Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-12-26
OUR FINANCIAL STATUS
4 BANKER's VIEW OF MONETARY
AND BDsERBSs MATIERss

The Past Year Bas Been OHe OF
Monetary Progress : Wiinntngton
Bas n Healthy Financial and Conn
mercial standing.
A gentleman who takes prominent
part in the guidance Of the financial mat.
ters OF one Of our largest banks remarked
to q GAZETTE reporter yesterday week
that he did not think there exists as great
demand for money just now as there
was this time last year. Tbs wet autumn
and continued unseagonable weather
seems to have affected the great mass OF
| middle and smaller loan takers and the
banks have consequently felt the effects.
sits wonderful, however, to soc how 8
| few daye' fine weather seems to ect on
business men. You may almost liken the
subtle fluctuations OF demand to the SEM
| sitive movements OF the mercary in
| thermometer. Disaoaniing business is
| always brisksr in fine weather and runs
| in parallel waves Of depression when
cloudy dark weather comes"
The large manufacturers of Wilming-t
ton are very busy but they report collec.E
tions little slow.
Referring TO the general character OIL
the great mass Of small loan takers OIL
this city, the extensive class of men in AZ
small way of business who go to make
up the sturdy yeomanry the pith and
marrow of the varied trade OF the city,
the reporters informant stated aB class
they are most satisfactory people to do
business with. They are reliable, punet-
ual and exact il their limited bank trans
actions, end being 80 numerous their
business is most valuable to any banking
institution. Banking facilities are ex-
tended to them with equal open-handed-
moss, but Of course in limited indi-
vidual degree, as to the largest business
coneevns in the CITY,"
stYou know" continued the banker
"that one of the frat great rules of bank
ing ethica is to have your eggs distributed
in many baskets"
The business man with good char
acter whoss whole working capital rep
ressnts only $500 is es vsluebls to the
banker and to the community, to the ex-
tent of his enterprise as the h!z merchant
who oan sign his check for SS5Uii, ,nG0.
Tho past year in Wilmington his been
one Of healthy monetary proAress. Your
daily reports Of tho bank 1,1aPings .uil-
oats ttai much compare With ai6or eom-
mnaiL9es chs SHARE uf risky o rGprshen-I
aibla hneiness done in Wilmington ia rel
msTkably small. For it's size ais city isl
commendsb!y free Of anything OF that
kind.
The speaker then dropped back in rst-
respect of Wilmington's taancial stand.
ing 20 years ago. At that time ghsre was
very little money circulating in the city.
The people had nGt got held Of the nd
vautages obtsinable from legitimate bauk-
ing. AT that time firms that are now in
dependently rich were struggling from
hand to mouth for bare existence. Ii
looks as il this will he good s.Ecng man
!, utscturing city by and by. Its growth is
somewhat klow, but it IL upon firm pa
curiary Foundation. Our own cltizsn5
! own the business OF Wilmington, sill it's
, ehops and factories and tho capital thas
! supports them ia ell owned here. In this
fact also we compare fRyorably with other
communities wEo have to pay annually
heavy taxes for the money Loaned them
by outsiders. attribute all tais develop
rnent Of the last two decades 90 the sound
and healthy banking system existing here.
g.lose who direct cur big mAau.actuF'
i ing concerns also from their careful
management and experience of the busi.
ness in their hands always succeed in Sc
cnring such wide margin Of profit on
business ia never impedel by the interest
paid the banks on loans.
. Turning to another phase Of Whining
ton progress the speaker rather con.
demned the appearance Of crowding su
much wholesale and retail business on
Market street. 1t would be better he
a thought TO break away q little upon the
q parallel and crogs streets. The neg
Eighth street electric railway VIII be Of
: vast advantage in this sense. There is 9
:. grest dsal OF opportunity for the working
= classes, who wish to have their OWE
d homes and pay light taxes, to indulge
+ themselves now. The oity is surrounded
a with advantageous suburbs. This is the
d legitimate and sound way for Wilmington
!, to enlarge her borders and extend herself
J, It is the multitude OF middle olass AnG
. thrifty poorer people that build up q city
d not the few millionaires.
9 What should be dens, too, and that al
9 soon as possible. is to build that promised
" driveway through BSandywire Park. 1
y looks perhaps like sentiment for bankel
Q to talk like that, but see far beyond th'
g present time the impetus it would be &C
q Wilmington. Why, we the citizens, hey'
$ &I5O,GOO or $4,000 invested in II ant
}, wa can't get even wngOc through.
:. Reverting again to financial nsttsrt
y aud the money expended in wages in thu
a city, the speaker considered that thi
lesther industry turned over yearly yer.
big bulks OF money, so do the machinery
ship.buitding and car shops.
There is promise this coming year Of |
continuance of very large dealings.
# In regard TO wages, the railroad com
h panies, it is estimated, distribute $780, 00
n month to the employees residing in vii
( minpton. Int leather industry pay
Y about einlilar amount. The machinery
q ehip-building and oar-shops distribut
!. the handsome monthly payroll Q
q 5000, 900.
!. The contractors business, one Of II
Q contemplate total ia its immenseh. va
Ia ried branches employs large numbe
II of people, and although the cash distri
,r button is largely dependent on tn
n wssthaT, it still forms one Of the stapl
a bread-wipning sources OF Wilmington
il daily wAgO earnefs.
q "The marked feature, l am glad I
= say, /" added the banker, ''of our city her
is its healthy financial and commeroia
stsuiing."
:. That's Aattering report" the re
T. porter ventured.
ID I,yau a,d iksa try1o ~ Ssaa fbs ranly