1888 Philadelphia Hay Straw Invoice Joseph Sims Co Traction Company Streetcar
$ 6.86
Description
1888 Philadelphia Hay Straw Invoice Joseph Sims Co Traction Company Streetcar. This 1888 commercial invoice documents a substantial agricultural commodities transaction between Joseph Sims & Co., commission merchants operating from 1412 to 1420 Callowhill Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and the Philadelphia Traction Company. Dated May 17, 1888, the item records the delivery of 55,630 pounds of hay and 49,300 pounds of straw to the traction company's facility at 49th Street, with the hay priced at sixteen dollars per unit and the straw at fifteen dollars, culminating in a total transaction value of $769.79. The document bears the approval signature of Jas. T. Gorman and includes the firm's printed policy that All Claims on Hay and Straw must be made within 48 Hours of Delivery, reflecting standard business practices for perishable agricultural products during this era of urban horse-drawn transportation. The invoice provides significant insight into Philadelphia's commercial infrastructure during the late 19th century, revealing the critical role of commission merchants in facilitating the distribution of animal feed and bedding materials to essential urban services. The Philadelphia Traction Company, operating the city's streetcar system, would have required enormous quantities of hay and straw for its draft animals, making this transaction representative of the agricultural supply chains that supported urban transit before widespread electrification. The document's combination of printed letterhead and manuscript accounting entries exemplifies period business ephemera, with its commercial lithography establishing corporate identity while handwritten entries recorded specific transaction details. This piece of mercantile ephemera serves as a tangible artifact documenting the intersection of agricultural commerce and urban transportation in late Victorian Philadelphia. PLEASE NOTE: This item may be folded in order to fit the mailer. Whenever possible, it will be folded using folds or creases that were already in the document.
