urn:taro:houpub.00102Imperial Sugar Company Collection: An Inventory of Records at the Houston Metropolitan Research Center, Houston Public Library Houston Metropolitan Research Center, Houston Public Library
500 McKinney St. Julia Ideson Building, 2nd Floor Houston, Tx 77002 832-393-1665
Encoded in EAD Version EAD2 2002 by Tammy Jordan inDecember 2006 Finding aid written inEnglish. Descriptive Summary Imperial Sugar CompanyImperial Sugar Company Collection1904 to 19551916 to 1928RG D 9 Houston Metropolitan Research Center, Houston Public Library 22 linear ft.: 6 rs boxes, 2 doc boxes, 6 volumesPreferred Citation

Imperial Sugar Company Collection. Houston Metropolitan Research Center, Houston Public Library.

 Processing Information

Processed by Howard Beeth, February 10, 1982.

 Acquisition Information

Donated by Robert V. Haynes, Associate Provost, University of Houston in August 1977.

 Access Restrictions

None.

 Use Restrictions

Permission to publish or reproduce materials from the Imperial Sugar Company Collection must be obtained from the Houston Metropolitan Research Center or the appropriate copyright holder.

 Historical Note

The Imperial Sugar Company is the most important corporation belonging to Sugarland Industries, which is also composed of the Sugarland Manufacturing Company, Sealy Mattress Company, and Imperial Mercantile Company.

Appropriately, the headquarters of Sugarland Industries is Sugar Land, Texas. For most this century, Sugar Land has been a company town. "Every industrial, business and public activity," wrote an enthusiastic visitor, "is controlled by the Sugarland Industries for its livelihood."

This collection was acquired from the Texas Gulf Coast Historical Association depository at the University of Houston. Most of the material in it is either financial or legal in nature, and falls between the years of 1905 and 1940. It illustrates the national and international operations of many Texas corporations. The Imperial Sugar Company, for instance, is the largest single importer in the entire state of Texas. Raw cane sugar from around the world is freighted to company owned wharves in Galveston and Houston aboard a fleet of company owned ships, where it is transferred by the trainload to Sugar Land for refinement. By 1971, Imperial's plant production exceeded 3 million pounds of refined sugar daily--enough, by itself, to satisfy the sugar consumption of Texas and surrounding states. Since it began production early in this century under the direction of Galveston businessman I. H. Kempner, the Imperial Sugar Company has marketed over 30 billion pounds of refined cane sugar. It is the only sugar company in Texas, one of the only two west of the Mississippi river, and one of the most profitable in the nation.

 Index Terms SubjectsCorporations--Texas--Sugar LandSugar trade--Texas--HistorySugarcane industry--United StatesSubjects (Names)Kempner, Isaac H. (Isaac Herbert), 1873-1967Cunningham, Edward E. Subjects (Organizations) Imperial Sugar Company Cunningham Sugar CompanySealy Mattress CompanySugarland Manufacturing CompanySugarland Industries Subjects (Places)Sugar Land (Tex.)--History Arrangement

The first seven boxes of this collection are divided by types of material--corporate records, industry-wide reports, and legal records. Within each of those categories, the material is arranged by company and then chronologically. Many of the records in thse boxes are large, bound company ledgers. The last two boxes contain unbound material arranged in a similar fashion.

 Series 1: Corporate Financial Records Series 2: Sugar Industry Reports Series 3: Legal Records Detailed Description Corporate Financial Records 1 1Imperial Sugar Company: company communication code,1905 1 2Imperial Sugar Company and Imperial Mercantile Company: financial appraisal of plants, with blueprints, 1909 1 3Imperial Sugar Company, Imperial Mercantile Company, Sealy Mattress Company, Sugarland Feed Company, Home Packing Company, Sugarland Pulp and Paper Company: financial appraisal of plants, with blueprints,1914 1 4Imperial Sugar Company: financial appraisal of Plant B, 1917 1 5Imperial Sugar Company: depreciated summary report, Plant B, 1917 1 6Imperial Sugar Company: finanical appraisal of Plant B, 1919 1 7Imperial Sugar Company: financial appraisal of Plant B, 1920 1 8Imperial Sugar Company: depreciated summary report, Plant B, 1920 1 9Imperial Sugar Company: general ledger of accounts receivable, 1921 to 1924 2 1Imperial Sugar Company: advertising, 1930 to 1931 2 2Imperial Sugar Company: stock sales cash book, 1930 to 1932 2 3Imperial Sugar Company: accounts payable, 1937 to 1940 2 4Cunningham Sugar Company: report on sugar factories owned by Edward E. Cunningham, 1905 2 5Cunningham Sugar Company: record of refined sugar made and shipped, 1906 to 1908 2 6Cunningham Sugar Company: daily financial statement, 1908 2 7Cunningham Sugar Company: financial appraisal of plants, with blueprints, 1909 2 8Cunningham Sugar Company: financial appraisal of machinery out of commission, 1909 2 9Cunningham Sugar Company: depreciated summary report, 1919 2 10Cunningham Sugar Company: depreciated summary report, Plant E, 1920 3 1Cunningham Sugar Company: financial appraisal, 1917 3 2Cunningham Sugar Company: depreciated summary report, 1917 3 3Cunningham Sugar Company: financial appraisal of Plant E, 1919 3 4Cunningham Sugar Company: financial appraisal of Plant E, 1920 1Imperial Sugar Company: trial balance ledger, 1909 to 1913 2Imperial Sugar Company: trial balance ledger,1914 to 1919 3Imperial Sugar Company: audited vouchers, accounts receivable, advertising accounts, bills payable, salary and expenses of O. S. Bruck, Jr. etc., 1917 to 1918 4Imperial Sugar Company: daily distribution of sales, 1928 to 1934 5Cunningham Sugar Company: trial balance, 1904 to 1905, 1913 to 1918 6Cunningham Sugar Company: general ledger, 1905 to 1907 4 1Sugarland Manufacturing Company: auditor's report, June 1916 4 2 Sugarland Manufacturing Company: auditor's report, July 1916 4 3 Sugarland Manufacturing Company: auditor's report, August 1916 4 4 Sugarland Manufacturing Company: auditor's report, October 1916 4 5 Sugarland Manufacturing Company: financial statement, November 1916 4 6 Sugarland Manufacturing Company: cost of acid, December 1916 4 7 Sugarland Manufacturing Company: financial appraisal of sprinkler system, Plant F, 1917 4 8 Sugarland Manufacturing Company: financial appraisal, 1917 4 9 Sealy Mattress Company: financial appraisal, 1917 4 10 Sealy Mattress Company: depreciated summary report, Plant C, 1917 4 11 Sealy Mattress Company: financial appraisal, 1919 4 12 Sealy Matress Company: financial appraisal, 1920 4 13 Sugarland Industries: salvage report on acid plant, 1920 4 14 Sugarland Industries: salvage report on sugar plant, 1920 4 15 Sugarland Industries: salvage report on vinegar plant, 1920 4 16 Sugarland Industries: employees register, 1921 to 1925 4 17 Sugarland Industries: financial appraisal of land holdings in Fort Bend County, Harris County, Brazos River, and Jones Creek right-of-way and Houston, 1922 4 18 Sugarland Industries: financial appraisal of land holdings in Fort Bend County and Harris County 1922 4 19 Imperial Bank and Trust Company: minutes of stockbroker's and board of director's meetings, 1908 to 1909 4 20 Sugarland Feed Company: memorandum on proposed system of accounting, 1914 4 21 Imperial Mercantile Company: financial appraisal of Plant A, 1917 Sugar Industry Reports51The Sugar Institute, Inc.: by-laws, Undated52The Sugar Institute, Inc.: certificate of incorporation, 192753The Sugar Institute, Inc.: Statistical Report number 15: Deliveries of U. S., Foreign and Insular Refined and Beet Sugar, 1927 to 193254The Sugar Institute, Inc.: Statistical Report number 17: Shipments by Differential Routes from the Atlantic Seaboard and New Orleans, calendar years 1928 to 193255The Sugar Institute, Inc.: Statistical Report number 18: Deliveries of U.S. Refiners-Imported Refined and Beet Sugars for the First Quarter of the Years 1927 to 193356The Sugar Institute, Inc.: Statistical Report number 19: Deliveries of U. S. Refiners-Imported Refined and Beet Sugar, January 1st to September 30th, of the years 1927 to 193357The Sugar Institute, Inc.: Statistical Report number 21: Shipments by Differential and Barge Routes from the Atlantic Seaboard and New Orleans, calendar years 1929 to 193358The Sugar Institute, Inc.: Statistical Report number 23: Study of Sugar used by Manufacturers and for Household Consumption, 1929 to 193159United States Cane Sugar Refiners' Association: Report, Sugar and the Home Cane Sugar Refiners,1937510United States Cane Sugar Refiners' Association: Report, Testimony of Labor and Management of the Continential Cane Sugar Refining Industry, Requesting and Adequate Protection Against Refined Sugar Imported from Cuba,1939511United States Cane Sugar Refiners' Association: Report, Statement of the United States Cane Sugar Industry, Requesting that an Adequate Differential between the Tariff Rates on Raw and Refined Sugar Imported from Cuba be Established in the Second Supplemental Trade Agreement which may be Negotiated with Cuba,Undated 512United States Cane Sugar Refiners' Association: Report, Graphic Summary of the Sugar Question,1940513United States Cane Sugar Refiners' Association: Report, Sugar and the National Defense,1940514United States Cane Sugar Refiners' Association: Report, The Threat of Dextrose: Four Possible Alternatives,1941515United States Cane Sugar Refiners' Association: Report, Why H. R. 3582 Should Be Defeated,1941 516United States Cane Sugar Refiners' Association: Report, Cuba is Helped, Not Harmed, by the Sugar Bills, S. 2041 and H.R. 5988,Undated517United States Cane Sugar Refiners' Association: Report, Memorandum Regarding the Economic Aspects of Fixing a Ceiling Price on Refined Cane Sugar,1942518United States Cane Sugar Refiners' Association: Report, Report on the Activities of the U.S. Cane Sugar Refiners' Association for the Fiscal Year, November 1, 1941 to October 31, 19421942519United States Cane Sugar Refiners' Association: Report, Report on the Activities of the Cane Sugar Refiners' War Committee, January to December, 19421942520United States Cane Sugar Refiners' Association: Report, Sugar in these Days of Rationing: A Review of Pointed Opinions by Home Economists from all over the United States,Undated521United States Cane Sugar Refiners' Association: Report, In the Matter of Sweetened condensed Milk,1943522United States Cane Sugar Refiners' Association: newspaper clipping file on sugar legislation, July 1937523United States Cane Sugar Refiners' Association: newspaper clipping file on sugar legislation, August 1937524United States Cane Sugar Refiners' Association: newspaper clipping file, Protest of Philadelphia Labor Against Off-Shore Refined Sugar,1938525 United States Cane Sugar Refiners' Association: newspaper clipping file, Editorial Comment and News Clipping on the Sugar Bills S. 937 and H.R. 3582,1941526 Congressional Record: the debate on S. 937, 1941527United States Tariff commission: report, Investigation No. 66 for the Purpose of Section 336 of the Tariff Act of 1930: A Brief of Domestic Sugar Industries,1932528United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Adjustment Administration: transcript of hearing sugar cane purchases and wage rates, held in San Juan, Puerto Rico, 1937Legal Records61United States of America, Petitioner, The Sugar Institute, Inc., et. al., Defendants, District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York: vol. I , Brief for the Petitioner, undated; vol. II Petitioner's Reply Brief, 1932; vol. III, Memorandum in Answer to Government's Statistical Material First Presented on Pages 243-253 of the Reply Brief, undated; vol. IV, Brief for the Defendants on the Law (Economic Briefs); vol. V, Brief for the Defendants on the Facts; vol. VI, Partial transcript of trial. 62Old Colony Trust Company, Plaintiff, v. The Sugarland Industries, Defendant: Brief for Defendant, District Court of the United States, Southern District of Texas, undated.63The Sugarland Industries et. al., Appellants, v. Old Colony Trust Company, Appellee, and Old Colony Trust Company, Cross Appellant, v. The Sugarland Industries et. al., Cross Appellees: Brief for Sugarland Industries,undated64The Prison Commission of Texas v. The Imperial Sugar Company (Correspondence, contracts, and trial transcript), District Court, Walker County, Texas, 1911 to 191271Imperial Sugar Company: Contracts and Resolutions, 1909 to 1918 72Imperial Sugar Company: Fiscal Report, 191373Imperial Sugar Company: Daily Sales, 1926 to 193174Imperial Sugar Company: Statement of Financial Assets, 1931 to 195475Imperial Sugar Company: Company newletters and articles about the company, 1950 to 195576Imperial Sugar Company: Miscellaneous Correspondence and reports, 1916 to 193977Imperial Sugar Company: Legal Suit, United States v. The Sugar Institute, Inc., and Imperial Sugar Company: subpoenas, Petitions, and Answers, 1931 to 193278Imperial Sugar Company: Legal Suit, United States v.The Sugar Institute, Inc., and Imperial Sugar Company: correspondence and reports regarding consignments, 1931 to 193279Imperial Sugar Company: Legal Suit, United States v. The Sugar Institute, Inc., and Imperial Sugar Company: financial statements, 1931 to 1932710Imperial Sugar Company: Legal Suit, United States v. The Sugar Institute, Inc., and Imperial Sugar Company: correspondence and reports regarding freight charges, 1930 to 1932711Imperial Sugar Company: Legal Suit, Unites States v. The Sugar Institute, Inc., and Imperial Sugar Company: correspondence and reports regarding pricing, 1931 to 1932 712Imperial Sugar Company: Legal Suit, United States v. The Sugar Institute, Inc., and Imperial Sugar Company: correspondence and data on the cost of raw materials, 1931 to 1932713Imperial Sugar Company: Legal Suit, United States v. The Sugar Institute, Inc., and Imperial Sugar Company: correspondence and reports regarding refined sugar deliveries, 1931 to 193281Sugarland Feed Company: Financial Records, 1915 to 191782Sugarland Industries: Deed of Trust, contracts, correspondence, 1918 to 192283Sugarland Manufacturing Company: reports, 191684Financial Statements: Imperial Sugar Company, Imperial Bank and Trust Company, Imperial Mercantile Company, Sugarland Industries, Sugarland Manufacturing Company, Sealy Mattress Company, 1916 to 192185Sugar Shipment Rates, 1928 to 1933