The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-04-18
Now About One Thousand in
the State.
And More Are Being Started
Almost Daily.
In WESTERN COUNTIES
New Ones Being Established in
Little Towns.
Deputy Commissioner Has
Started Six Recently.
Has

There are now about 1000 banks in
the state of Kansas, and more are be-
ing put in a fast as the deputies in the
state bank commissioners office can
find time to do the instituting. This
means that there are on an average
of more than eight banks for every
town of over 1000 population in the
state OF course the actual average
is not as high as this because many
banks have been started in towns of
less than 1000 population.
Harry E. Trovillo. one of the deputy
bank commissioners, has just returned
from trip in western Kansas, on
which he instituted the following
banks:
Grant county state bank, Ulysses,
$4,000 capital.
Citizens State bank. Claf1in, Barton
county. $4,000 capital.
Lake State bank, Lake City, Barber
county. 10000 capital.
Citizens State bank, Liberal, Seward
county. SIS, 900 capital
Peoples State bank, Garden City,
Finney county. $25, 900 capital.
Farmers State bank, Larned, Paw
nee county. SIS. 900 capital.
w. T. Watson, another of the deputy
bank commissioners, instituted the
carlton State bank in Neosho county
with $4,000 capital
One OF the most remarkable things
TO conservative business men is the
establishment of banks in far western
towns which have been experiencing
a boom as a result of the good crops
or the past few years. Some towns of
only two or three hundred population
have started banks, and while these in
stltutlons may make money while the
good crop years continue it is con-
sldered likely that there will be
startling amount of LIQUIDATION and
survival of the fittest'' should there
be series of crop failures.
IN the town of Ulysses, Grant coun-
", a fourth new bank has lust been
opened, but the other three all Quit
business more than ten years ago
since 1894, Ulysses has had no bank
Ulysses is rs miles from the nearest
railroad 1t is located out in the midst
OF the sandhills, in a country which
aDounds In buffalo grass and sage
brush. At the time of the 1887 boom
a :. lot OF buildings of pretentious arch
mcclure were built at Ulysses and
when the boom collapsed, they were
almost all deserted, and the neoDIe
nearly all moved away. In 1887 three
banks started at Ulysses. In 1888 the
NUMBER was reduced to two. In 1899
only one was left, and in 1894 the LAST
or the three banks liquidated. since
rhat time, Ulysses has been banLIess
except for the banks of sand which the
risky prairie wind piled up like snow
drifts in the main streets of the town
The Grant County State bank which
IS the name of the new INSTITUTION will
De operated by young man who owns
q general merchandise store at the town
or Ulysses He expects to be able to
drive the store and the bank as a don
BILE team. < U0U
In spite of the fact that a stransar in
the extreme western part of Kansas
can't see how anyone makes a LIVING
land is selling at most renarkabIe
prices Never in the experience of the
old time boom citizens was there a tire
When farm land could be sold so easily
and for such big prices. The big prices
Tor land is what is making things buT,1
in western Kansas. Some of me iit+Ia
snort grass towns have dozens of real
estate OFFICES, and every real estat re-
agent has an automobile with which he
takes prospective buyers over tho
prairie to inspect desirable quarters {"
Some of the banks in the state are
making big money for their stockhoId-
ers; one PaWnee county bank is said
stockholders. Many other banks how
ever, are not paying much to stockhold-
ers' while they are making a good living
Tor the officials of the bank
Ine general impression is that the
banking business in Kansas is being
very much overdone at the present time
New banks are being put in to divide
up the business with other banks and
towns which have been considered here
tofore too small to support anv banI- a
All are now being called upon to furnish
business not merely for one hank hut
sometimes for two. The topheavv sit.
uation in the banking business is ono
or the things about the present prosper-
Gus condition that causes apprehension
among conservative men.
a N nm