The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1890-10-30

with an excellent reputation. lie,
like a great many others, invested in
real estate last fall very successfully.
The bank has enjoyed a healthy
growth, has paid nice dividends, and,
by reference to the advertisement else
where, it will be observed that it has
nearly $4,000 OF undivided profits.
The First National Bank was organ.
lied about December, 1888, succeed.
ing, in sense, the Bank of Johnson
City, OF which Mr.. J. r. Crandall, now
President OF the First National, was
the sole owner. Its stockholders are
solid, reliable men, and some OF them
are men Of large means. Mr., Gran
dali, the President, not only owns the
majority OF the stock in the bank, but
is a large stakeholder in the Johnson
City Furniture Company and the
CrandalI-Harris Tobacco Works and
the sole owner of the Johnson
City Water Works-all enterprises
that have struggled manfully and
perhaps owe their success to Mr..
Crandall alone. He is also one OF the
originators Of the Watauga Land
Company, oil which he is President
and one OF the largest stockholders.
The Cashier, Mr., Charles D. Fine,who
has resigned within the past lew days,
has been q member of the firm OF
Charles D. Fine & Brother since its
commencement of business over two
years,
In the case of the Fidelity Banks
failure at Cincinnati the Supreme
Court held that the directors OF Ma.
tional banks are officers in the sense
that they are elected by the stockhold-
ers to look after their interests, etc.
The directors Of the FIRST National
are Col. Thos. +. Matson, Gen. ]. T.
Wilder, D. s. Mcintyre, F. K. Mount
castle and Charles d. Fine-all good
men, but we'll known land spectators,
with the single exception OF the latter,
and he has made some money in real
estate during the last few months. In
two years the bank has acquired sur
plus of $4,000, and the undivided
profits are a little over $5,000-not a
bad showing, we repeat.
The Citizens Bank is the infant in
age, being established just year ago
this month, but, as we stated in q
former issue, it has made remarkable
progress, and there is not, perhaps, a
bank in the State that can make a
better showing for the same length of
time, and with the same capital. II
has earned over 20 per cent. on the
capital employed for the year, and
has created surplus of $1,000. Mr..
f. A. Stratton, the President, is ono OF
the largest stockholders, but has only
a small per cent. of his capital invested
in it. He is large Spectator and
has made thousands of dollars dealing
in iron, coal and timber lands, aud in
founding new towns. Johnson CITY
has been benefited by his success, as he
has always taken a pride its growth
and never failed to put his shoulder
to the wheel when it was necessary.
Mr.. ]. W. Hunter, the Vice. President,
is an Old citizen, one OF our leading
merchants, an I within the last two or
more years has made several thousand
dollars in real estate here. The CASH
Ter, M. ] E, Brading, and Assistant
Cashier, Mr.. F. NJ. George, are not
spectators, but have made some safe
investments.
In the above article we have trie !
to show that the Enterprise has been
manifestly unjustto two of our banks,
and that its remarks, implying that
the speculations OF the officers of the
Watauga and Citizens banks endan-
gered the deposits, applies as much to
the First National as it does to either
of the others, ut we do not hesitate
to say that it was uncalled for in
either case.
This article shall not have been writ
ten in vain if the Enterprise will in fu'
ture be careful of its statements, re-
Numbering always that
otis SANDER whose edge is sharper than sword
And whose breath rides on the posting winds >