The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-01-29
4 SILVER WAR.
4 Unique Struggle Between a Bank aud
an Express Company.
New York sun.

4 Unique Struggle Betwe II ank aud
an Express Company.
New York sun
a silver war is being waged on Long
Island 1t is carried on by the Far Rock
away Bank against The Long Island Express
Company aud the Queens County Bank in
Long Island City BranG-new silver dollars
are being used by the Far ROckaway Bank
ia tie fight, which has now been going On
for about two months. During that time
tons Of silver dollars have been shipped to
and fro between New ! ork and Far Rock
away. All of it passed through the hands
If the employees OF the Far Rockaway Bank,
and they now announce themselves as eX-
DeTt5 IN counting 'oinkers."
The Queens County Bank is the only bank
on Loug Island, ulside OF Brooklyn, con-
ntcted with the New York CieaTing-h house.
In consequence great many checks from
New 1Ork City on Long Island banks pass
through IT, Until recently IL has been the
custom Of country banks doing business
with each other TO pay their accounts with
checks deposited with tnem receiving in
return cashiers checks or checks on banks
in New York. In this way the banks hand
ling the checks madO a small percentage on
the transactions The Queens County
Bank, however, concluded DC could make is
collections more conveniently and promptly
ia turning its checks over 10 the Long Isl
allowing that company to make tie per-
ceatage instead Of some small bank,
Cashier Smith Of the Far ROckaway Bank
objected 10 the express company getting the
percentages he considered due his bank,
and he set about making the company earn
its money. He filled the safes of his bank
with silver dollars from the Sub-TIeasdTy
Of this city, which under the law the Gov
eminent ships free to its customers. The
morning after the first supply was received
an eXpressman hustled iuJO the bank with
big check 10 be cashed. Cashier Smith put
one of the tellers counting out the amount
in silver dollars, ope at a time. For more
than an hour the eXpTesSman stood outside
the grating balancing himself on one leg
and then Oh the other, while be gazed in at
a big pile OF glittering silver dollars which
a teller was counting. As all the money
paid out has 10 be counted over twice It
takes considerable time to count out several
thousand dollars in silver one dollar at
time. From that morning up to the present
time the same scenes are repeated daily at
this bank. 1t finally became so bad that 1t
took all the time OF one eXpressman to get
the checks cashed.
Then the express company tried the plan
of sending man for each check Almost
a dozen eXpTesSmen besieged the window
one morning with checks. They blocked
out the private customers of the bank, and
then the expressmen smiled. One man was
put counting out the silver dollars tor the
expressmen, while Cashier Smith walked
over TO another window aud began transact
ing business with tie private customers in
waiting. An eXpreSSman got in line and
thrust q check for $500 in on Cashier
Smith The latter smilingly informed him
that he would have to fall in at the rear of
the line of eXpressmen aud await his turn.
The expressman, however. demanded i'm
mediate payment and on receiving the same
reply from the cashier started out TO have
the check protested. Cashier Smith imme-
ciately sent messenger around to the diff
terent nOtaries in the village notifying
them that the check was good and not TO
protest it. A notary was found, however,
who took the protest and now tile man who
drew the check threatens to sue him for
damages for injuring his credit
Chshier Smith says he is having lots of
fun out OF the Fight and the bank clerks are
getting muscles ike bOilar-makers