Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1905-10-27
A PROSPERITY INDICATOR.

has sprung up within the boundaries
of Old Greene.
Now the particular business that
suggests to our mind this mention, is
one than which there is no more inn
portant factor in the business affairs
of the people of the section coming
within its zone of influence-on
which, considering its remarkable
and surprising growth in such a
short lifeti me5 that well merits our
That of the Banl of Leakesville,
organized at Leakesville, Mississippi.
on October IA, 1903, with paid IN
capitalization of $l4, 300, and which
showed at the end of the first year s
business, carrying OF deposits ag
gregating S19,946. 81, with an earn
ing of 8 per cent, which was passed
to the surplus. It is necessary that
we review the the figures compare
lively that we bring out the facts
that we wish to direct the thoughts
of our readers upon.
At the expiration of the second
years business, September 30. 1905,
so marvelously had the volume of its
business expanded that a summing
up of It's deposits showed its Golfers
to. have attracted the substantial
amount of $95, 94470 a net rise of
$50, 947 80 over the showing at the
end of the previous year, while the
very handsome net profit of q per
cent was the figures appearing to the
earning of the capital stock, which
had not been allowed to become over
$18, 700. 00-a dividend of 10 per cent
was declared to the stockholders,
while II per cent was voted to be
passed to surplus.
These enumerations, we of course
grant, include the Merrill BraSt;h
Bank, but when that pbxse Of the
situation is viewed, it must be bourne
in mind that the parent institution
was practically handling the bank
ing business of that town before the
establishment of this branch, but al
so that the Capital Stock that goes
to operate the. business since this
branch opened, was already enlisted,
there being only an issuance of about
So, 600 made at the time the Merrill
Branch was instituted
Very fortunate indeed are those
who grasped the opportunity to in
vest their capital in this enterprise
at the outset, and who have since
been able to secure some of its hold
ings. The renumerative returns
they are receiving upon their money
is indeed fiattering, and bids far to
become more and more so as each
year of the Bank s existence Is round
ed out.
Naturally when any business is
making good money, we begin to
turn over in our minds the causes
that contribute to its prosperous
condition.
The first one to appear in our ret
rospection is the great tidal wave of
prosperity generally which has swept
over this section of the State, fire.
quent mention of which we have
made. Without this such material
progress could not have been accom-
plished in the Bank 5 business, nor
in any Eother enterprises for that
matter.
Another contributing cause to the
successful point which it has attain
ed, was the strong and stable fabric
upon which its foundation was laid.
The association together of the bust
ness men of this vicinity, coupled
with that of Mr. E. F. Ballard as the
controlling factor, furnished a
strength and stability to the institu-
tion which nothing has been able to
offoo., ~. r., ;,,,,,oflo
The last feature, which has opera
ted to this phenomenal upbuild in
such brief space of time, that we
particularize with our notice, is one
we regard as a leading potentiality
in bringing about this effect. This
is the efforts which M. Nat owen,
the present cashier, has exercised in
his active manipulation of the Bank S
affairs. He took hold in February,
1904, when the deposits were only
So, 800, and upon his shoulders from
that time Oh, more and more has the
responsibility in every avenue of the
business leaned Everything has
seemingly conspired to crown his
energizing with abundant success,
but due credit must certainly be az
corded him for his good and careful
management, for his courtesy to the
patrons. for his personal work in
swelling the deposit account and
business getting generally.
A year ago $50, 900 was about the
highest mark The management hoped
to have the deposits reach for several
years. That figure has almost been
doubled within the business year ex-
pred Who can predicate where it
will reach before another twelve
months rolls Off z?
"A bank should be blessing to any
community i necessary feature OF