The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1846-04-02
BosroN BANK DIVIDENDS
$a5o,23o $751;. 400
october 7sh 1884,. 40 300 Oct. 7th. lsl3. 1i. $50

Increase months end Sir menthasud-
ing April, 1916. $6s,A3o ing April 1873 $3i $50
The Boylston Bank having recently gone into opera.
tion on capital Of $1,000 viii make no dividend on
the 9th inst.
The average rate Of dividends in April lsl5 was l2
per cent and in April, 1885, 81 per cent All Of The
semiannual dividends in April, 1896 are above three
per cent and four and one at four and half
per cent In April, 1885, several of the banks made
semiannual dividends under three per cent and none
over four per cent Banking capital in Boston at this
rate will soon find a. profitable employment a. in this
or any other city in the Union Since 1898 the capital
invested in Boston in banking has paid than
per cent for the year ending April eh 1885, the average
annual dividends amounted to nearly six and half per
cent being half psr cent over and above the legal
interest OF the State The average annual rate Of ine
rest on the banking capital Of Boston must continue to
increase, unless the number of banks the capital Of
those already in existence, incrsasss with greater n
pidity than the business Of that city Investments In
bank stocks have not heretofore been very great avo.
rites with Eastern capitalists railroad and manufacturing
stocks have taken precedence account Of the wide
margin for an Improvement end the prospective in
in dividends The value Of bank stock ID more
easily affected by any depression in commercial Affairs
than most any other investment and there more dan
ger Of depreciation from mismansg emen defalcstions
&c than in any other securities greater smount Of
money has been sunk in banking than any other way
and more individuals have been ruined; distress
produced among widows and orphans more revulsions
in commercial Matters arrangements In the cur
rency by the explosions Of these institutions, thsn BY
sny others incorporated. Notwithstanding these
things banks to certain extent useful mschines
they also for the purpose Of s6ordng f.
cities to carry business and 10 establish system Of
credits. SO long these institutions conducted 10
q proper manner, they useful, but when they are
made promoters Of specuatons, whenever they leave
their legitimate line Of business they longer
blesing but and their power to do evil almost
unlimited. We have, however, no guaranty that banks
In any section of the country will 1t all times conns
themselves TO the business for which they incor'
poraed They arc therefore, at all times unsafe invest
mens and Il 10 matter Of much establishment that guar
dams of orphans and trustees Of charitable institutions
continue TO invest funds entrusted to their care In the
stock Of these institutions.
Many years sgo It dihcult thing to invest CAPT.
tai in this country but in banks active business
landed property. Retired merchants and capitalist al
most invariably invested large portion Of their funds
bank stocks and the present poverty Of many fami
lies which at time in sioence speaks volumes
in csndemning such investments The best nvestmsnn
this sge, railroad stock there 10 something tangible
about the property Of railway companies their iron
tracks imperishabe their real generally ia
voraoly located. aud improving constantly in value by
the business in which II is employed and there 10 no
possibility Of these great fluctuations the real
ket value Of those which frequently
exPerisnced in others, particularly bark stocks. II
mistaken idea that any increase Of railroads inersres
with and reduces the business Of those previously In sx
hsenos Competition will In time be experienced by
nearly every road, but By no means follows sishs