Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-10-27
SCENES A BANK PUN
How the Big Crowd at
the Trust Chmpauy of
America Was Handled

The Trust Company,of America was
besicgcd by a crowd of timid deposit
tors. anxious to Withdraw TER ac-
counts, says the New York Times.
Throughout the entire banking day
the Trust Company handled its Gus
toners as if nothing unusual was oc-
curing, paid all demands In cash.
even paid out money after 3 o'clock,
the usual closing hour, and then went
ahead with preparations for re-
sumption of business today.
At times there were 1900 people In
the line. At IL o'clock the crowd of
dcpostors ana the curious practically
blocked the street, and the police re-
serves from Old slip Station were
called out to help the lanltors. For
the most part the people were good
natured. Inside the building en-
trance the dopositors were formed
four abrc ast, and in this formation
they entered the Offices of the bank
proper, through the short wide en-
trance hall, Then in the large circu-
lar rotunda. near the front of the Of
fee, they were formed into two lines.
which ran straight to the circular
space at the farther end of the Of
fees, where the lines took turn In
the shape of n double "S'' and ended
ut the two tcllcIs windows.
I As each one was paid off he made
his way across the office, squeezed
through the double lines, and was let
out into the hallway Of the building
through the rear door. At one time.
when the crowd was the largest. sew
cral hundred persons were admitted
through the cellar. so that the street
in front of the building might be
cleared Il little.
While the small dcpostors were
dealt with ut the paying tcllors' win
dows, another window was opened FOR
the accommodation of exchanges, and
this did rushing business all day
long
While the tollers worked as rapidly
as could be expected, the progress oi
the depositors toward the windows
was tcdlously SLOW. There were few
women in the line. Most of the
crowd were young mon, apparently
clerks ana office boys employed by
business men.
One had only to watch the women.
This was particularly true of one wom-
an with red roses I'm her hat: the one
really bright spot in the scene. as
viewed from the balcony. This wom-
an entered the doors OF t. Q Trust
Company from the outer hall abou.
1880 o'clock.
Her progress down the inner line to
the other end and then back along the
winding way to the window was made
step by step. She drew her money
exactly at 3 o'clock, having been in
the offices three and In t hours. and
in the line n little more than four
hours
The few women In the line had a
rather difficult time, owing to their
unfnmiliarity with banking methods.
one woman held in her hand n check
drawn in read pencil. a man near
her explained that this would not be
accepted. Then she persuaded n by
standor to keep her place in line
while she went to the des., and drew
check in ink. When She returned
the man who was to have cid her
place had disappeared. She started
CRYING and lamentng. and one man.
IN thor back IN the line. made room
for her In front OF him. She got her
money.
Tho last regular deposition to be
paid was an aged woman. who said
she had been in line since 10 o'clock
When the tcllcrs closed their Win
dows she was the second from the
head of one of the lines The man
/ in front OF her walked away but she
persisted She explained that she
was old. and that she had had long
wait The tcllers conferred aid the
special policeman intcrceded in her
behalf. Then she was paid and. put
ting her money In an old-fashioned
black bag. joined her husband End
went away wearing joyful smile.
by watching the line from the bal
cony ii was found that each person
l stayed at the tcller's window about
! three minutes At this rate the two
tellers handled about 40 people every
! llonr, which for five hours would
make only 200 people. AS matter
/ OF fact. the number attended to was
probably considerably in excess of
this figure, and great many persons
! presented several checks.
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