1888 Western Union Telegraph – St. Augustine FL to Ferris & Weston, Jacksonville – “Ship Oranges Today”
Description:
Original 1888 Western Union telegram sent from St. Augustine, Florida to Ferris & Weston in Jacksonville. The handwritten message reads:
“Ship oranges today will see you tomorrow about butter – M. Williams.”
Dated January 21, 1888, this piece reflects the late 19th-century Florida citrus trade during the Gilded Age. The telegram, printed on an early Western Union Telegraph Company form with purple Jacksonville receiving stamp, shows period ink handwriting and business correspondence style related to agricultural commerce. A fine piece of Florida history illustrating communication and trade practices of the era.
