The Washington herald., 1907-10-17

The total deposits in the banking in
stituuons of the United States have
passed the $15,Oo00 100000 mark. Yet less
than one-thlrd Of the hard money OF
the country is 70 be found there. and
only one-eighth of # in the Federal Treas
ury. Considerably more than one-half of
the basic circulation OF the country is
well. even the Treasury experts cannot
tell ycu just where Il IS. OF course. some
Of it is in Old stockings and tin cans.
some Of II Is in newer stockings and i'm
peoples pOcketbooks. and some OF IL is
lost. But the Treasury Department counts
nothing as lost 1t feels that sooner or
later every dollar stands a chance of
getting back Recently a man was ar
rested I'm Virginia, and he asked 10 be
allowed 20 draw his money out of the
bank The officer accompanied him up
the side OF the mountain, and in the
leaves under fallen tree he found his
bank He was president, cashier. de-
pOsitOT, and all There were several
thousands of dollars In gold in his little
bank.
There are over 1900 banks and trust
companies in the United States. with an
aggregate capital Of nearly S2.OO0,O00, 900.
There are i, 449 State banks and trust
companies. S146 private banks, 943 saw
ings banks, and 6544 national banks. The
banking power of the United States is
$l6,000 O00.000; that for the rest Of the
world is so. .0O0, ,OOO, 900. The banking power
Of the United States is nearly double that
% any other country. The bank cIearings
ha In d.
Sl55, ,000, ,000, 200, nearly double those of 1900
Less than 81 OF actual money changed
hands in the banks for every hundred
dollars worth Of business going through
the clearinghouse.
The deposits Of the national banks OF
New York City aggregate more than the
deposits of all banks of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia inCIuded-put together They
total more than two and a half times the
deposits Of all the banks Of the State Of
Illinois, Chicago included. They are more
than those Of all the banks In the New
England States. with everything south of
Mason and DixOns line thrown in for
good measure. They amount to more
than one-fourth Of the grand total for the
whole United States.
The richest bank in the United States is
the National City Bank of New York
It has resources aggregating s242.000000. |
It's closest rival is the National Bank of
Commerce, with resources amounting to
S232 10000. The Chemical National Bank
of New York, until It's recent reorganiZa- |
ton, had the highest-priced bank stock
in America A share whose value was
800 was worth 1850 The Chemical has |
always. in every stringency. redeemed its !
obligations in gold The stock Of the |
Bank of Nansemond, located at Suffolk, |
Va. Is now about the most valuable !
stock In America. 1t is about $4,000 per |
share.
Small banks are always glad TO get the /
small deposit as well as the big one; but /
not all the large ones are. Recently a |
bank. with a goodly line of deposits, so l
far as numbers go. went into liquidation /
in Chicago. Another bank, thinking of /
taking over its business. found the ac-
counts very small ones and on that |
ground decided not to do so On the /
other hand. the First National Bank of /
Chicago prides itself on being a bank for
everybody, and no account is beneath its
notice. II has 10000 depositoTs, which is
said to be a larger number than any
other bank in the United States. A PROM
inent banker estimates that an active
account of less than $3.50 does not directly /
pay its way. II is only through the hope
that il viii get to be more and that 1t
will bring other business that it becomes
worth while.
For years bankers have been at their
wits end to devise burglar-proof safes.
A hundred times thu safe manufacturer
has announced that az last he has
finally and forever put the burglar out
of business. But as many times the
burglar has successfully disputed his
claim. Lately they have evolved three
types Of safes that are said TO be blown
burglar proof. One Of