The daily Alaskan., 1912-12-30
How the Run on the Bank Was Stopped
By EVELYN rsDALE

| There was one bank where ! set | tied, Barton's, that previous to my en- tering the field had done sll the busl- ness there was to do Barton was very much disgruntled nt having Co give up any of it to me and did on he could covertly to injure me and my credit | Be was not liked, being considered a shinhlnt, and ] gradually cut into his business. This gain on my part was partly due to my wife. who made her self very popular with Der acquaint- snces and brought ne many valuable accounts
 The town was growing, and there was business for two banks IT ! bad not occupied the Geld some one else would have done so But Barton wanted it all and acted accordingly.
 All went well enough tiIl the panic of 1893 came on, when we were an in for hard times. Barton was known to have much more capital than |, but most of those having deposits with me felt friendly to me or to my wife or to both Of us. and ! wns able Co keep a prstty steady rein on them A few drew their accounts and placed them with Barton. This would have been all the detriment to me that would have oc- cured during the panic had not Bar. ton, through others ln his interest cir. culated reports that ! would not pull through
 One morning when ! went to busi- ness I found a crowd waiting for tbe opening of my doors and knew that the blow had fallen. was ln for a run. Calling the employees together, I gave them instructions 10 practcing the usual delays rcsorted to by bank CTS while standing a run. Then at the opening hour the paying tellers win dow was thrown up-there was no Ike l lihood of the receiving tellers having anything to do-snd the struggle com menced
 I had got in some gold the night be- fore by express after banking hours and had kept it at home thought it | might be advisable Co leave it there Tor awhile. for in case my bank should 90 by the board I would need something to put me on my feet again. When [ went home at noon to dinner [ told Lizzie that in case [ should send for the money to bring it Co me herself, carrying it in such a way that the waiting crowd of deposltors would pre- sume that she was bringing me gold
 Two days after this, when most of our ready cash had been paid out and it appeared that we would have Co 60 under, I looked over a list Of depositors stu unpaid and decided Co put in my reserve. hoping with it to weather the storm. So I sent a messenger to Mary to bring it to me.
 Tn due time. looking out the window of my private office. saw her alight from cab with the messenger, who came in and said he wished a man Co assist in removing treasure The two went back Co the carriage and brought fin sack that it required both of them to carry. was astounded. for the amount [ had at home could easily have been carried by Lizzie. The crowd. seeing the load going Into the bank. set up a cheer. and some of them left the line and went away
 The sack was brought Into my ofhce- I opened it and found my gold on top of several hundred pounds Of nut coal | I throw my arms about Lizzie's neck, praising her inventive genius, then or dered the gold-nOt the coal-dumped In heap on the paying teller's desk. Those nearest the window set up an other shout. and the paying teller. oy my order. began paying out the gold with considerable alacrity. More ot those in line went away without walt ing to be paid. and ! was pleased to see they were those Co whom ! owed the largest balances. Before the clos ing hour the line had dwindled to a few persons having merely household accounts. The backbone Of the run had been broken.
 But Barton ln undermining me had ueEtfuyeQ COuUutNCt tfNA AH 1lA" and. while was feeling the tail end of A run. be was ID the hottest part of one. Lizzie. who had gone home, re- turned. passing Barton. and, seeing the crowd. conceived the Idea of eHtend- Ing Co him the succor sSe had given me. Continuing on to the bank. she conhded Der plans to me, end. placing S1.OOO ln gold on top of the coal, ! sent two of our messengers with it Co Barton. They were recognized by the crowd in line as our messengers and the depositors. presumlug they eame with loan. went wild with delight l I sent note by the messengers Co Barton suggesting that he pay out the gold as I had done.
 I was greatly relieved to see the | throng before Barton's gradually dwin- de, and when both banks opened the next morning there were no depositors waiting before either.
 I I, or rather Lizzie, was wiser than | Barton, who ln destroying confidence in me had undermined himself By helping him we re-established conh- dence and gained the name of having pulled him through. At any rate.