The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-06-18
Present Resources Twice
That of State in 1880
TOTAL RESOURCES
OVER $34, 100000
Liberality and Conservatism Have
Been Keynote of Their Success.
Loans and Deposits Form
Strong Reserve
ny The EDITOR OF THE SOUTHERN
BANKER, Atlanta, Ga.

With total resources more than dou-
BILE the amount which the entire state
of Alabama had in 1850, the banks of
Birmingham present phenomenon of
growth and development unsurpassed
by any city of the south.
Linked with the manful strides of
commercial banking, Birmingham has
likewise not been backward in the de-
velopment of other capitalistic enter
prises that may be denominated as in
vestment banking. This includes real
estate and industrial bonds, stocks and
other securities which have undergone
greater expansion and which have
claimed even a larger share of the in
vestment funds of the rich Brming-
ham district than the banks themselves.
With respect to loca, investments in
bank stocks and industrials, Birming-
ham has demonstrated again the time
honored fact that nothing succeeds like
success. Its capital has not been timid
and by its very boldness 1t has multi
piled itself both in commercial banking
and in all specialized banking lines.
In the beginning the honor of push
ing this victorious banner to the front
been and who are now guiding the
destinies of Birminghams finances.
With fine discrimination and keen
business Judgment, they have always
drawn a fine line between the false
and the true. between the real oppor-
tunity and the counterfeit get-rich-
quick adventure The result is that Bir-
mingham has experienced a natural
and easy growth dating back to the old
boom days. The extent of the growth
is no more than the natural resources
of the district gave promise Of under
the favorable conditions and wise guid-
fance that has kept the production OF
wealth always at its best, with remark
ably few reverses and setbacks.
Banking Resources
- Exclusive of the Institutions which
do not receive deposits or otherwise
engage in the commercial banking bust.
ness. Birmingham commercial banks
possess total resources of S34,75O, 976
which is over $3.50 per capita for every
man, woman and child in the city or
the basis of population shown by the
last census.
OF that amount $S,7'5,00o is repre-
sented by the banking capital of the
city. In this respect Birmingham is
almost roll of honor city, many of
Its institutions being in fact roll OF
honor banks. In banking parlance this
means that the surplus and undivided
profits (earned capitaD is as great as
the capital paid in. How near Bir-
mingham has come to the roll of honor
mark is shown by the fact that the
surplus and undivided profits of its
banking Institutions amount to sS,-
267.162, or about one-half million dol
lars less than the paid-in banking cap
ital of the city. This is in fact, the
most striking feature of the situation
in demonstrating the strength and sta
bility of the banks.
Liberality and Conservatism
The. combined deposits of the Bir-
mingham banks amount to s26 6436. 1874,
while the loans are s2a.0S6,904. From
this IT Will be seen that the banking
institutions exercise both liberality and
conservatism. On the one hand a COM
parison of the loans and deposits in-
dicates that the banks are fortified with
strong reserve. stronger than the