Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1912-02-07
Merger of Two Strong Finan-
ciaI Houses Gives City Most
Substantial Bank in the
Southwest,
WILL TRANSACT BUSINESS
IN FIRST NATIONAL OFFICES
Combination Has Capital of
Half MiIIioni StricNer and
Luna Directors of New In-
Stitution.

By an arrangement which goes IN,
To effect this morning. the Bank of
Commerce of this city is consolidated
with the First National Bank, forming
a banking house with combined capt
tai OF nearly half a million and one
of the strongest financial institutions
in the southwest. This is the most I'M
portant banking deal in the history Of
Albuquerque and places the First Ma
tlonal bank AT the head of the list in
New Mexico and Arizona.
President Joshua =. Reynolds of the
First National and President solomon
Luna OF the Bank of Commerce. yes
terday afternoon issued a joint an
nvuncement of the contamination of
the deal by which the two largest
lanking institutions in New Mexico ef-
feet q com hination. The board of di-
rectors of the consolidated institu
zion will consist of Mcssrs Joshua S,
Reynolds, \. Il. McMillen. NJ. w.
Flournoy, II. +. Reynolds. solomon
Luna. w $. Strckler ana Frank Me
kee.
The business of the institution Will
be transacted In the present banking
rooms OF the First National at tho
corner Of Gold avenue and Second
street. The officers Of the First Ma
tional will remain as at present with
the addition of Mcssrs. Luna ana
Stricklcr as presidents,
Ross NJ. Merritt. Charles 5. White
William j. White, f. i. keleher, Jr,
and Frana T.. Hfrrls win cortinre
their duties in the new institution,
Mr.. Merritt becoming assistant cashier
The announcement issued yesterday
afternoon was as follows.
Notice.
The Bank of Commerce ana the
First National Bank OF Albuquerque
have. by mutual agreement, been
merged, the business hereafter To be
carried on under the organization of
the First National Bank uf Alhuuuer- !
que. tMr solomon Luna ana Mr. |
w. s. Stricklcr becoming directors ana |
vice-prcsidents Of the consolidated IN !
stitutiOn. These gentlemen VIII here |
after be actively Identified with the |
merged institution.
The merger of these two leading !
banks viii offer increased facilities |
for the accommodation of their re |
spcctiVe customers.
The business of the consolidated !
banks viii hereafter Ice transacted 1T /
the office OF the First National Bank. |
Messrs. Il. NJ. Merritt, Charles :
White. William j. White. r. T.. Kele- !
her, Jr, aud Frank Il. Harris viii be
in the First National Bank prepared |
To attend to the wants of customers
as usual. Mr.. Il. NJ. Merritt becoming |
assistant cashier
(SlgnedD SOLOMON LUNA,
President Bank ot commerce.
JOSHUA :. RANNOLDS.
President First National Bank.
The present officers of the First Na-
tiunal are Joshua ). HaNnolds. presl-
dent; NJ. W. FlournoN president
Frank Mckee. cashier, sam Pickard,
Guy Rogers and Al. Frost assistant
cashiers The officers or the Bank of
Commerce until today have been
solomon Luna, president. willard :.
Strick klcr. vicc-p president: Charles Y.
Stafford. cashier. Il. NJ Merritt. g. :.
White and FRANK L. Harris. assistan,
cashiers
The formal ratification of the deal
" hiCh becomes effective today viii
occur Ht "a meeting of The directors
called for March g. The announce
mcnt Of the change yesterday evening
was received with the most intense In
,pTcst in business circles and q gen
rrdl feeling OF qualification is evident
hat the clty is now to have in addition
to its two other 0ourishing ANA sub /
stnntial banks. the largest banking |,
house iu the southwest with operations
Ihthll NllE til thfi lH' lANthA NihNI~ o.
tain region :.
The Bank of Commerce was found n
ID twenty wears ago ana >huWcd. ."
rapid and prosperous EraWth since ,
h date Of It's founding. while the
First National with which II is now
Incorporated. - nearly ten years older. ,
having been first opened Tor business
January e. 1852. and has always en-
oved most enyiable financial pres
ire throughout the southwest hN rca-
ION Of IT. conservative business meth
DDS and wise management. n b. a
lota bile fact that national financial F.
lurricS. however. severe have never 81
haken the foundations OF tho Alhu-
luerquc banks ana this assurance viii ,
% rcdouhled with the formation 'tI /,
uch q powerful institution tS the
augmented First National
There wiz not hv the slightest
hitch in operation" said an officer ,
II the bank Yesterday. hit the usual =
outline viii hr followed aud all mat
ers attended Go at tho First National
ffic-s as usual The deal b. th, ulli-
ome Of u,-utI.ttfuus which have been d
u progress fur some time past. =