The Helena independent., 1894-11-29
NOW THEY ARE ONE
Tho First National and Helena NatonG
Banks Decide TO Become One Big
Institution.
IT WILL STILL BE THE FIRST
A Financial Concern That viii Be the Great.
est Of us Kind In the Great
Northwest.

The negotiations which have been IN
progress for several weeks camp TO q
successful conclusion yesterday. ana
the result IL the consolidation OF the
First National bank OF Helena and the
Helena National bank OF Helena. Each
was a big institution OF Itself; together
they Will make the greatest financial
Institution In the northwest. The de-
tails OF the consolidation are not known
AS yet, beyond the fact that there win
be reorganization, enlarged capital
and an entire new management. and
that these details are 10 be arranged 80
that this new management may take
hold early next week. The new lnsti-
tuition viii be the First National bank
OF Helena, thus retaining the name OF
the pioneer bank OF this city. II will
occupy the fine quarters In which
the present First National Is To-
Gated, at the corner OF Grand and
Main streets.
The officers OF the new First National
viii be Ex-Gov. Samuel r. Hauser,
president; y. ID. Edgerton, vice presi-
dent, and George w. Cope. cashier. Gov.
Hauser has been president Of the First
National bank since It's organization.
and has seen IL grow from an infant to
one OF the great institutions OF the
country. Vice President Edgerton or
ganized the Second National bank and,
from 1882 until IL consolidated with the
Helena National last year was It's presf-
dent. As head Of the Helena National
and the Second National at the same
time he brought both banks through the
panic Of 1893, and made the consolida-
ton smoothly and safely In spite OF
the dangers which threatened all finan-
cial institutions during those troublous
times. During the past year the Hell
ena has shown wonderful growth
under the presidency OF Mr. Edgerton,
having trebled It's deposits. Some
months ago the Helena National, under
the direction Of its president. Mr.. Ed
gerton, absorbed the Montana Savings
bank and added the features OF that
institution To those of the Helena.
George II. Cope, the cashier of the
new First National. now occupies tho
same position with the Helena Mas
tional. Mr.. Cope, before going TO tho
Helena National, was connected with
the American National, and his value
in a managerial capacity there was
seen during the trying times OF the
summer OF 1898. His Integrity. abll-e
ity, conservative busines methods and
thorough acquaintance with the details
of banking eminently qualify linn for
his new trust. The executive control
and management OF the new First Na,-
tional will be entirely In the hands OF
Vice President Edgerton and Cashieri
Cope.
The capital stock Of the new Firstt
National. under the terms of the con-t
sOllda tion. will he $500. 900. and the un-A
divided profits 100000 The contribu-t
tions of new money 10 the reorganiZedf
First National will amount TO a quartert
of million dollars. This will give thap
new bank a cash balance of over three-k
quarters of a million. II viii have thet,
largest cash reserve and the largest
line of depositors of any bank In Hel-t
ena. The general balances of the newC
institution will be very little less than
IS. .O00, 900. M
The consolidation was largely
brought about through the influence OF
A. j. Davis, cashier of the First Nail
tionRl bank Of Butte. In connection
with James A. Talbot, the represented
tive OF the estate OF the late Judge4
Andrew ]. Davis. During the past fewA
weeks Mr.. Davis has spent much OF hisN
time In Helena going over the assets otil
the two banks. The Davis estate is
largely interested in the present First
National,