The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-03-01
INO DECADES At ONE DESK.
eervsA - Psytng Teller for Twenty
seven Consecutive Years Lsns
an1 HastAfss Service Terminated
by Private Dssauess Interests.

A new face viii greet customers At the
paying teiler's wicket In Dexter Horton 4
Co.'S bank today ROLAND II. Denny re-
signed that position yesterday after SER
vice 81 nearly tweraty-seven years az an
empicye OF the institution. The Dexter
Horton bank. as IL il commonly called. -
the pioneer bank OF Beattle. ard Ar. Dem
~ had been with It almost since its foun-
Dalton.
Mr. Denny's resignation Was brought
about by the recent death Of his father,
the late Arthur A Denny OF whose viii
be VAS made an executor In that eapaeisy
Mr.. Denny viii have the management Of
nj estate worth more than xseg8, and
considering that he would require his en-
tire time for that purpose. Mr. Denny re-
luctantiy rendered his resignation 20 the
bank IL Was accepted with even greater
geluctance. Il. W. Petit, the banks pres
ent bookkeepes, will succeed Dir. Denny.
Mr.. Dennys formal retirement yester-
Gay afternoon was made the occasion fer
the presentation To him OF a magnificent
goid-headed ebony cane by the manage
knens OF the bank. Manager y. II. Lat
liner made the presentation speech, 10
when Mr. Denny responded briefly. The
inscription on the head Of the can. s.
"Presented 10 r. III. Denny, February q
lsss. by Dexter Horton & Co, bankers. as
ssrvsce.''
tn. Dexter Horton bank was founded
N lhsD by Dexter Horton and David Phil
Ups. who engaged In banking in cos,nee-
ton with general merchandise business
A year or 80 later the bank was moved
into 4 new building built especially for the
purpose. In 1872 Mr.. Phillips died. and
Arthur A. Denny purchased his interest
In the banking partnership. IL was then
that ROLAND f. Denny. then 81 years old
which has just ended. He went in first
4s messenger boy. At that time Dexter
Horton was president OF the bank and r.
=. Briggs cashier. Mr. Denny senior II
pc held any office. must have been the
board Of trustees, the son says jokingly
seattle Was then sawIn'ii town OF per-
naps Zu0 inhabitants, and the banking
business was not very extensive TIE de-
posits. Mr.. Denny thinks. were probably
bot over t5o,epo and Mr.. Briggs. although
holding the dlsaIfIsd and responsible pos
ton o. cashier. found plenty Of tine 70
Denny was messenger. but soon assumed
the manifold duties of bin collector. paying
teller. receiving teller and general utility
The banking business then In Seattle was
quite different from what 4, Is now. 1t
vas long before the days Of railroads and
last steamers and communication With the
outside world Was Glow and difficult THE
telegraph was the only MODERN institution
OF which the town boastsd. The sawniiis,
large and small, were the principal patrons
Of The bank, which discounted for them at
= rate which would now seem Scanasa lousy
high the long and shurf-f me paper they
received In payment for l8nabe.. TIE bank
also 6eais with employees 81 the mills. dis
counting their tinH c3scks ana carrying
their savings accounts
But I'm those days /. II was not
fashionable to save money and the deposits
OF the bank were hardly large enough 10
Furnish II capital 10 do business on ~ is
now enHfomary. The result was thar near
~ ali the money used in the Business was
that Of the partners. That banking was
profitable then IL sufficiently shown by the
fact that for years the usual rate for short
time loans was 2 PER cent per month.
As the huE.ness of the bank gradually
grew larger Mr.. Denny retained his old po-
pitsou. although the old firm was PRACTICAL
~ Dissolved. when In isss Mr.. Horton ard
Mr.. Dennys father retired from active
management OF the hanks affairs and so,d
p large interest In the business to w. :.
iadd OF Portland. This hank now employs
. force Of ten men. and its roslts on Feb
Tuayy were r.sst .aaa When Mr.. Denny
began serving his apprenticeship II occu-
pied little frame building Later a little
atone building was built. Now II occupies
the ground floor Of six story pressed brick
building erected on the same size.
During all The time Mr.. Denny was In
the banks employ he Was never away from
his desk mere than a few DAYS a. tire.
except last year when for four months he
wne absent on account OF sil-heasth.