Old Imperial & Industries Office, March 20th, 1921

I want to thank the Rozelle family for this unique photo. It shows the interior of the original Imperial Sugar & Sugarland Industries office on March 20th, 1921.

Some one (I don't think it was T. C.) annotated the people appearing in the photo. Some I recognize; some I don't. It's a high-quality photo, so the detail is very good. You can see things on their desks: old telephones, ledger books, pens, paste bottles - even the calendar.

General Manager, W. T. Eldridge, Sr., is the only person with an enclosed office. He's labeled #15. You may not be able to make him out in the uploaded photo, but he's leaning over his desk & facing the window in his office.

E. E. Edwards is #1. He was the marketing man for the operation. He was instrumental in developing the Sealy Mattress franchise for Sugarland Industries. (That's another interesting story that deserves further elaboration.)

I hope an old-timer can set me straight on a couple of things. First, I assume the camera is situated in the southeast corner of the building and shows a northwest view. Eldridge's office faces the drug store, I think. The bank & post office are behind the left shoulder of the cameraman. The heart of the refinery is off to the right, toward the end of the building that's not in view of the camera.

Second, what is that against the far wall of the building? I'm referring to the area extending to the right of Eldridge's office. It's not file cabinets or other offices. Maybe it's a store or file room? I can't tell what it is.

Link to Photo of Office Interior