The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1878-10-18
Exelting Run ON a Bank.


banker, worth, Il is said, two millions
of dollars. About twenty-five or thirty
years ago, with thei small remnant of q
shattered fortune, when there existed
an immense excitement about the rapid
advance of property in the moro popu.
lous great NORTHWESTERN city Of c.,
he pulled up stakes, left tho scene OF
his many disasters, emigratod there,
and opened q small brokers' shop, loan
ing money at uAurious rates, and sell.
ing real estate on commission. He also
made investments in ground as he
could spare the money, and made sew
eral sub-diyisions of lots in the suburbs
OF the place, which, paid him very
handsomely. To illustrate, there Is
oEe instance in point whore no pur-
chased an acre Of ground for 81 900,
which he subdiyided into lots fifty and
one hundred feet front each. He ad-
vertised them, Offering rare induce
ments 10 poor men who wished 10 So
cure homes by paying part cash and
obtaining credit for tho remaining sum.
And such was tho rapid increase In the
value OF property there at that time,
combined with the advantage he gained
by dividing the ground into lots, that
in one years time. the acre for which
he paid 81 900 yielded him SIG COO, and
in less than Eve years instead Of a poor
man, as he would have continued 10 70.
main had he not changed the scene of
his operations and embarked in this
enterprise, lac was now ono Of the rich.
est men in the city OF c.. In the
ever memorable year that there was
snch an immense run on most Of the
banks all over the country, the heaviest
run in that city was on the banking
house of q. 4 Co., but Smithera pos.
sessed such unlimited confidence in
their ability that he came 10 their aid
at this critical time, and supplied them
with money with nnslinted libe berality
Poor persons frightened out OF their
wits, were frantically rushing on the
bank, many of them with checks for
not more than $40 or $40. which sum,
though small was their all and they
could not afford to lose il.
The bank had nobly aud unflinching.
~ withstood the run during the entire
preceding day, and the following
morning an immense crowd had as
sembled in front Of the bank blocking
up the entire sidewalk and when the
doors were thrown open the rushing
and janming was terrible TO behold.
Men with pale faces were there, some
OF them hatless, others coatless, and
poor women with their haggard coun.
tenances. fearful Of losing their small
pittances. all they possessed upon earth.
One old colored woman edged her way
through the crowd, saying - Ise only
got slI, but bress your life, honey, /
wants dat shoe, and / isn't gWine 10
leabe dis har bank till done got dat
sartin." A poor old Dutchman.
iammcd and frightened 20 death nearly,
exclaimed Mine Gott an Himmel,
vos n eonntre dos Is loosed me ali
mine moonish, Oh, mine Gott, mine
golt vas all gone Vas ] will dozen Und
mine poor frow und mine childrens. {"
Ouch, be jabers r. said an Irishman,
will ye be afther dryin' up there now,
Dutchy? Shure and there's other paple
got moony in this bank besides YER
silf." How you vas know / vas Tntch,
you ole Irish potatoes pags9" returned
the German, pretty mad. Saare and
I'm afther snillen the sourkrout," 70.
joined the Irishman.
The crowd swaycd TO and fro, push.
ing and tramping. "Ouch, my toes g
says one. Put your toes In your
pocket" replies another. The siege
almost equaled that of Sebastopol. g.,
the banker, who was cool, calm, and
self possessed, on the preceding day,
now almost began to lose confidence
himself, and manifested considerable
fear, as was plainly visible as 10 the re.
suit, should the run still continue.
i GaOh was tho aarf1fta aat,,.a1a-sars a
affairs when, in the midst Of all the
banker, appeared upon tho scene. He
was recognized by many who were
present Immediately. With his gold
spsctacles on and gold cane in hand
he elbowed his way through the crowd.
Make a little room, IL you please,
gentlemen" he said : you shall ali
soon be satisfied, il you will have q
little patience" And looking behind
him, he was further heard to exclaim
Hurry up, my men r
And there, following in his steps
were four men bearing two large bas'
kets, which were stacked to the very
tops with bank-bills of the denomina.
tions, as we're plainly discernible to all
of five, tens and twenties, The money
was deposited behind the counter, and
as the mon piled it up in full view oI
! the astonished and enraptured be
holders. Smithers, in loud tone ol
voice that could distinctly be heard al
over the room, exclaimed
4" If you want any more, Mr.. G., JUS
send me word"
The effect was electrical. People be-
gan to feel assured, and, as confidence
was gradually re-established, first one,
then another could be seen pressing hil
or their way through the crowd, nearly
as anxious TO get out and take their de
parture as they had been few minutes
previous to gain an entrance. In on
hours time the crowd had entirely dis
persed, and bynoon the excitement had
completely subsided. Others who
came subsequently,, upon learning the
facts, would tear up their checks and
go away laughing.
The credit Of Ct. & Co. was saved anc
established by the noble aid and friend
ship of Smithers, the banker, who wal
once ruined himself by the same pro
cess. Ct. & Co.'s banking house to-day
is the safest in the country, but they
have never forgotten that critical hour
nor the friend in need who then proved
to them to be a friend indeed, IS. s
| Wiaggoner, IN N. Y. Weekly.
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4 ifa "a the LIVING The ynarI,l.