The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-10-12
ADVANCE GUARD
OF BANKERS ARMY
NUMBERS 1000
Expect $500 Delegates to
Big Convention Which
Opens To-Day.
HEADQUARTERS BUSY
AT JEFFERSON HOTEL
Session Starts Off This Morning
With Meetings of Numerous
and Important Committees.
ELABORATE SOCIAL PROGRAM
Members OF Local Committees Have
Left Nothing Undone for Enter
tainment OF Visitors.

Four special trains and a dozen
regulars poured into the city last night
an even 1000 delegates to the fortisth
annual convention OF the American
( Bankers Association. which convenes
this morning for a four-day meeting at
the Jefferson Hotel. The unbroken
stream that flowed into registration
headquarters left no time for the COM
piiation OF accurate figures on the at
tendance. but the authorities In charge
placed II between | ,0p0 and 1900
The advance registration is unusual
| ~ large. said General Secretary Fred.
T.. Farnsworth last night. The hasty
counting that we have been able to do
shows that fully 1000 delegates are
on the ground tonight. The bulk of
the remainder Will arrive Tomorrow
The complete registration will not be
less than 900
Considering the fact that the conven-
| lion proper does not open until We'd
ncsday morning, the size Of the advance
guard is regarded as remarkable 1t
! crowded the hotel lobbies TO their ca
pac!t!es last night, imparting to them
an altogether -Sabbathliie appear
ance. While the Jefferson, as head
quarters OF tho convention. presented
tie busiest picture, the Richmond Lex
ltnston, MurphS's and other downtown
- oSsls wsrs paelail With dnlesa'es-and,
ARE UNuSUALLY LARGE
Speci;-l trains arrived in the city last
night from Chicago and cities In Ohio
and Indiana over the Chesapeake and
Ohio Railway. Later In the evening
came "a crowded special over the Rich
mond, Fredericksburg and Potomac.
CARRYING delegates from the North
eastern section OF the country The
advance attendance from New York.
ihtlade'nhia. Boston, Baltimore and
Wash!n{ ON is unusually large.
For hours at the jefferson last night
an unbroken stream OF delegates stood
in line before n corps OF clerks and
stenographers. who Issued credentials
as fast as registration cards could be
hiled out on the typewriter. Although
q squad OF six stcnoBraphers and four
clerks worked unrcmittingly at this
task. the work Of registering those who
had arrived was still incomplete when
the bureau was closed for the night.
The arrival of each special train
packed the spacious front lobby OF the
Jefferson high with baggage. and
planted long and dusty line in front
of the desk waiting for an opuor.unitv
to register and secure keys for rooms
engaged in many cases weeks in ad-
vance Scores who had failed to make
reservations failed to obtain accommo-
dations and were turned over to the
local hotel and registration committees
committee. Secretary f. Dickerson and
corps of assistants worked until a
late hour assigning homeless delegates
70 quarters in apartment and board
ing houses in every section of the city
ACCOMMODATIONS AMPLE
TO CARE FOR VISITORS
Similarly crowded conditions were
encountered at the other prominent ho-
tells. where advance reservations left
only limited accommodations unsigned
for. At every hotel the management
has made strenuous efforts to stretch
rooming accommodations to the limit
"A long list of aaVilable rooms in pri-
Vate homes. apartment houses. and
boarding houses, on file with the reg
istration committee. will Insure accom-
modations for every visitor to the
convention.
City authorities who have kept tab
on The big conventions that have met
in Richmond in recent years agreed
that the bankers meeting now in prog
ress is the most imposing that has
ever convened in this city. j. has set
a new record for advance registration
The machinery of business and entor-
tainment Is the most elaborate and
thorough that has ever been put into
motion for n Richmond convention.
Among the early arrivals yesterday
was Arthur Reynolds, of Des Moines
president of the American Bankers AS
sociation. Another was Vice President
William A. Law, of Philadelphia Mr.
Law Is first vice e-president of the First
National Bank of Philadelphia. ono of
the largest banks In the country. I'm
der the practice followed by the Amer
lean Bankers Association of elevating
The vice-president to the presidency,
Mr.. Law will this week be made presi-
dent Of the association.
STATE ASSOCIATION AIMS
Committees OF RICHMOND
President w. Is. Vest OF the Vir-
ginia Bankers Association. arrived
early in the day. Mr.. Vest has ap-
pointed a committee of ten from the
Virginia association to assist the Rich
mond committees In the entertainment
of the visitors. The association has
been assigned quarters In the State
suite on the west balcony, where 1t
will hold open house during tho con-
vention period.
The committee from the Virginia
Bankers Association is composed of
A. a. Moss, Norfolk; General &C. c.
Vaughan, Franklin; Peyton ~ Pollard,
Petersburg; Norman II. Williams, Chase
City; C. Taylor Burke, Alexandria,; &.
CONTINUED on Third PageO
RUEGERs.