Omaha daily bee., 1910-08-17
OMAHA BANKS ARE SOLID
Move Ever Onward and Upward Year
by Year.
MANY SEEK LARGER QUARTERS
Nearly All the Banks of Omaha Are
Forced to Secure Larger Homes
to Accommodate Their
Growing Business.

On the first business day Of 1910 the bank
clearings Of the city Of Omaha passed the
S4.0OO.O00 mark. On the last business day
of July they exceeded the clearings of the
same day in 1909 by the amount Of 1897, 994S1.
For the whole month the clearings this year
amounted to s62 2S4. 4O14s. against $50 ,7701 Is
in July 1909
Total cearings for the year 1909 of the
Omaha banks made a total of $685. 225, sos 49,
This was a gain Of So. 500 7O1.67 over the
1908 total.
So the story OF tho growth of the banks
Of Omaha in solidity and in influence can
be traced through all the years. There has
never been backward step.
And while we are starting into these
banking figures it will be we'll to keep
in mind that when the state capital was
located at Ldncoln-within the life time Of
O middle-aged MANTLE total assessed
valuation of the whole wealth of Nebraska
was approximately $4,O00O0O. Yet In 1899 the
bank clearings Of Omaha reached the figure
$297, 4S2, $40. and ten years later at the close
of 1910. the total was double that, with
$40, 800, $40 left over as set out in the second
paragraph of this article.
The working capital on which this enor-
nous business is done by the banks of Ne
braska's metropolis totaled on June 80 last
$64,514,72S.e2. This represented the resources
set out In the bank statements, to which
might be added the $2.79S. s5S67 Of surplus
and undivided profits. OF the resources
$522 ,25S.2 were credited to Omaha and the
balance to South Omaha, while the Omaha
surplus and profits totaled 81, 100, $50. 40 and
the four South Omaha banks had the bal
ance.
Banks the Heart of Trade.
Cashier J. w. Thomas. Of the Corn Ex-
change National bank. has thus put into
small compass the kernel of banking sense:
Banking is the heart Of the body COM
mercial 1t receives, distributes and cir
culates the blood. II must be vigorous,
steady, reliable-wen protected within and
without. Money is the blood that cireu-
lates in, nourishes and perpetuates this
body. 1t must be pure, substantial and
responsive to demand or need under all
varying conditions"
This brief characterization, conveying so
much meaning, can be applied to the banks
Of Omaha with absolute truthfulness. They
have proved their claim to sound financial
health through a great many severe tests;
and their circulation has always been OF the
best. Their business has been clean. their
assets substantial, and they have been re-
sponsive to every fair demand through
peace and through panic alike.
This reputation, founded through long
series OF good and bad years, Is today the
one best asset and advertisement OF the
local banking institutions. 1t is practically
represented by deposits running close to
$50, 200 at the present time.
There is probably not a town or city in
Nebraska that does not get some benefit,
more or less, from the strength and the
richness OF OmRha's banking institutions.
The ramifications Of modern credit, inter-
woven as it is with modern business. are
such are were undreamt of In the earlier
days The small business concern at the
crossroads is connected with the big whole
sale house on credit line, usually; and
the Wholesale house. in turn, is anchored
to some sound bank which knows its ca
paclty and Is ever ready to back it's BUSH
ness to the full limit of safety. The same
is true OF crop and stock movements, as of
purely commercial business When ready
money is required. at certain times Of the
year, the banks In large centers like Omaha
have perfected arrangements to supply 1t.
Banks Help Business.
In this connection 1t can be set down
that no group of financial institutions any
where in the country, even in much larger
cities Is better prepared to hold up the
business Of the territory tributary TO them
than the banks of Omaha. On June 30 last
there was in the vaults Of these banks
cash to the amount of s12.SSs, 900 That re-
serve Of coin of the realm would go a long