Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-05-16
THE NIGHT SESSION
Was Held in the Opera House-Tvo
Excellent Addresses Made.

Was Held in the Opera House-Two
! Excellent Addresses Made
A public meeting in the Opera House
was the concluding feature of the SEES
sions of the first day. The attendance
was very light, being limited to the
| members, about score of Wheeling
gentlemen who are interested in bank
ing institutions, and a few ladies. II
was about $3.50 o'clock when President
Warfield called the Opera House meet
ing to order The first speaker intro
duced was Mr.. James H. Wilcox, presi-
dent of the Pennsylvania Bankers AS
ISOLATION, whose subject was Mutual
Benefit" Mr. Wilcox spoke of the lack
of mutual good feeling, and thought
the Pittsburg idea might be initiated
with results.
Mr. Wilcox said he came to Wheeling
with the hope that he might interest
the members of the West Virginia AS
ISOLATION. He referred to the great
prosperity of the Pittsburg district, and
Of the reciprocal interests of Pittsburg
and West Virginia He expressed curl
Brooke, Ohio and Marshall counties had
escaped being Keystones or Buckeyes,
but he blamed it on some early sur
veyor. He said great editor had
termed West Virginia "a State of great
happenings" AMI he quoted an article
which undertook to establish the fact
that everything that occurs elsewhere.
is duplicated in greater degree in this
State. He then referred to the birth of
West Virginia, and the events which
led to its separation from the, Common
wealth of Virginia The=great oil and
coal deposits, and extensive lumber in
terests were briefly touched upon, in
passing to a review of the railroad
building and material development of
the State.
Our country" he said, lis now at the
crest of the most remarkable prosperity
any country mas ever known" He CON
graduated West Virginia on sharing in
the general prosperity, but repeated the
warning of President Mckinley. that we
should ''be provident in our prosperity"
He quoted very interesting statistics
pertaining to clearing houses. and
Touched in a 70
events in Wall street last week, pointing
with pride to the fact that no banks
failed, no mills stopped, no dividends
were reduced. He commended the New
York bankers for their action, which
prevented panic, and did much to re-
store confidence.
Mr.. Wilcox touched upon the top
ography of West Virginia, and said it
was universally acknowledged that peo-
pie living under such conditions are
liberty-loving and prosperous-a fact
which has been demonstrated here by
recent achievements.
Mr.. Wilcox came down to a discus
sion of the subject assigned to him.
He said the Bankers Mutual Benefit AS
ISOLATION had for its objects the estab-
lishment of a better relation between
bank officials and clerks, the rendering
of financial aid, etc. There are 1900
banks in the United States, with 13 ,000,-
600 depositors. and the men behind the
desks form an army of 5000 men.
The speaker dwelt upon the death and
sick benefit features OF the B. NJ. B. A.
He urged the president of the West yir-
ginia Association to appoint a commit
tee at once to take up the matter of es-
tablishing branch of the organization
in this State.
Mr.. Wilcox gave some interesting de-
tails OF the Pittsburg Association. and
contrasted its methods with those OF
the old line insurance companies When
he concluded his address, he was warm
~ applauded.
President Warfield then introduced Col
John L. Vance. president OF the Ohio
River Improvement Association.
Col. yance's Address.
Mr. Vance said he felt it an honor to
be asked to address the Association OF
bankers He complimented the MEM
bers upon the standing of the banks
which they represent. There was no
subject in which West Virginia was
more vitality interested than in the i'm
provement OF the Oaso river H said
1t was destined to influence the trafic
of the entire world No work ever con-
ceived or considered, is Of such vital in
terest to the people Of this State. Great