The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-04-19
L. S. Hills Resigns as Head Of
Deseret National After Eerty-
Two Years Service.
BEGAN LIFE AS NEWSBOY
Believes Man Attaining Age Of rs
Years Is Entitled to Season
of Rest.

After forty-two years of active and
efficient service in the interests of the
Deserct National bank, of which he
was one of the founders. and Of which
he has been the executive head for
twenty years. Lewis Samuel Hills on
Tuesday rendered the board OF dl-
rectors his resignation as president of
the institution, the resignation to take
effect Nav /.
Mr. Hills will be succeeded as presI-
dent by former Governor John C.. Gut
Ter, vice president. who. in turn. will be
succeeded by w. w, Ritter. Mr.. Hills
viii not, however. give up all conncc.
tion with the bank, the directors, at
their special meeting Tuesday, having
created the Office of chairman of the
board of directors, n position which
will be held by the retiring president
Mr., Hills S resignation was prompted
by his desire to relieve himself of some
of the responsibility of the big financial
Institution. and to give himself oppor-
tunity TO live the remainder of his
years in quiet. away from the stress
and strain Of business life.
An Active Life.
A detailed story Of the active life
of Lewis Hills would read like a chap-
| ter from the romance of n self made
master of finance. Born March s.
! 1886, at South Amherst. Mass. his
parents died when he was a youngster,
! leaving him not afflucnt in the way Of
| worldly goods. but with wonderful
| fund of ambition. integrity and grit.
He was educated III the public schools
and the high school of Springfield.
Mass, where he went to live with an
! uncle after the death Of his parents.
Like so many successful men of the
times. Mr.. Hiss very first work was
that OF Il ncwsboY, with the old Spring
| field Republican, and then he worked as
clerk In IL store until the call of the
west lured him to Council Bluffs, Ia
where he obtained employment rs
clerk in the land office. His ability and
earnestness soon won him Il promotion
! TO the position of register of the Office,
and then, in 1862, he came to Utah, an
elder brother who came with him con
tiuuin2 on to California.
Mr.. Hills s first venture in Salt Lake
City was in the mercantile business,
and meeting with some success. he,
with William II. Hooper and Horace S.
Hooper. Eldredge G. Co. with capital
stock of $4,000. The firm was later
incorporated under the national bank
act in 1872 rs the Deseret National
bank. and Mr., Hills became cashier
occupving that position until 1892
| when, having become thoroughly ia
miliar with all phases of the business
and navin~ displayed keen discrlmna-
tion and sound Judgment. he was made
president of the institution.
When seen at his beautiful home al
425 East First South street last night
Mr., Hills grew reminiscent. and told
interestingly and entertniningly of his
early banking DAYS.
Success Follows Effort.
81 was interested in the bank. said
Mr.. Hills, ''from the beginning. | had
Il fourth interest in the private institu
tion. and though | did not have cnpitnl
enough to pay outright for my stock
] was married and had home. and
my associates helped me to carry ms
end. At first | was receiving teller
paying teller and cashier of the bank
: and ] polished ny the handle Of the biz
front door, too. | soon earned enough
to pay for my interest in the bank
What | have. I have earned myself
, 81 have always said that when | was
10 wears old I would try to ease up q
little on my work, and now that goa
hns been reached. 7 believe that any
man - years old is entitled to little
rest and quiet Nv other diversified in
forests in Utah will still receive my at
teution, but none of them requires tht
q constant vigilance that has been re
r quired at the bank, -
|, Speaking Of Improvement in bank nj
! methods in the past forty years. Mr.
4 Hills saId that the changes have beer
remarkable.
'.The systems Of bookkeeping have beer
revolutionizcd. OF course" he said II
, | has been made necessary by The growtl
lof the business generally. Working unde