Evening star., 1940-03-03

which was a bank corner as early
as 1925, when the Patriotic Bank
moved here from its original quar-
ters on Pennsylvania avenue, be-
tween Ninth and Tenth streets, a
few blocks away. Robert Brent,
Mayor of Washington from 1902 to
1911, was the first president of this
institution, of which Overton Carr
was first cashier In 1916 this bank
opened a savings department, and
was the first savings bank in Wash
ington.
The Patriotic Bank ceased to exist
about 1865 when its property was
purchased by the National Bank of
the Republic. which continued at
this site. 1t went into the hands of
receivers August II, 1897, for the
purpose of liquidation. This action
was due primarily to the death of
George E. Lemon, its principal stock
holder. who died in 1897. The ex-
ecutors of the Lemon estate sold
control that year to S. w. Wood
ward and E. Southard Parker. who
later voluntarily iquidated the bank
under supervision of the controller.
The stockholders received in the
neighborhood OF $500 share in
liquidation.
In the meantime the Merchants
National Bank of Washington was
organized in September. 1864, with
William Bayne as president and L.
Huyck as cashier. 1t also was To-
Gated at Seventh and D streets. but
lasted only 18 months, when it
closed it doors. Its failure was at
tributed to the financial difficulties
of a Baltimore firm which failed
about this time.
The Bank of Washington. in the
same vicinity, is the first bank
within the cid boundaries of the
City OF Washington other than the
| branch of the Bank of the United
States. before referred to. The Bank
OF Washington began to function in
1909 and in 1886 became the
National Bank of Washington. It's
! first home. a temporary one, was in
Carroll row. However, in 1910.
provision was made for building a
banking house on the east side of
New Jersey avenue southeast, be-
tween and c streets, the site now
being occupied by the House Office
Building. BY 1926 we find it oc-
cupying quarters on the first floor of
the National Hotel. In 1881 the
Board of Directors resolved to pur-
chase the brick building owned by
John Stettinius and occupied then
by Mauro & Son, which is the
present site of the bank, at Seventh
and c streets, to which it moved
in 1882.
Oldest Firm.
No doubt the oldest firm which
practically started in this locality
is the Firemen's Insurance Co.
of Washington and Georgetown,
chartered 103 years ago today, or
March 3. 1887, and from 1888 to
the present time it has been located
within a block or so of it's present
address-303 Seventh street.
The Lincoln National Bank is only
half as old as some of the other
institutions referred to, but it has
an enviable record, and one we'll
worth being proud of. It was or
ganized March S, 1890, and Tuesday
will be its 50th anniversary, though
it did not open its doors for business
| until later in the month-March 25
In this connection many will still
recall the burning of the building
at the northeast corner of Ninth
and D streets, erected as Lincoln
Hall and subsequently called
Herzog's Ninth Street Opera House
and by other names. This fire
occurred on December S, 1886, and
the building was total loss.
New Movie House.
Upon being rebuilt, the structure
which still stands-was given the
name Lincoln Music Hall and later
became the Academy of Music, now
a motion picture house. But it was
in this building that the Lincoln
National Bank first entered upon its
long career.
A leaflet that commentaries this
important event, and which was
printed in English and German, and
still preserved by the bank, tells its
earliest story, as follows:
"THE LINCOLN NATIONAL BANK
OF WASHINGTON, D. G.
CAPITAL, 100000.
I'VE beg to inform you that the
Lincoln National Bank will open
for business on or before March 25th,
1890, in the recently erected
LINCOLN MUSIC HALL
BUILDING,
Corner Ninth and D Streets NV.
Banking business in all its
branches; money received on de-
posit; time and demand loans, and
collections made on all points with
promptness and accuracy.
1--WE respectfully solicit your pa
tronage, cooperation and influence.
Do not hesitate to open an account
with us because you expect to keep
a small balance, as we desire and
are anxious for small as well as large
dealers.
"Our directors and employees are