Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-03-07
isWa|I as Spenders Shown
ByNsw Workers. Deposits.
Smoke Game" Is the Latest
Get-Rich-Quick Scheme.
Revival Of Ancient Profession Of
Chimney Sweep Expected.

New York, March 6.-That New
York which has been characterized as
the worlds greatest city OF spenders
is at the same time a great city of
savers is the apparently contradictory
condition just brought to light through
figures collected by the Office Of the
State Bank Superintendent. In spite
of the increased cost of living and the
amount which is annually spent here
for amusements. no less than s26o.
100000 was deposited in savings banks
in this city during the past year. an
increase OF more than go. 900. 900 over.
deposits made during the preceding
year. III ADDITION to this the amount
withdrawn by depositors was over
saV0o,0OO less than in 1905, making :,
net total increase of $42,O0O.OOo The
total number Of individual savings ac.
counts III the city at the beginning Nf
the year WAS 1.S1S. 1888, an increase Of
@,yE as compared with 1909. During
the year depositors drew more than
3 3y5,OOo.OW in interest, or nearly ~ Ono :
4 900 more than in 1908. The clearest
s fhqication Of the fact that New York;
d en-, contrary to the popular idea are
Il savers is found in the statement con.
n corning the 1,s4S,933 individual ac-
eonnts. The average amount to the
y en1f OF each deposition was $475. an
increase over 1908 of s31, making in
Hi more than SS78,000,000 which now
lies In local banks against the proven
Dial raihy DAY, or sum practically
q equal 10 the total yearly income of the
+ federal government. The salaries of
the men who have handled this vast
amount Of cash tOtaled $2.SO4,OO0, of
which S1.S1A,O00 was paid by banks in
the metropolitan district as cOmpared
10 G9O,OqO in the rest of the state
4 New York City. however, was not
alore in" its savings increase for the
depositors elsewhere in the state in
creased more than $1O,0OO,OOO, with.
y draWals being nearly $l5,OOO,O0O less
Than In 1905. Altogether Father
y Anlckerbocker with 1,S4S933 citizens
4 whose savings amount to more than
3S7S.0OO. 0Oo-,not counting what may be
Y slowed away in curious places out
! side the banks-has the strongest kind
OF proof that New Workers, strange as
Its great splendors.
Smoke bad cigars and get rich
QUICK. That is the philosophy of a
brand new money making scheme
mere. The idea is not, however, that
wealth may be accumulated by cs-
chewing expensive cigars. for the adj
vice is the Keynote to one Of the queer
est bunco games which the police have
run mp against in years. All that is
needed for it's operation Is IL store of
exceedingly viIc-smelling cigars and a
PLAUSIBLE story AS worked at pres
emit. the smoke game" as the police
call 1t. is exceedingly simple and has
been successfully operated for some
weeks by three men who the bluecoats
say must have leather lungs and whom
they shortly hope to take into custody.
The victims have without exception
been men of wealth and in many cases
philanthrepists in addition. Before
entering the office of the intended VIC
tim the three members of the smoke
4 gang light their cigars. Upon being
admitted to the presence of their in
8 tended Victim they puff furiously on
their weeds, meanwhile soliciting
q cash subscription in the name of some
person politically well-known, for a
4 pnitce clubhouse. gymnasium, reading
room or some similar project. That is
the whole game. And yet, foolish as
a appears on the surface, it's inventors
harvested several thousand dollars.
/, In. most cases the smell of the cigars
asass 50 naiiseating that the person ap-
proaehed quickly handed over sub
Mf[ptiof' In order to free his Office
from the offending presence. OF
course ehc learned sooner or later that
he hadabeen swindled. but the clouds
Of SMOKE which his visitors emitted
during their short stay have in every
case up TO date proven so dense as
ctfectua'ly to hide them and make any
satisfactory description possible. For
simplicity and impudence this game.
which has proven extremely effective,
mas never been beaten according to
the police
In spite of the fact that chimney