Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-11-13

before equaled, have been grown. Great
fields are literally covered with pumpkins,
| and in the young walnut orchards they lit
| ter the ground though hauled there in
| carloads. Ventura county is responsible fol
an extraordinary specimen OF the common
California pumpkin which weighed trifie
| less than four hundred pounds and was
converted into a calf barn. A window and
doors were cut in the ends of the giant, and
| the calf which was six weeks old and large
| for its age, found plenty of room inside
| The circumference Of the pumpkin in the
center was exactly ten feet. On the same
vine, which grew in the center of a large
walnut orchard, without fertilization OF
other special cultivation, were twelve other
! pumpkins, each weighing an average of $50
pounds. In other words, there was more
| than ton of pumpkin on one vine. This
| Is no fairy yarn, but can be verified any
time one goes to the glorious Pacific coast
81 am on my way to New Orleans to at
tend the convention of the American Bank
ers' Association, and as Washington is
about half way and an excellent place to
stop laid off here for the night said Mr..
Henry F. Willoughby of Portland, Me-, at
the New Willard.
1.-THE association has membership of six
thousand, and I expect a large percentage
of them will attend the convention in the
crescent city. Subjects of great interest
to the banking and commercial world will
be discussed at length.
Bankers have come to regard these con-
ventions as of prime Importance, because 1t
brings in touch the banks of different sec
lions of the country. Several years ago.
when the association was first organized,
some of the larger banking concerns of the
country were wont to sheen at it, but now
they are among the first to reach the place
Of meeting and stay until the last horn
blows.
These conferences are important be-
49, r<~s,-& q al -
country an opportunity to exchange views
on current topics, and also because of the
effect of the discussions upon the solution
of national financial problems. taxation
questions and currency restrictions.
Through the association the general public
was given better understanding of the re-
cent war revenue tax. The association now
has under consideration the national cur
rency system and has strong hopes of Sc
curing relief through Congress.
lone thing that is likely to cause quite
discussion is the branch bank system that
has recently sprung up in many parts of
the country.
'In nearly every bank you go in now
adays you will see little sign, Member
This is one of the great benefits brought
about by the association Being a member
of the association gives to the smaller
banks the service Of one Of the best de-
tective agencies In the United States. The
scheme is perfectly simple one. When
ever a robbery has been committed head
quarters is notified. Then the hunt begins,
and usually does not end until the swindler
Is caught. when all the funds Of the asso-
citation are available for the prosecution.
no expense being spared to send the person
to prison. Should the offense be SO grave
as to affect general securities, then other
detective agencies are put to work on the
case. Once each year the association sends
out complete collection of photographs of
those who have been convicted of swim
ding banks
Through the efforts Of the association
an Institute of Bank Clerks was organized.
Although OF recent date, this institute has
developed to remarkable extent. Clerks
have received thorough training in sys-
tematized courses. Thousands of clerks
have been reached and given an encourage
ment they could never have received in the
smaller country banks to which they were