Standard Fruit & Steamship Company records, 1900-1977 | Louisiana Research Collection

By Connor Deegan

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Collection Overview

Scope and Contents of the Materials

Biographical Note

Subject/Index Terms

Administrative Information

Box and Folder Listing

Box 9: Mexico, 1910-1947

Early in 1920 Standard Fruit began to look to Mexico as a hedge against the dreaded Panama Disease, which they were afraid would wipe them out in Honduras. Joseph DiGiorgio was looking for a source of bananas to satisfy his contracts for the European market. These two firms joined together in 1923 as the Mexican-American Fruit and Steamship Company and in five years became the major exporter of bananas in Mexico. Mexico had the advantage of moving fruit to the United States via ship or railroad.

Mexican-American bought out the United States Development Company which owned choice banana lands between Oaxaca and Veracruz, and Southern Banana Corporation, which in turn purchased Frontera Navigation Company, a chartered exporter with rights to do business in Tabasco. Southern Steamship and Banana had been purchased by DiGiorgio in 1915 and had an early concession at Puerto Alvaro Obregon.

By 1925 Southern Banana Corporation had full control of Southern Steamship, and Mexican-American had purchased the following DiGiorgio properties: DiGiorgio Cuban Fruit and DiGiorgio Limited of Jamaica and parts of American Banana Corporation and California-Guatemala Corporation.

In 1927 Mexican-American became American Fruit and Steamship Company with Washington Irving Moss, Chairman, and Joseph DiGiorgio, President. The preferred stock was owned by Vaccaro Brothers, Standard Fruit, Banco Atlantida, and Tropical Ice Company. Common stock was equally divided between Standard Fruit and DiGiorgio.

American Fruit had two offices in Mexico during the 1920s, the first in Papaloapan and the second in Tabasco. P.J. Parachini was General Manager for Mexico and worked out of the Papaloapan office. Tabasco was controlled by strong man Garrido Canabal; his brother Pio controlled the port of Alvaro Obergon; and brother Manuel was manager of Compania de Transportes Fluviales, a subsidiary of American Fruit. In 1930 a third office was opened in the northern part of the state of Veracruz.

American Fruit found that business practices in Mexico differed from those in Central America. First, in Central America bananas were sold by the stem and there was no additional payment for stems over nine hands. In Mexico bananas were sold by the metric ton, so farmers were paid for every banana. Second, in Central America Standard Fruit was able to stabilize the economy, but American Fruit had little impact on the inflation that hit Mexico in 1931, and there were problems with paying management and renegotiating contracts with farmers.

In 1934 Mexico passed a law that prohibited any foreign company from owning rural property. At first the impact was not felt as American Fruit could purchase enough fruit for export, but then there was a strike against the Tabasco Railway Company. In 1935 the Texas Farm in Papaloapan was expropriated. The Banana Workers Union struck, and Standard stated that they would suspend all operations if there was no settlement. Then all the shops and properties were confiscated.

The conditions in Mexico were reconsidered in light of the land reforms, inability to purchase bananas and the advancement of the Panama disease in Mexico. in 1939 Standard Fruit decided to liquidate their holdings in Mexico.

Folder 1: Mexico, 1910-1915

1910 December 3. Contract of Southern Steamship and Banana Company of Galveston, Texas to operate in Tabasco, Mexico. Spanish.

1913 August 20. Contract for Southern Banana to buy bananas in Mexico. Spanish.

1915 November 23. Jose Ventura Calderon to Carlton Jackson, San Juan Bautista, Tabasco, Mexico: states that the contract of 1910 December 3 fulfills requirements of the law. Spanish.

Folder 2: Mexico, 1920

September 22. Alejandro Quijano, Mexico City, to American Fruit and Steamship Company, New Orleans: concerns the transfer of title from Southern Banana Corporation to Southern Steamship and Banana Company. Spanish with English translation.

Folder 3: Mexico, 1923 June

June 11. Certificate of incorporation of Mexican-American Fruit and Steamship Corporation in multiple copies.

Folder 4: Mexico, 1923 July

Declaration of intent of Mexican-American Fruit and Steamship Corporation.

Folder 5: Mexico, 1923 August

Bylaws of the Mexican-American Fruit and Steamship Corporation in reference to laws of Delaware.

Folder 6: Mexico, 1923 October

Intent of Mexican-American to do business in Louisiana.

Folder 7: Mexico, 1923 December

December 10. Stockholders meeting of Mexican-American Fruit and waivers of all the stockholders: DiGiorgio Fruit and Vaccaro Brothers and Company.

Folder 8: Mexico, 1923 December

December 28. Certificate of amendment and incorporation.

Folder 9: Mexico, 1924 June-July

Correspondence of W.A. Blackmon, Vice-President and Treasurer of DiGiorgio Fruit Corporation concerning stockholders of Mexican-American Fruit and Steamship Company.

Folder 10: Mexico, 1924 September-December

Correspondence concerning changing the charter of Mexican-American to ninety-nine years rather than perpetual to conform to laws of Honduras, and stockholders meetings.

Folder 11: Mexico, 1925 January-April

Correspondence concerning amending the charter and purchase of Fronaco in Tabasco.

Folder 12: Mexico, 1925 May-December

Correspondence and documents of amendment of certificate of incorporation, Snyder Banana Company wishes to sell stock in Southern Banana and three motorships to DiGiorgio Fruit, and reasons for changing name of Southern Steamship and Banana Company.

Balance sheet of Southern Steamship and Banana Company for 1925.

Folder 13: Mexico, 1926 January-June

Correspondence concerning Mexican-American's debt to banks, stock transfer of Southern Banana Corporation, and creation of a Banana Distributing Company.

Minutes of stockholders meeting of Southern Banana Corporation.

Folder 14: Mexico, 1926 July-December

Minutes of special meeting of the Board of Southern Banana Corporation and changes in authority.

Folder 15: Mexico, 1927 March-April

Minutes of stockholders of Southern Banana Corporation.

Folder 16: Mexico, 1927 June

Correspondence and documents concerning stockholders meeting of Southern Banana Corporation.

Folder 17: Mexico, 1927 July

Power of attorney for Southern Banana Corporation and amending charter to change name to American Fruit and Steamship Corporation.

Folder 18: Mexico, 1927 August

Correspondence dealing with a power of attorney for Southern Banana and Mexican-American.

Board of Directors meeting of Southern Banana.

Folder 19: Mexico, 1927 September

Correspondence on power of attorney for Mexican-American and amending the charter to change the name to American Fruit and Steamship Corporation.

Folder 20: Mexico, 1927 October

Correspondence concerning name change with waiver and proxies for special stockholders meeting.

Folder 21: Mexico, 1927 November 1-12

Certificate of amendment of certificate of incorporation of Mexican-American Fruit and Steamship Corporation and related correspondence.

Folder 22: Mexico, 1927 November 14-15

Correspondence officially informing interested parties of name change.

Folder 23: Mexico, 1927 November 16-30

Continuation of letters changing the name and request for passbooks, et cetera, to change name of accounts.

Folder 24: Mexico, 1927 December 1-19

Board meeting of Southern Banana Corporation and correspondence concerning the name change of Mexican-American Fruit and Steamship Company to American Fruit and Steamship Company.

Folder 25: Mexico, 1927 December 20-31

Auditor's report for American Fruit and Steamship Corporation.

Folder 26: Mexico, 1928 January

Correspondence concerning registration of name of American in Mexico and various business firms.

Folder 27: Mexico, 1928 February-December

Minutes of Board of Directors of Southern Banana Corporation.

Subscription of Salvador D'Antoni to Department of Tropical Medicine of Tulane Medical School.

Folder 28: Mexico, 1929

Correspondence and documents of the accounts between Robinson Estates, Veracruz, and Joseph DiGiorgio.

Folder 29: Mexico, 1930 January-June

Mexican railroad rates for transportation of bananas and concessions and power of attorney for Southern Steamship and Banana.

Description of inspection trip to Chiapas, Mexico.

Review of problems with DeWitt and possible repercussions.

Folder 30: Mexico, 1930 July

Protective measures employed against any threats by DeWitt.

Tabasco assets transferred from Southern Banana to Southern Steamship and Banana Company.

Folder 31: Mexico, 1930 August 1-18

Continued concern and actively moving property from one name to another in Mexico.

Power of attorney to make the changes.

Folder 32: Mexico, 1930 August 20

Report that properties that cannot be transferred may be purchased by Southern Steamship Company from Southern Banana Corporation such as Pravia Farm.

Chacalapam property development and monies due the Robinson heirs.

Folder 33: Mexico, 1930 August 23-31

Legal problems accompanied with changes at Southern Banana Corporation.

Folder 34: Mexico, 1930 September 1-10

Southern Banana Corporation inventory of motor launches, barges, new equipment, fast launch, and furniture.

Correspondence stating that movable property is being purchased by Fernandez and Valdes.

Folder 35: Mexico, 1930 September 11-30

Legal steps being taken to insure safest way to protect Southern Banana Corporation properties with transfer, purchase on mortgage; Blackmon suggests ceasing operations in Tabasco.

Folder 36: Mexico, 1930 October 1-18

Correspondence transferring equipment to Compania Platanera y de Transportes Fluviales.

Comments that DeWitt is becoming more approachable and that the three-year limitation is near.

October 16. Letter states that DeWitt has suit against Southern Banana Corporation.

Folder 37: Mexico, 1930 October 20-31

Southern Banana Corporation engages Lic. Gonzalo Blanco for defense against suit brought by DeWitt.

Folder 38: Mexico, 1930 November-December

Heirs to John S. Robinson testify in suit with Joseph DiGiorgio.

Folder 39: Mexico, 1931 January-June

Correspondence following the DeWitt case that was thrown out of court.

List of fees that would be incurred in protocolization of charter of American Fruit in Mexico.

Folder 40: Mexico, 1931 July

Correspondence over whether to go through with protocolization at this time.

Folder 41: Mexico, 1931 August-December

Lawyer considers registration necessary if American wants to reorganize, but American cannot own property in Mexico.

Folder 42: Mexico, 1932 January-June

Correspondence concerns title of land in the name of United States Development Company operated by Joseph DiGiorgio.

Folder 43: Mexico, 1932 July-December

Properties of United States Development Company transferred to Frutera Standard of Mexico.

United States Development Company to be dissolved.

Folder 44: Mexico, 1933

Final steps in dissolving the United States Development Company and suit of Joseph DiGiorgio Company against Compañía Limitada del Ferrocarril Mexicano for incorrect freight charges.

Folder 45: Mexico, 1934

Legal document drawn up in Tuxtepec, Oaxaca, and correspondence concerning case against Ferrocarril Mexicano.

Folder 46: Mexico, 1935

Correspondence on settlement of DeWitt case and notes of land give to agrarians.

Minutes of Board of Directors.

Folder 47: Mexico, 1936 January-June

Memorandum of "Left Back" fruit in Tabasco.

Correspondence concerning the death of James Flannary (former manager at Veracruz), Confederacion de Uniones de Productores de Platano "Tabasco" and agreement.

Folder 48: Mexico, 1936 July-December

Correspondence concerning cost of banana production and cutting in Tabasco.

A report on the banana business in Mexico.

Folder 49: Mexico, 1937

Correspondence about Mexican court case concerning right of legal property and areas in Tabasco to reduce activity because of transportation difficulties.

Folder 50: Mexico, 1940

Correspondence listing areas and tons of bananas purchased and fiscal conditions of bananas with precentage of rejects.

Labor laws and pay concerning closing Veracruz office.

Folder 51: Mexico, 1941

Correspondence concerning liquidation of Standard Fruit of Mexico and Compañía Frutera Standard of Mexico.

Folder 52: Mexico, 1942

Bananas were shipped from Veracruz, but the quality was so inferior that they were stopped.

Folder 53: Mexico, 1943

Correspondence concerning Docket 226, "Mexican Claim-Standard Fruit."

Folder 54: Mexico, 1944, 1945

Continued correspondence concerning outcome of Mexican Claim which was settled by American-Mexican Claims Commission.

Expropriation of land in Oaxaca.

Folder 55: Mexico, 1946

Correspondence concerning steamer service from Mexico, United Fruit looking at banana holdings and the dissolution of Standard of Mexico.

Folder 56: Mexico, 1947

Letter from Guillermo C. DeWitt suggesting Standard Fruit look at banana lands in Mexico.

Folder 57: Mexico, undated

Parts of contracts with Southern Banana Corporation.