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 5: Cuba and Haiti, 1928-1947, 1939-1945

The eighteen years that Standard Fruit was in business in Haiti were times of political and production difficulties. In the summer of 1934 Standard Fruit began to purchase bananas in Haiti. Later that year President Stenio Vincent of Haiti personally gave a concession to export bananas to another firm, the Haitian Fruit and Steamship Company. Against this competition Standard Fruit's buyer H.L. Cahill used agression and threats and was deported. Joseph Zito was relieved of his position as General Manager and Salvador D'Antoni took over as director of the division. The investment in Haiti was important to Standard because of losses in Nicaragua and Mexico.

In 1935 Standard Fruit in agreement with Haiti's President Vincent was given exclusive rights to purchase and export bananas for ten years. But Standard Fruit soon learned that they had not anticipated the problems of lack of water and poor soil, and this caused massive delays, as John Brownson, manager of the foreign department, explained to President Vincent in 1936. While publicly censuring Standard Fruit President Vincent did not carry out the Government's obligation to build roads, drain land, or discover wells. Brownson became General Manager for the Haitian Division and sought revisions of concessions in 1937.

There continued to be efforts to break Standard Fruit's monopoly. Haytian Banana Company sold fig bananas whereas Standard would only buy the Gros Michel, which sold much better in the States. This was the first of many attempts to break Standard Fruit's monopoly, but it was a pattern that was repeated several times after the War from 1945-1947.

World War II struck a severe blow to Standard Fruit by limiting shipping to only Honduras and Haiti. In the first contract Standard was to sell Haiti's entire export crop, but the lack of ships made this impossible. Also during the war years banana that would not ordinarily be up to grade were exported. This created a false value, which could not be understood by the Haitian farmer and produced difficulties for Standard Fruit during later contract negotiations.

All these problems were brought out during contract renegotiations in 1944. While desiring Standard Fruit's tax revenue, President Elie Lascot has political friends and family wanting banana concessions. During these conflicts the small banana farmers in the North supported Standard Fruit, while the newspapers in Port-au-Prince fought against the monopoly. In the 1945 contract Standard Fruit lost its monopoly with purchase rights only in the North, Northeast, and Artibonite. Brownson came down with malaria and returned to New Orleans as Manager of Foreign Operations, and E.F. Hurlston became General Manager of Haiti.

In 1946 newly elected President Dumarais Estime had several plans to increase the banana export tax and subdivide the banana lands reducing Standard Fruit's land control. After a long negotiation, finally the newspaper La Nouvelliste supported Standard and influenced the United States State Department, after a long hands-off policy, to support Standard Fruit. A limited contract was signed in 1948. But after a study of the soil and land conditions proved negative, Standard Fruit began to cut-back and left Haiti in 1952.

Folder 1: Cuba, 1928 January

Correspondence concerning dificiencies in tonnage charges and debts occured by Almacenes Atares.

Folder 2: Cuba, 1928 February-June

Minutes for meetings of DiGiorgio Cuban Fruit Company.

Folder 3: Cuba, 1928 July-August

Folder 4: Cuba, 1928 December 12

Contract between Tropical Fruit Corporation, DiGiorgio Fruit Corporation, DiGiorgio Cuban Fruit Corporation, Salvador DiGiorgio SA and Rafael Huart y Ortiz.

Folder 5a: Cuba, 1928 December 13

Organization of mercantile stock company called DiGiorgio Huart Banana Company.

Folder 5b: Cuba, 1928 December 17-31

Folder 6: Cuba, 1929

January minutes of DiGiorgio Cuban Fruit Company in Spanish and English translation.

Folder 7: Cuba, 1930 January-February

Minutes of DiGiorgio Huart Banana Company and DiGiorgio Cuban Fruit Company.

Folder 8: Cuba, 1930 April-June

May 19. W.A. Blackmon to Charles Leftwich: describing the DiGiorgio Huart Banana Company.

Folder 9: Cuba, 1930 July-December

December 31. Financial statements and audit of DiGiorgio Cuban Fruit Company.

Folder 10: Cuba, 1931 February-May

February 2. George Eder, Travelling Auditor to W.A. Blackmon: audit of DiGiorgio Huart Banana Company S.A. for 1930.

Folder 11: Cuba, 1931 June

Correspondence concerning operating the Havana office in the name of Standard Fruit instead of through Kingsbury Company, which has become Branon and Company.

Folder 12: Cuba, 1931 July

Correspondence mainly with Emilio Manrara, General Agent, concerning new office.

Folder 13: Cuba, 1931 August-December

Correspondence concerning purchase of steamers from N. Geraci Company and claims against these ships by J. Garcia Rios, Division Frutera, Cuba.

Folder 14: Cuba, 1932 January-February

Correspondence and minutes of the annual meetings of DiGiorgio Huart Banana Company and DiGiorgio Cuban Fruit Company.

Folder 15: Cuba, 1932 March-April

Folder 16: Cuba, 1932 May-June

Minutes of DiGiorgio Cuban Fruit.

Folder 17: Cuba, 1932 July-December

Minutes of DiGiorgio Huart Banana Company and its liquidation and minutes of DiGiorgio Cuban Fruit Company.

Folder 18: Cuba, 1933 January-March

Correspondence and minutes of DiGiorgio Cuban Fruit Company.

Folder 19: Cuba, 1933 April-December

September 25. R. McClellan, Comptroller to J.W. Guntzer: concerning value of properties of DiGiorgio Cuban Fruit Company.

Folder 20: Cuba, 1934

Minutes and balance sheet of DiGiorgio Cuban Fruit Company.

Folder 21: Cuba, 1935 January-March

Correspondence about change of DiGiorgio Cuban Fruit to Standard Fruit of Cuba.

Folder 22: Cuba, 1935 April-May

Folder 23: Cuba, 1935 June-December

Folder 24: Cuba, 1936

Folder 25: Cuba, 1937

List of companies insuring Standard Fruit of Cuba and correspondence concerning powers of attorney for conducting business in Cuba.

Folder 26: Cuba, 1938 January-July

Folder 27: Cuba, 1938 August

August 4. Fernando M. Vidal to Emilio Manrara, General Agent, Cuba: describing documents that relate to the claim of Naredo y Compania that Standard did not refrigerate cured meat sent to Cuba. Spanish, English translation.

Folder 28: Cuba, 1938 October-November 15

Folder 29: Cuba, 1938 November 16-26

November 22. Fernando M. Vidal to Emilio Manrara: concerning Decree Number 2266 and policies dealing with insurance companies. English translation.

Folder 30: Cuba, 1938 November-December 27

List of insurance companies covering the different policies of Standard Fruit of Cuba, Compania de Almacenes de Atares and Compania Frutera de Cuba.

Folder 31: Cuba, 1939

Folder 32: Cuba, 1942

Act number 53, which is the authorization of debt of Atares of $15,000.

Folder 33: Cuba, 1946

June 11. Gilbert Pemberton to B.S. D'Antoni: describing the Cuban elections, 1946 June 1.

June 25. C.C. FitzGerald to A.F. Trevejo: estimates of Steamship Genevieve Lykes damage to dock.

Folder 34: Cuba, 1947

February 20. C.C. FitzGerald to Evelio Govantes, President, Standard Fruit, Havana: describing damage to wharf by storm in January.

March 10. Gilbert Pemberton to C.C. FitzGerald: discussing problems of procuring asbestos roofing.

Folder 35: Cuba materials, undated

Resignations of members of the DiGiorgio Cuban Fruit Company.

Folder 36: Haiti, 1939 November-December

November 10. H.V. Rolston memorandum to Charles Leftwich describing profit-sharing contract in Haiti.

November 14. H.V. Rolston memorandum to Charles Leftwich showing problems of figuring profits in Haiti, Honduras and Frontera.

Folder 37: Haiti, 1940-1941

1940 April 26. H.V. Rolston report on Dr. Dunlop's findings on plant failures in Haiti and recommendations on applicants for an agriculturist.

1941 February 24. Agreement for transportation of fruit between Standard Fruit Steamship Company of Hayti and Compagnie Nationale des Chemins de Fer d'Haiti.

Folder 38: Haiti, 1942 January-June

January 20. H.V. Rolston memorandum to Salvador D'Antoni concerning payment of surcharge of $.05 per count on bananas exported to Haitian Government.

May 2. Draft of letter from Standard Fruit to Republic of Haiti, Department of Agriculture and Labor.

June 2. Estimate for number of stems listing lack of agricultural area.

Folder 39: Haiti, 1942 July-October

July 3. Charles Rosen to Blackmon, New York: questioning if the World War can be considered a "force majeure" and release Standard from some aspects of their contract with Haiti.

Folder 40: Haiti, 1942 November

November 6. M.A. Kerwin to Salvador D'Antoni: concerning allocations of gasoline and diesel for Haiti. Copy.

Folder 41: Haiti, 1943 February-March

March 1. T.F. Kane to W.A. Blackmon: concerning banana, sisal and cryptostegia production in the various areas of Haiti. Copy.

Folder 42: Haiti, 1943 June

June 2. Maurice Dartigue to John Brownson: receipt of notice of merger of Standard Fruit of Delaware and Standard Fruit Corporation. French. Copy.

Folder 43: Haiti, 1944 June-August

Correspondence and reports dealing with banana production, disease control and blowdown and meetings with the Haiti ambassador and the Haitian President concerning Standard's monopoly.

Folder 44: Haiti, 1944 September

September 1. Notes on discussion of new contract between government of Haiti and Standard Fruit. English translation.

Folder 45: Haiti, 1944 October

Correspondence about declining quality of bananas and purchase of Cavandish instead of Gros Michel.

Folder 46: Haiti, 1944 November

November 17. Stephen Kliman to Blackmon: report Florida agrochemists' findings on chemicals of San Rose Scale control.

Correspondence concerning negotiations of contract between Standard and Haiti. On November 21 Haiti decides not to renew Standard Fruit's contract under present terms.

Folder 47: Haiti, 1944 December

Correspondence concerning plant disease control.

Folder 48: Haiti, 1945 January 1-15

undated. Amended project of Banana law submitted by committee of the Chamber of Deputies, of which Senator Jean David was Chairman. Copy.

Correspondence concerning the repeated problems Standard has with competitors' paying higher prices, buying smaller broken stems, and shipping Gros Michels which have more transportation damage; therefore, flooding the United States with poorer grade Haitian bananas and upsetting the market. The Haitian government continues to deny any of these practices.

Folder 49: Haiti, 1945 January 16-22

Correspondence of types of bananas being shipped by other exporters to Miami, activities of Jean H. Elie (President Lascot's brother-in-law) and Depute Bourjolly, and scale control.

Folder 50: Haiti, 1945 January 23-31

Continued correspondence about transportation of bananas from Haiti to Miami and their quality.

Folder 51: Haiti, 1945 February 1-6

February 2. Cash disbursements in Haiti for 1935-1944.

Folder 52: Haiti, 1945 February 7-9

February 8. Government of Haiti's counter-memorandum on the banana contract and John Brownson's comments.

February 9. W.A. Blackmon to John Brownson: requesting that formal letters by exchanged with the Government of Haiti about change in expiration date of contract.

Folder 53: Haiti, 1945 February 10-28

Translation of articles against Standard Fruit in Le Nouvellist.

Folder 54: Haiti, 1945 March 1-12

March 8. Draft of banana contract with Government of Haiti.

March 9. A.F. Camp, College of Agriculture, University of Florida, to Salvador D'Antoni: report on survey of crops in Haiti and disease control.

Folder 55: Haiti, 1945 March 12-31

Correspondence concerning Banana contract.

Folder 56: Haiti, 1945 April 1-17

Correspondence concerning contract and future planting in the Artibonite Valley.

Folder 57: Haiti, 1945 April 18

Contract of 1945 April 18 between Haiti and Standard Fruit. French and English, draft and printed.

Folder 58: Haiti, 1945 April 19-30

Visit of President Lescot of Haiti to banana farms of Standard Fruit with menu and accommodations at Deschapelles. Also, various areas of Haiti are being allotted to different banana buyers and there are memorandums concerning this event.

Folder 59: Haiti, 1945 May 1-15

Correspondence concerning a school for boys to be built by Standard at Saint-Marc, management problems at Plantation Castera, and lists of ships and bananas shipped by other buyers.

Folder 60: Haiti, 1945 May 16-31

May 17. John Brownson to W.A. Blackmon: memorandum with copy of contract governing reimbursement advances to growers by Standard Fruit. English and French.

May 23. Article about John Brownson. English translation.

Continued reports of quantities of bananas unloaded by other exporters in Miami from Haiti.

Folder 61: Haiti, 1945 June 1-15

June 1. John Brownson to W.A. Blackmon: memorandum showing blowdown losses in the Artibonite Valley farms.

June 9. John Brownson to M.A. Kerwin: regards selection of employee to do further study in the United States on diesel engines.

June 12. John Brownson to W.A. Blackmon: memorandum listing ships exporting bananas by other shippers from the southern peninsula of Haiti.

A note says they are mixing the less popular Cavandish banana with the Gros Michel and passing them off as all Gros Michels.

Folder 62: Haiti, 1945 June 16-30

June 19. W.A. Blackmon to John Brownson: discussing translation of the contract and problems of meaning between the various interpretations.

June 27. John Brownson to W.A. Blackmon: refers to irrigation report of March 28 by M.S. Kidder.

Folder 63: Haiti, 1945 July

July 2. John Brownson to W.A. Blackmon: discussing education of an employee in Jamaica at the Imperial College of Tropical Agriculture and putting him in charge of the Education and Demonstration Department. See also 1945 July 19 memo Brownson to Blackmon.

July 2. John Brownson to W.A. Blackmon: memorandum on blowdown props.

Correspondence dealing with leasing or sharecropping land in the Artibonite Valley and "crop participation" contracts.

Folder 64: Haiti, 1945 August

Correspondence about building a Standard Fruit headquarters on the Artibonite River.

Folder 65: Haiti, 1945 September

September 5. John Brownson to W.A. Blackmon: memorandum on final settlement of affairs with the Plantation Savien-George Rode. Note: there are several items concerning this problem in previous folders.

Correspondence on blowdown and effects of use of supporting poles.

Folder 66: Haiti, 1945 October 1-10

Correspondence dealing with the creation and functioning of the Education and Demonstration Department.

Folder 67: Haiti, 1945 October 11-31

October 11. Article in Le Nouvelliste about Standard Fruit.

October 16. W.A. Blackmon to Salvador D'Antoni: report on conference with President Estime and staff about changes in contracts.

October 27. W.A. Blackmon to John Brownson: concerns planting for 1946.

Folder 68: Haiti, 1945 November 1-5

November 2. W.A. Blackmon to J.V. Wolf: form of Haiti participation contract with contract attached.

November 2. W.A. Blackmon to J.V. Wolf: form of Haiti land lease with lease attached.

Folder 69: Haiti, 1945 November 6-15

November 6. W.A. Blackmon to John Brownson: concerns transporting bananas to New Orleans on the Steamship Granada and Steamship Atlantida.

November 9. W.A. Blackmon to Salvador D'Antoni: figures on sharecropping in Artibonite Valley.

Folder 70: Haiti, 1945 November 6-22

November 16. E.F. Hurlston to W.A. Blackmon: states that John Brownson is ill with malignant malaria.

Folder 71: Haiti, 1945 November 23-30

November 24. John Brownson to W.A. Blackmon: contract of Haiti with the new company, HABANEX or Haitian Bananas Export.

Folder 72: Haiti, 1945 December 1-18

Correspondence dealing with information about other banana exporters in Haiti, "land lease and participation" contracts, and Christmas bonuses.

Folder 73: Haiti, 1945 December 21-22

December 21. W.A. Blackmon to John Brownson: cover letter on "participation" contract, signed, and translation of contract with marginal notes and cables with changes.

Folder 74: Haiti, 1945 December 23-31

Correspondence on contracts, translations of newspaper articles in Le Nouvelliste and Le Soir, and establishment of La Haiti Fruit and Steamship Company in competition with Standard Fruit Company.

Tulane University Special Collections