Evening star., 1913-11-23

ceived by Alexander Hamilton. and It
had the approval Of President Washing
ton. The bank in 1916 was reorganized.
with capital OF $35. 600 600. in which the
government had a subscription of several
millions.
Col. Tayloe in 1918 bought lots l. and
"a. square 221. at the northwest corner of
10th street, north Of the Treasury building.
and i've years afterward conveyed II to
the Bank of the United States. which
had been rechartered. Here ie continued
in business until the 30s. the property be-
ing sold in 1928 to Dundas and other
trustees, from whom 1t was bought in
1S4o by w. w. Corcoran. who moved his
banking house from 18th and F streets.
George Graham for many years ch1ef
clerk of the War Department, was for
long time its president and Richard Smith
the cashier.
After the bank went out of existence
he occupied the building up to the time
Of his death. holding in the meantime
a similar position in the Bank Of the
Metropolis. The directors were from the
three cities of the District. and among
them were Thomas Tudor Tucker. for
years the treasurer of the United States:
Thomas Monroe secretary of the original
District Commissioners: Gen. r. g
Weightman, once mayor of Washington.
who served as the cashier for many years
OF the Bank of Washington: Gen Philip
Maryland militia in the war of 1872: Will
liam Writ who afterward was Attorney
General Of the United States. and Col W.
W. Seaton of the National Intelligencer.
and afterward mayor of Washington
First Local Bank in 1909.
When the population of Washington
had grown to about 5000 people, one-third
of the entire District, the first local bank
was established under articles of asso-
citation signed September 4. 1909. This
was what was known as the Bank of
Washington. now a national bank. locat-
ed at Louisiana avenue and 7th street 1t
was established on Capitol Hill, and the
capital stock fixed at $1,OOO0OO.
At the first meeting of the stockholders.
September 13 of that year. Joel Barlow. q
hero of the revolution, long in the diplo-
matte service. and owner of Kalorama.
who afterward died in Poland, presided.
Among the directors were Daniel Carroll
Of Duddington. Mr.. Barlow. Gen. John
Davidson, Robert Brent, first mayor of
Washington; Judge Cranch of the Circuit
Court Of the District; Col. Washington
Boyd. District marshal. and s. n. Small
wood afterward mayor. Subsequently
Samuel Harrison Smith became director,
and Samuel Eliot was cashier.
The directors first met at Longs Hotel,
now No. 81 1st street northeast, in which
f'TeSlueHt MADISON Dali
took place a few months previous, and
later 1t was part of the temporary Capt.
tol after that building had been burned
by the British in August, 1914
An act of Congress of February 10, 1911,
gave this bank charter, and about that
time 1t had over $4,000 in gold coin.
less than 5000 being American. William
A. Bradley entered the bank as a runner.
from which position he rose to that of
cashier.
Bank Aided Government.
Gen. Weightman was elected mayor in
1924, and in 1927 resigned to take the
place of Mr.. Bradley. who became mayor
in 1884. This bank participated with other
banks in aiding the government during
the war of 1912 to 1875 and in the old
days was looked on as the depository of
the corporation Of Washington
During it's existence of over a CEN
tury Mr.. Carroll served president for
ten years. Mr.. Smith for nine, George
Calvert two, Thomas Monroe five. DIR.
William GuntOn fOrty-five years. Edward
Temple eight, Charles A. James nineteen
and the present president. G. f. Nor
ment. has served since 1907. The cash
iers have been Samuel Elliott, jr., until
1919. Mr.. Bradley until 1877, Gen. Weight
man until 1884. John Riley until 1896,
James Adams until 1870 and Charles Z.
White until 1908, the latter now being a
vice president.
In 1929 the bank was removed from the
first home on New Jersey avenue, on
the present site Of the House office
building, to the National Hotel where it
remained for about two years. when the
building on the present site, a large
three-story brick. was purchased. Later
this home gave way to the present fine
structure.
New Banks Chartered.
In the same time, 1909, Congress passed
an act relating to the Bank of Alexan-
dria. continuing the charter and also in
cooperating the Farmers Bank and the
Bank of Potomac Of that city, and the
Union Bank of Georgetown, each until