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 12: Panama and steamships: Amapala to Kosmos

Standard Fruit and Steamship Corporation opened their cruise business, the Vaccaro Line, with banana carriers that could accommodate forty passengers. At this time each of the steamship accounts was organized into a separate, individual steamship company. When possible the company papers, that is, tax forms, et cetera, are separate from the actual ship papers, that is, crew lists, fuel use, navigation problems. The ships that had their own companies were: Tegucigalpa, Yoro, Ceiba, and Cuba. In 1928 the registry was changed to American Fruit and later to Standard Navigation Company. After World War II some of the ships were listed as individual companies and some were owned by the various companies, also Standard Fruit gradually began to lease banana vessels rather than own them.

Many of the papers because of the subject or because they concerned several ships were filed under Business Papers. Also see Volumes: Seaboard Steamship Corporation, 1933-1941, and Standard Navigation Corporation, 1936-1949.

Folder 1: Panama, 1928 September 1-13

Correspondence concerning government debt and preperations for transfer of properties and concessions to Standard Fruit.

Folder 2: Panama, 1928 September 14-19

Correspondence concerning the purchase of Panama properties from American Fruit by Standard Fruit.

Folder 3: Panama, 1928 September 20-23

Correspondence concerning transfer of properties in Panama and Canal Zone.

Adjustments in accounts of abandoned cultivations, bank accounts at Chase National Bank, and bill of sale with equipment, et cetera, listed.

Folder 4: Panama, 1928 September 24-26

Correspondence concerning conveyance of San Blas interests to Standard Fruit and preparation of letters of credit.

Folder 5: Panama, 1928 September 27-30

Correspondence concerns report of travelling auditor, A.L. Cook.

Folder 6: Panama, 1928 October 1-3

Correspondence concerning paying various carriers at the time of transfer.

Folder 7: Panama, 1928 October 4-6

Correspondence concerning consolidation of staff and separation of books for San Blas and Lake Divisions.

Power of attorney and registration of Standard Fruit.

Folder 8: Panama, 1928 October 7-13

Correspondence concerning amortization of investment in Panama and personnel changes.

Steamer accounts.

Folder 9: Panama, 1928 October 14-31

Correspondence concerning balance sheets of Standard Fruit needed to register in Panama, insurance policies transferred, permission to sell miscellaneous pieces of furniture and fixtures, and the Arnold Hamilton Case.

October 29. Transfer of San Blas Development Corporation to American Fruit.

Folder 10: Panama, 1928 November-December

Correspondence concerning Panama transfer of properties, launches and lighters.

Folder 11: Panama, 1929

Correspondence concerning sale of furniture at San Blas.

Folder 12: Panama, 1930 April-June

Correspondence concerning letters of credit for auditors.

Folder 13: Panama, 1930 July

Correspondence concerns drafts on the Chase National Bank for the Panama Division.

Folder 14: Panama, 1930 August-December

Correspondence concerns extending time on letter of credit.

Folder 15: Panama, 1931

Correspondence concerns letter of credit and local checks and drafts.

Folder 16: Panama, 1932

Correspondence concerns account with the Chase National Bank.

Folder 17: Panama, 1947

Cost of fruit delivered by steamer for December 1946.

Folder 18: Steamship Amapala, 1925-1945

The Steamship Amapala was sunk by a submarine 1942 May 16. There is a description of the sinking written by Captain Harold B. Christiansen and a list of crew members with affidavits of personal loss. Also correspondence concerning insurance and wellbeing. See Business papers, Box 1, Folder 51-58, Box 2, Folder 1, 1927-1929, for the disposition of the estate of Robert Simpson, Captain of the Amapala.

Folder 19: Steamship Amapala, 1925-1945

Folder 20: Steamship Amapala, 1925-1945

Folder 21: Steamship Amapala, 1925-1945

Folder 22: Steamship Amapala, 1925-1945

Folder 23: Steamship Amelia/Yumuri, 1921-1933

The Steamship Amelia was registered in the United States in 1921. Registry papers show that it was built in 1906 in Wallsend-on-Tyne, Newcastle, England, by Swan Hunter Wigham and Richardson and sold to Amelia Steamship Company. In 1930 the registry was changed to Panama under the name Steamship Yumuri by N. Geraci and Company. There is provisional Nicaraguan registry in 1931 when the Yumuri is purchased by Ceiba Navigation Company to be sunk and make a breakwater in Frontera, Mexico. This was done 1933 May 22 in 17 feet of water. Correspondence also includes insurance and notification of non-use because of sinking and some mention of the Motor ship Louis Geraci.

Folder 24: Steamship Amelia/Yumuri, 1921-1933

Folder 25: Steamship Amelia/Yumuri, 1921-1933

Folder 26: Steamship Atlantida, 1945, 1947

Correspondence concerning charter by Standard Fruit Company of the Steamship Atlantida from Standard Navigation Corporation. The 1947 item indicates that Captain Pescod will be taking command of the Atlantida 1947 January 25.

Folder 27: Motor ship California Express, 1946

The refrigerated motor ship California Express was offered for sale to be delivered 1947 November. The for-sale announcement states that it was built in 1934 in Gothenburg, Sweden. Included are blueprints of the ship.

Folder 28: Steamship Caloria, 1922-1946

The tanker Steamship Caloria was built in 1906 in Newcastle, England, and sold by Vaccaro Brothers to Standard Fruit Company in 1922. It was registered in New Orleans with Thomas Seeberg, Master. In 1933 it was sold to Standard Navigation Corporation. In 1940 there is correspondence concerning the value of the ship with the idea of putting it up for sale and bills for repair. Mention is made of the death of Theodore Asprodites 1937 October 10. Sale negotiations took place 1941 October with Nicolas Gravem and Sons, Broker, to Thai Maritime Navigation Company, Limited of Bangkok, Thailand but were not completed by 1941 December when the ship was requisitioned by the United States.

Folder 29: Steamship Caloria, 1922-1946

The tanker Steamship Caloria was built in 1906 in Newcastle, England, and sold by Vaccaro Brothers to Standard Fruit Company in 1922. It was registered in New Orleans with Thomas Seebuerg, Master. In 1933 it was sold to Standard Navigation Corporation. In 1940 there is correspondence concerning the value of the ship with the idea of putting it up for sale and bills for repair. Mention is made of the death of Theodore Asprodites 1937 October 10. Sale negotiations took place 1941 October with Nicolas Gravem and Sons, Broker, to Thai Maritime Navigation Company, Limited of Bangkok, Thailand but were not completed by 1941 December when the ship was requisitioned by the United States.

Folder 30: Steamship Caloria, 1922-1946

The tanker Steamship Caloria was built in 1906 in Newcastle, England, and sold by Vaccaro Brothers to Standard Fruit Company in 1922. It was registered in New Orleans with Thomas Seebuerg, Master. In 1933 it was sold to Standard Navigation Corporation. In 1940 there is correspondence concerning the value of the ship with the idea of putting it up for sale and bills for repair. Mention is made of the death of Theodore Asprodites 1937 October 10. Sale negotiations took place 1941 October with Nicolas Gravem and Sons, Broker, to Thai Maritime Navigation Company, Limited of Bangkok, Thailand but were not completed by 1941 December when the ship was requisitioned by the United States.

Folder 31: Steamship Caloria, 1922-1946

The tanker Steamship Caloria was built in 1906 in Newcastle, England, and sold by Vaccaro Brothers to Standard Fruit Company in 1922. It was registered in New Orleans with Thomas Seebuerg, Master. In 1933 it was sold to Standard Navigation Corporation. In 1940 there is correspondence concerning the value of the ship with the idea of putting it up for sale and bills for repair. Mention is made of the death of Theodore Asprodites 1937 October 10. Sale negotiations took place 1941 October with Nicolas Gravem and Sons, Broker, to Thai Maritime Navigation Company, Limited of Bangkok, Thailand but were not completed by 1941 December when the ship was requisitioned by the United States.

Folder 32: Steamship Caloria, 1922-1946

The tanker Steamship Caloria was built in 1906 in Newcastle, England, and sold by Vaccaro Brothers to Standard Fruit Company in 1922. It was registered in New Orleans with Thomas Seebuerg, Master. In 1933 it was sold to Standard Navigation Corporation. In 1940 there is correspondence concerning the value of the ship with the idea of putting it up for sale and bills for repair. Mention is made of the death of Theodore Asprodites 1937 October 10. Sale negotiations took place 1941 October with Nicolas Gravem and Sons, Broker, to Thai Maritime Navigation Company, Limited of Bangkok, Thailand but were not completed by 1941 December when the ship was requisitioned by the United States.

Folder 33: Steamship Caloria, 1922-1946

The tanker Steamship Caloria was built in 1906 in Newcastle, England, and sold by Vaccaro Brothers to Standard Fruit Company in 1922. It was registered in New Orleans with Thomas Seebuerg, Master. In 1933 it was sold to Standard Navigation Corporation. In 1940 there is correspondence concerning the value of the ship with the idea of putting it up for sale and bills for repair. Mention is made of the death of Theodore Asprodites 1937 October 10. Sale negotiations took place 1941 October with Nicolas Gravem and Sons, Broker, to Thai Maritime Navigation Company, Limited of Bangkok, Thailand but were not completed by 1941 December when the ship was requisitioned by the United States.

Folder 34: Steamship Ceiba, 1911-1921, 1942

Built in 1911 March in Belfast, Ireland, by Swan Hunter and Wigham Richardson, Limited, the Steamship Ceiba was sold in 1913 by the Emerald Steamship Company to the Vaccaro Brothers. They issued stock in 1915 and incorporated into the Ceiba Steamship Company. Tax forms were from 1916-1921 along with some crew lists and wages. In 1942 there were two letters concerning Master W. Klaveness who ignored instructions from naval authorities. The Ceiba was sunk by German submarines 1942 March. Also see Volumes: Ceiba Steamship Company, 1915-1921.

Folder 35: Steamship Ceiba, 1911-1921, 1942

Folder 36: Steamship Ceiba, 1911-1921, 1942

Folder 37: Steamship Ceiba, 1911-1921, 1942

Folder 38: Steamship Ceiba, 1911-1921, 1942

Folder 39: Steamship Cefalu, 1942, 1945

Correspondence concerning charter by War Shipping Authority.

Folder 40: Steamship Contessa, 1942, 1945-1946

Correspondence with War Shipping Authority.

Folder 41: Motor vessel Coastal Viking, 1945

Letter stating that the Coastal Viking will be used for the New York-Santiago-Kingston-Haiti run.

Folder 42: Royal Mail Ship Erin and Royal Mail Ship Eros, 1931-1948

The Steamships Erin and Eros were used by the Standard Fruit Jamaica Service. Correspondence usually refers to both ships although during the War the Erin was used in the Pacific out of Sydney and the Eros moved frozen meats in the North Atlantic and had extensive repairs after two torpedoings. There are a number of photographs of the Erin and a few of Eros.

Folder 43: Royal Mail Ship Erin and Royal Mail Ship Eros, 1931-1948

Folder 44: Royal Mail Ship Erin and Royal Mail Ship Eros, 1931-1948

Folder 45: Steamship Gatun, 1926, 1945

Vaccaro Brothers lists the costs of the Steamship Gatun in 1926. Later correspondence concerns the condition of the Gatun while used by the Army before being returned to civilian service. The refrigeration system had not been used and insulation was not repaired after a fire and flooding in Recife, Brazil in 1944 and a later leak. Port Engineer Suddes discovered a fuel leak.

Folder 46: Steamship Granada, 1926, 1945-1946

The first item is a cost list by Vaccaro Brothers of the Steamship Granada. Correspondence concerns the return of the Honduran fleet and mention also of Steamships Cefalu, Atlantida, Yoro, and St. Mary.

Folder 47: Steamship Joseph Vaccaro, 1915

Documents stating the Steamship Joseph Vaccaro was built by Barclay Carle and Company of Glasgow in 1904. Spanish.

Folder 48: Steamship Kosmos I, 1922-1939

The motor ship Kosmos was registered as a motor ship in Hamburg, Germany by Albert Meis in 1922. A bill of measurement was included with the correspondence concerning purchase. Standard Fruit Company purchased the Kosmos in 1926 from William P. Angione for trade in Nicaragua. It was converted to a steamship by Todd Shipbuilding Yards of Mobile. In 1933 it was transferred to Standard Navigation Corporation and sold in 1939 to V.O. Peardon.

Folder 49: Steamship Kosmos I, 1922-1939

Folder 50: Steamship Kosmos I, 1922-1939

Folder 51: Steamship Kosmos I, 1922-1939

Tulane University Special Collections