders meeting of American Fruit.

Correspondence concerning debt of Ginocchio, Costa and Company to Standard Fruit and United Fig, sinking fund, letters of credit for Panama, and organizational charts for DiGiorgio and Company, Limited, and Southern Banana Corporation.

Folder 8: Business papers, 1930 April 1-20

April 8. A. Fabrizio to W.A. Blackmon, DiGiorgio Fruit Company: figures of the cargo and expenses of the steamship Martinique on the Baracoa to Philadelphia run.

Correspondence concerns debt of Ginocchio, Costa and Company and letters of credit for Panama.

Minutes of the Board of Directors meeting of Vaccaro Brothers and sale of preferred stock in International Fruit Corporation.

Sale of steamship Contessa by Vaccaro Brothers to Standard Fruit Company.

Folder 9: Business papers, 1930 April 21-30

Correspondence concerning debt of Ginocchio, Costa and Company and financial problems of United Fig and Date Company.

Letter stating that DiGiorgio had transferred interest in American Fruit to Vaccaro Brothers; therefore, Vera Cruz, Villahermosa, Baracoa, and Jamaica will be receiving instructions from New Orleans rather than New York.

Memorandum for handling business under this arrangement.

Folder 10: Business papers, 1930 May 1-10

May 1. Washington Irving Moss, President, Union Indemnity to George E. Hayes, Vice-President, Union Indemnity: debt of Gonzalo Abaunza showing intra-company tangle.

May 10. Davis Polk Wardwell Gardiner and Reed to M.A. Kerwin, Vice-President, DiGiorgio Fruit Corporation: legal opinion concerning proposed operation of steamships between New York and Ceiba.

Minutes of Board of Directors of Vaccaro Brothers.

Minutes of annual meeting of Board of Directors of American Fruit.

Folder 11: Business papers, 1930 May 11-31

May 22. Document transferring DiGiorgio interests to American Fruit and Steamship Corporation.

Correspondence concerning conducting business in the state of New York; and the Ginocchio, Costa and Company-United Fig and Banana Company debt.

Information on United States Development Company, whose records were shipped to Charles Leftwich.

Schedule of floating equipment of American Fruit and Steamship Company.

Folder 12: Business papers, 1930 June 1-15

Correspondence concerning United States Development Company and Southern Steamship and Banana Company.

Results of meeting with Ginocchio, Costa and Company.

Folder 13: Business papers, 1930 June 16-30

Correspondence concerning Ginocchio, Costa and Company and DiGiorgio Haurt Banana Company.

Minutes of Board of Directors of American Fruit and Steamship Company.

Folder 14: Business papers, 1930 July

July 28. Montgomery B. Angell to M.A. Kerwin: concerns tax law for conducting business in New York state and describes the shipping operation of American Fruit and the banana distribution of DiGiorgio.

Correspondence concerning United States Development Company; chart with job description of the Accounting Department, New Orleans, American Fruit.

Folder 15: Business papers, 1930 August.

18 August. W.A. Blackmon, DiGiorgio Fruit Corporation, to William Leftwich, American Fruit and Steamship Corporation: ownership of property by United States Development Company acquired before the Mexican Constitution prohibiting foreign ownership along the coast.

Correspondence concerning the Ginocchio, Costa debt.

Memorandum of agreement between Standard Fruit and British-Mexican Petroleum Company.

Folder 16: Business papers, 1930 September 1-19

5 September. Indenture made between DiGiorgio Fruit Corporation and American Fruit and Steamship Corporation.

Correspondence concerning Ginocchio, Costa and Company and William Leftwich's visit to Chicago. Loans arranged with the Royal Bank of Canada to cover notes of Rafael Huart.

Folder 17: Business papers, 1930 September 20-31

September 30. Contract for fuel oil between Mexican Petroleum and Southern Banana Corporation.

Correspondence concerning payment of debt of Ginocchio, Costa and Company.

Folder 18: Business papers, 1930 October 1-15

Correspondence concerning ways of covering debt of Ginocchio, Costa and Company and Puccinelli.

Form of indemnity agreement on behalf of DiGiorgio and Company in favor of "His Majesty the King" for a seaman's distress bond.

Sale of steamships Cefalu and Contessa.

Folder 19: Business papers, 1930 October 16-31

Correspondence concerning indemnity bond for Ginocchio, Costa and Company and fuel oil contract between Mexican Petroleum Corporation and Southern Banana Corporation.

Folder 20: Business papers, 1930 November

November 8. O.E. Winzer, Winzer and Company, Chicago, to William Leftwich, Standard Fruit; note for October 1 sent.

Correspondence concerning delivery charges by Mexican Petroleum Corporation.

Folder 21: Business papers, 1930 December

Notices of future meetings of the Boards of Directors of the various companies.

Folder 22: Business papers, 1931 January-March

January 12. Minutes of Board of Directors of Vaccaro Brothers and Company showing total liabilities and securities to be sold to liquidate indebtedness.

Folder 23: Business papers, 1931 April-May

Correspondence concerning letters of credit and desire for a credit loan by John Cotsirilos in return for 90% of his business.

Folder 24: Business papers, 1931 June

June 24. Sale of land owned by John A. and Rose Cella to cover debt of Ginocchio, Costa and Company.

Financial report on John Cotsirilos of Chicago.

Folder 25: Business papers, 1931 July

July 1. Standard buys N. Geraci and Company business in the United States except for the area in and around Tampa, Florida.

Correspondence concerning oil contracts.

Folder 26: Business papers, 1931 August

Correspondence concerning contract between Standard Fruit and N. Geraci and Company and a new argeement by whereby Geraci does not import bananas, but purchases them from Standard.

August 14. Payment of debt of Ceiba Navigation Corporation to N. Geraci and Company.

Folder 27: Business papers, 1931 September-October

September 1. Ike Lowenburg, Union Title Guarantee Company, New Orleans, to William Leftwich, Standard Fruit: evaluation of properties in Chicago owned by John Cotsirilos and Ginocchio, Costa and Company.

Folder 28: Business papers, 1931 November-December

Correspondence concerning the Chicago land sale and the titile that was to be put in Stella's name before he died.

Notice of meeting of Southern Steamship and Banana Company and United States Development Company.

Contract for fuel oil.

Folder 29: Business papers, 1932 January-February

Notice of death of John A. Cella whose land was being sold to cover debt of Ginocchio, Costa and Company.

Correspondence concerning this land exchange.

Notice of meeting of Eastern Seaboard Corporation.

Folder 30: Business papers, 1932 March-May

Trust agreement for lots to be held by the Chicago TItle and Trust Company.

Folder 31: Business papers, 1932 June-July

June 22. W.A. Blackmon, Vice-President, American Fruit, to William Leftwich, Secretary, American Fruit: DiGiorgio Huart Banana Company is being liquidated. DiGiorgio Cuban Fruit is buying Huart's stock and will be doing the same business.

Correspondence concerning stock transfers brought on by this buy out.

Folder 32: Business papers, 1932 August-December

Correspondence concerning sale of Standard Fruit stock to Guaranty Development Company.

Folder 33: Business papers, 1933 January-March

March 3. Gilbert Pemberton to J.G. Flanary, Villahermosa, Tabasco: description of land in Mexico, finca "Pravia," owned by Southern Steamship.

March 17. C. Cain Jr., Chase National Bank, to William Leftwich, Treasurer, Standard Fruit: due to Bank Holiday, credit has been canceled. Telegram.

March 22. F.H. Friedewold, Auditor, to Gilbert Pemberton, Standard Fruit: states that the current use of the Pravia property is as a shipyard and warehouse.

Memorandum concerning Chase National Bank-Marymira Company.

Folder 34: Business papers, 1933 April

Correspondence concerning drafts for Panama, which includes a list of steamers owned and operated by Standard Fruit. Minutes of Board of Directors of Vaccaro Brothers.

Folder 35: Business papers, 1933 May

Correspondence concerning credit for the Panama Division.

Folder 36: Business papers, 1933 June

Correspondence concerning canal tolls and accounts for the Panama Division.

Folder 37: Business papers, 1933 July-August

Minutes of Vaccaro Brothers' selling stock in Union Products Company to Vaccaro Officers and sale of Air Reduction Company stock through their broker.

Folder 38: Business papers, 1933 September

September 8. William Leftwich to M.J. Green: list of Officers and Directors of American Fruit Company.

Leltter of credit renewed for Panama.

Folder 39: Business papers, 1933 October

Resolution for Vaccaro to sell the Steamships Cefalu and Contessa to Standard Navigation Corporation. Meeting of Vaccaro Brothers concerning the loan of stocks to Washington Irving Moss as collateral for his loan with American Bank and Trust Company.

Folder 40: Business papers, 1933 November

Transfer of Steamship Tegucigalpa by Standard Fruit to Standard Navigation Company.

Folder 41: Business papers, 1933 December

Transfer of stock in Standard Fruit from Vaccaro Brothers to Tropics Corporation. This satisfies agreement made November 22 in Agreement of Consolidation and Merger between Eastern Seaboard Corporation, American Fruit Company and Standard Fruit Company.

Folder 42: Business papers, 1934 Janaury-March

Correspondence concerning recapitalization of Laundry and Dry Cleaning service.

Folder 43: Business papers, 1934 April-May

Figures of profit in Sinking Fund. Credit arranged with National City Bank for the Panama Division.

Folder 44: Business papers, 1934 June

Correspondence and documents concerning Vaccaro-Standard agreement and Standard's indebtedness.

Folder 45: Business papers, 1934 July

Notes of debt of Standard to be turned over to Chase National Bank by Vaccaro Brothers to secure loan to cover purchase Steamship Cefalu.

Folder 46: Business papers, 1934 September-December

Correspondence concerning letter of credit for Panama Division.

Minutes of Board of Directors of Vaccaro Brothers.

Folder 47: Business papers, 1935 January-March

Correspondence concerning outstanding stock of Standard Fruit.

Folder 48: Business papers, 1935 April

Correspondence concerning Ginocchio, Costa and Company settlement and surcharge on disbursements made for ships in the Panama Canal.

Folder 49: Business papers, 1935 May

Correspondence concerning Ginocchio, Costa and Company property.

Minutes of Board of Directors of Vaccaro Brothers.

Folder 50: Business papers, 1935 June

Correspondence concerning outstanding Standard stock and reasons for increasing amount of Letter of Credit for Panama.

Minutes of Board of Directors of Vaccaro Brothers and stockholders in liquidation.

Folder 51: Business papers, 1935 July-August

July 30. Willam Garfitt, Vice-President, Central-Western Sales Division, Standard Fruit, to Ralph C. Lally, Vice-President, In Charge of Sales, Standard Fruit: concerns property sold by Ginocchio, Costa and Company and its misrepresentation.

List of stockholders, not yet exchanged, of Standard Fruit.

Minutes of Board of Directors of Vaccaro Brothers.

Folder 52: Business papers, 1935 September-October

Document to consent to dissolve Vaccaro Brothers.

Correspondence concerning debt of the Earl Fruit Company and letters of Credit for Panama.

Folder 53: Business papers, 1935 November-December

Correspondence concerning appraisals of Bunker Hill (Ginocchio, Costa and Company property and stock owned by Joseph Vaccaro).

Folder 54: Business papers, 1936 January-March

Correspondence concerning income tax liability for Vaccaro Brothers and stock of Standard Fruit.

Folder 55: Business papers, 1936 April-August

Correspondence concerning missing books of the Southern Steamship and Banana Company.

Folder 56: Business papers, 1936 September-December

Correspondence concerning stock.

Folder 57: Business papers, 1937 January-April

Correspondence concerning stock and letter of credit for Panama.

Folder 58: Business papers, 1937 May-June

Correspondence concerning stock and letter for credit for Panama.

Folder 59: Business papers, 1937 July-August

Correspondence concerning stock, letter of credit for Panama, and Ginocchio, Costa property.

Folder 60: Business papers, 1937 September-October

Correspondence concerning stock, letter of credit for Panama, and Ginocchio, Costa property.

Folder 61: Business papers, 1937 November-December

Correspondence concerning stock.

Folder 62: Business papers, 1938 January-February

Correspondence concerning stock.

Folder 63: Business papers, 1938 March 1-17

March 17. Minutes of Board of Directors of the Hartwig Moss Insurance Agency transferring and selling stock to the Tropical Ice Company, and transferring Standard Fruit stock to Banco Atlantida.

Folder 64: Business papers, 1938 March 18

Sale of securities to Tropical Ice Company by Washington Irving Moss.

Folder 65: Business papers, 1938 March 19-31

Correspondence concerning stocks.

Folder 66: Business papers, 1938 April-May

Correspondence concerning Washington Irving Moss.

Folder 67: Business papers, 1938 June

List of stocks transferred in the Union Brewing Corporation and list of stocks purchased from Washington Irving Moss.

Folder 68: Business papers, 1938 July

Correspondence concerning settlement with Washington Irving Moss.

Folder 69: Business papers, 1938 August-September

Correspondence concerning stock.

Folder 70: Business papers, 1938 October-December

October 3. Fred M. Naber, Continental Illinois National Bank, Chicago, to William Leftwich, Vice-President and Treasurer, Standard Fruit: states that Standard liabilities are in excess of assets.

Correspondence concerning stocks and letter of credit for Panama.

Tulane University Special Collections