Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-11-17
13,153,s74 DEPOSIT ACCOUNTS
AGGREGATE DEPOSITS IN UNITED
STATES, $6,7es, ,ess,sG1.
Almost Double What They Were In
1SS9-Increase In Number of BOr-
rowers Much Less Than In
crease In Number
of DepositOrs.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 16-Charles G..
Dawes, comptroller of the currency, has
just made public the results of an invesu-
cation which he has made into the number
of loans and deposit accounts, rate of In
terest and resources of the combined banks
of the United States in the years 1889. 1884
and 1899. In collecting this data, nearly ten
thousand reports from banks have been ex-
amined and compiled.
The investigation is the first of the kind
ever made in the United States. The re-
suits of this investigation indicate a mag
nitude of banking resources, and rate OF
growth in number of deposit accounts
which is unparalleled in the financial his
tory of the world.
The comptroller states that the results
for the combined banks are carefully esti-
mated upon the basis of ratios found to
exist in the reporting banks, and that they
may be regarded as substantially accurate.
He is careful to call attention to the fact
that the number of deposit accounts and
loans given in his figures must not be con-
fused with the number of depositors and
borrowers, since the same individual may
have loans and deposits in several banks.
each of which would make a separate re-
port to the comptroller. While, therefore,
the actual number of borrowers and depos-
itors is much less than the number of loans
and deposit accounts. the growth in the
latter is evidence of the general growth in
the number of Individual depositors and
borrowers. The general deductions from
the investigation covering the last ten
years. is given by the comptroller as fol-
lows:
First-That the number of individual de-
positors in the banks of the United States
is constantly increasing as indicated by
the regular increase in the number of de-
posit accounts of the combined banking
systems, estimated as follows: July II,
1889. 1923 banks reporting. 6,7os.971; July 80.
1899. 9.lS2 banks reporting, n.4S2,636. The
estimated grand total for the year 1899.
based upon banks reporting and statistics
as to non-reporting banks obtained from
tax returns to the commissioner of internal
revenue. shows 13. ,s74 deposit accounts in
L, ,sO4 banks. ~
Second-That there is demand from
borrowers for the use Of the greater por-
ton of the deposits of the banks. and,
while the number of Individual borrowers
is increasing. the depositors greatly out
number the borrowers. and the increase in
the number of borrowers is much less than
the increase in the number of depositors.
as indicated by the rate of increase in the
number of loans. estimated as follows:
July IL. 1899. 1903 banks reporting. 2.1ss,54l;
July IS. 1894. sos banks reporting. 2.9s0, ,Gs4;
June 80. 1899. 9,732 banks reporting, 3,S11. 6S4.
The estimated grand total for the year 1899,
based upon banks reporting, and statistics
as to non-reporting harks. obtained from
tax returns to the commissioner of the
internal revenue, shows 5.061,2o2 loans In
L. .S0i banks.
Third-That the growth of the banking
systems Is being characterized by grad
ually lessening rate Of interest charged on
loans.
Fourth-That gradually lessening rate
of interest is being paid on deposits.
Fifth-That. considering the large ell
entage of national and savings banks, the
average deposit of the individual or cor
poration is slowly increasing.
Sixth-That the average size of the loans.
all classes of banks considered, has not
varied much in the last decade -
Seventh-That the growth in the aggre-
gate of individual deposits has been as fol-
lows: July II. 1889 1903 banks reporting,
$3 rs 410.402: July 49, 1894. 9.5OS banks report
ing $465l 215. .3O2: June 80. 1899. 9.132 banks
reporting. Sc, 76S. SIS. .361. The estimated grand
total for the year 1899, based upon banks
reporting. and statistics as to non-report-
ing banks. obtained by tax returns to the
commissioner of internal revenue. is s7,513,
s54.SS1. in 12, 2,S04 banks.
Eigth-That the growth in aggregate
1903 banks reporting. s3475. e72 262: July IS.
1894. 9.5O8 banks reporting, s40S5, ,Os9 4O1: June
30. 1893. 9732 banks reporting. s5,ls7 .s95. .610.
The estimated grand total for the year
| 1899. based upon banks reporting, statistics
as to non-reporting banks. obtained from
| tax returns to the commissioner of internal
| revenue. is S5.I51, ,467 610. in Il. .S04 banks.