The evening times., 1899-11-16
OF TIE BANKS
Results Of an Investigation by
Comptroller Dawes.
The Growth In Deposit Accounts Un-
parnlIeled in Financial History.
The Average Size of Loans Varied
Little Within the Last Decade.
The Rate of Interest LesseninE.

Charles G. Dawes, Comptroller of the
Currency. las just made public the results
of the investigation which he has made into
the number of lean and deposit accounts,
rates of interest and resources Oh the COM
bined banks of the United States in the
years 1889. 1894, and 1899. In collecting
tnfs data. nearly ten thousand reports from
banks have been examined and compiled.
The investigation into the number OF
loan and deposit accounts, and average
loans and deposits is the first ever made,
covering the United States, either in refer
ence to the national system or banks other
than national. The result OF this investi-
CATION INDICATES a magnitude OF banking re-
sources. and a rate of growth in the num-
ber of deposit accounts which is uuparallei-
ed in the financial history of the world.
The Comptroller states that the results
for the combined banks are carefully esti-
mated upon the basis Of ratios found te ex-
ist 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 Iot 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 separate re-
port TO the Comptroller. While, therefore,
the actual number of borrowers and de-
positors is much less than the number of
loan and deposit accounts, the growth ia
the latter is evidence of the general growth
in the number Of individual depositors and
borrowers
The general deductions from the investi-
CATION covering the last ten years is given
by the comptroller as follows:
First-Thst the number OF individual de-
positors in the banks of the United States is
constantly increasing. indicated by regular
increase IN the number Of deposit accounts {
the combined banking systems, and estimated
as follows:
July T.. Iss9, 7ss banks reporting e.7oa.971;
July Is, 1891, %, hanks reporting s s.E3 Itsi:
June 30. ls39, 9,7S2 hanks reporting IL ;s5 fc,i
TIE estimated grand total for the year 1893.
based upon hanks reporting and stat.Ities ss
70 non-repsrting banks Obtaned from tax r.
turns to the CommisSioner OF Internal Reye-
banks
Seeond-That there is demand from bor-
rowe-i ioE the use Of greater proportion Il
the deposits OF hanks, and while the number
Of individual borrowers i increasing the de
positofs greatly outEunber the borrowers and
the increase IN the number OF borrowers is
much less than the increase in the number of
depositors, "a indicated By the rate Of increase
in the number OF loans. estimated as follows:
July II, 1859, 1903 banks reporting Iss. s.5iI-
July is. 1891, g.503 banks reporting 2gsD sJ1:
June 20. 1899, 9,152 banks reporting 3gli sst
The estimated grand total for the year 1893.
based upon banks reporting and statistics a.
to the non reporting banks, obtained from tax
returns to the Commissioner of Internal Reve-
nue.. shows 5,0o1, ,252 loans in l2s04 hanks
Third-That the growth Of the banking sys-
TEN is being characterized by a gradually les
senlDg rate of interest charged on loans
FoWtl-That a gradually lessenins rate a
interest is beng paid upon deposits
Fifth-That, considering the larger eiient3sr
of national and savings banks the average de-
posit Of the individual or corporation is slowly
increasing.
Sixth-That the average size of the loans all
classes OF banks considered, has not varied
much in the last decade.
Seyenth-Titat the growth in the aggregate ~
individuzl deposits has been as follows: July T.
lee9 1-2G hanks reporting sS,,16 4I0. .i02; July
Is, 1884, 9.d1s banks reporting S4.65l. .2l5.S0,:
June 50, 1889, 91s2 banks reporting s5..6s. .65s.-
Sol. The estimated grand total fer the wear
1892 based upon banks repor D, and statis-
tics as to non n-Teporting hanks obtained by tax
returns to the Commissioner of Internal Revenue
is s7.5I3.954 .36l. in I2.s0i banks.
Eighth-Thst the growth in aggregate loans
reporting So. i15, 212 26s: July IS. 1891, 95Ds
banks reporting si.Gs5. .o69. AZ: June 81. ISao.
9,1:s2 hanks reporting S.l61 .s95.6l0 The esti-
mated grand total for the year 1880. based
upon hanks reporting and statistics to
reporting banks obtained from tax returns to
the Commissioner of Internal ReYenur, i S.
16l, ,i67 6l0, in l., sol banks