Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1907-01-02
LOCAL. BANKS
 BREAK RECORD Deposits in Pine Bluff Bank ing Institutions Show an Increase of Thirty Per Cent for Year Just Closed
ALL IN FINE SHAPE
Interest Rates Strong and Borrowers Plentifai-SOme Facts and Figures to Show Their Enormous Financial Strength.

The year just closed has been more than satisfactory from bank stand point in Pine Bluff. The profits of the banks were good and all local institutions were enabled to clean house as to any doubtful paper at the close of the past years business, De- cember 31, besides adding quite sub- stantially to their surplus and und vided profit accounts.
 Rates of interest have been strong and bank deposits have been more tlattering than in any previous years, which is all assurance of good times ill the ft\lre. Bank customers. such as merchants, manufacturers and planters, with an occasional eXeep-
 ton. have been doing a largely in- creased business over previous years,
 both in volume and profit, Good boy. roWers, the bankers say. have been
 plentiful. The question which some
 times causes banks to pause and re- fleet is the large indebtedness that prevails in this and other sections and they wonder now, when and where these debts will be paid. Bankers and business men have concluded that it takes two factors to make d good note-a5ility and integrity. Money lenders are getting to look more 3J :. more for these qualifications in their customers.
 In view of the tremendous business Of the country,' said a prominent To- cal banker this morning. which at times; is hard to handle safely with our present system, the American Bankers association, through a com mission appointed by ii, has asked Congress for legislation which will furnish the country with more elas-
 tic currency. But it is doubtful if any
 favorable action will be taken by Con
 gress this winter in this direction So
 many conflicting opinions exist among Congressman, and even the bankers
 themselves, while agreeing that rem
 edy is needed, differ as to the form |of administering it. This however is 'of little material importance to Pine
 Bluff banks in their progressive march
 at this time"
 The combined deposits of the Pine
 Bluff banking houses for 1906 is B.
 670,000, compared with $2.070.0O0 for 1905. an Increase of $600,00O or 30 per cent for the year. This is a record
 breaker for Pine Bluff. The remark
 able improvement is due to cotton re-
 ceipts and good collections not only
 on the part of the banks but the mer- chants, planters and other borrowers. The Simmons National bank has much to boast of. Its deposits show
 a larger increase for the year than any other bank in the city, notwith-
 standing the fact that all have enjoy
 ed large increases in deposits. The
 total deposits in the Simmons Nation al for the year just closed is placed at $363,97S.27 compared with $224,926.65
 lOI iSOO., du actual HUI CdSC Ol Uo pCI
 cent. The Merchants and Planters shows an increase in it's deposits of $125.OOO over those of last year, the
 Citizens bank, $92,O00; Bank of Pine
 Bluff. $11S.00O; Pine Bluff Trust com pany, $37,000; Cotton Belt Savings
 and Trust company, $44000, and the Peoples Savings Bank and Trust
 company, $30,000.
 Never before in the history of Pine Bluff have the banks of the city en- joyed such prosperity. The annual statements of each is a testimonial of their respective strength and if any one thing adds to the upbuilding, growth and general progress of city, it is substantial banking houses. In this respect Pine Bluff is among the first of the smaller cities of the coun try.