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THE CHICAGO BANKER
August 29, 1908]
“In its present form Miss Garvey presents a little story of the fortune-hunters wherein humor and irony are prominent features. Amusing and instructive, when allowance is made for extravagance here and there, are the pictures of the life of the so-called Smart Set, and if the shallowness of this section of society awakens contempt there is diversion in the cleverness of Lady Blanche and her giddy admirers. It is one of Lady Trixie’s boasts that one of her Free-and-Easies has been pointedly referred to in a pulpit utterance: 'To be photographed is good, to be paragraphed is better: but when you’ve arrived at being preached about, you’ve got right there.’ ”
Published bv Dana Estes & Co., Boston.
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Helen Rowland’s “The Widow”
In “The Widow (To Say Nothing of the Man),” Helen Rowland has cleverly managed to Set forth many truths concerning the social intercourse of men and women, which truths men, especially, would do well to heed and to put into practice. The little volume does not profess to contain a story; it is simply a series of entertainingly worded colloquies between the fascinating young widow and the bachelor who is endeavoring to make her believe that destiny points to the union of their lives. “ The Winning Card”—the reason why certain men are always persona grata to women to the everlasting astonishment of their brethren—“Signs and Countersigns of Love,” and “A Short Cut,׳ are suggestive headings to a few of many chapters packed full with feminine wisdom.
Published by the Dodge Publishing Co., New York.
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“The Princess Dehra”
Those who read “The Colonel of the Red Huzzars” may have thought how pleasant it would be to meet in real life the charming characters which made that story the rage. This is of course impossible, but the next best thing is to renew their acquaintance in ‘‘The Princess Dehra” where John Reed Scott has so kindly reintroduced them. “The Princess Dehra” has the same light touch, swift action, quick art and repartee, sharp and unexpected climaxes, intrigue, sword-play, and danger, that have stood out so noticeably in “The Colonel of the Red Huzzars” and “Beatrix of Clare,” but it also has the surer hand of the maturer writer, and will, no doubt, be one of the most widely-read and talked-about romances of the year.
Published by J. B. Lippincott & Co., Philadelphia, at $1.50.
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New Book by John Galsworthy
The public always is delighted with the news that it is to have a new book by John Galsworthy whose “Country House,” “Man of Property” and “Island Pharisees” have been accounted as among the world’s best present day literature. This time it is “Villa Rubein, ’ probably his masterpiece. It is a story such as genius only could construct; such as only a master workman could finish, and such as will be read in after years as it richly deserves. Concerning Mr. Galsworthy the London Daily Mail says:
“Mr. Galsworthy has served a long apprenticeship and has reached the fulness of his powers. He is already one of the few novelists who really count, and it is safe to prophesy for him an ever increasing fame.”
The story was written and printed in England in 1900, and has had such a vogue that the American publishers decided to bring it out here. Mr. Galsworthy would not consent unless he should entirely rewrite it which he has done. He also rewrote the “Island Pharisees” and brought a new army of readers.
Published by G. P. Putnam’s Sons, New York and London. Price $1.50.
at noon on Wednesday. The clearing house voted to close every bank in the city at noon, providing the merchants would agree to close the same day, but this the latter did not do. By notifying the patrons in advance, the East Des Moines institutions were enabled to close as stated above.
The Mason City and Clear Lake Railway Company has filed at Mason City a trust deed for $1,500,000 in favor of the First Trust and Savings of Chicago and Louis Boisot.
The City National, of Council Bluffs, is considering the addition of a third story to its handsome structure in Council Bluffs.
Bank clearing in Des Moines are coming back into their own. For the week ending August 22d, the clearings were $2,741,289.24. This is an increase of $79,341.45 over the corresponding week of last year. Bankers are optimistic over prospects for a prosperous fall.
Fred S. Risser, cashier of the Central State in Des Moines, has been chosen cashier of the Iowa Anti-Saloon League, to succeed Fred W. Walker, who has gone to Albany, Ore.
C. H. Doggert, who formerly ran a moving-picture show at Sac City, has disappeared, but before he went he cashed several worthless checks on banks at Early and Sac City. Checks were drawn on the Farmers Savings at Sac City, where it developed he had no funds what-
The Real Bryan
It has remained for Richard L. Metcalf to write “The Real Bryan,” a substantial book made up chiefly of extracts from his speeches, writings and interviews. The work has been conscientiously and faithfully done and will add to the great army who have made Bryan a popular idol of the American people.
On the title page is a significant sentence from one of his speeches. “They call a man a statesman whose ear is turned to catch the slightest pulsation of a pocketbook and denounce as a demagogue any one who dares listen to the heart-beat of humanity.”
He discusses in the book many political issues of the day, as well as world politics. Many extracts from his speeches are valuable little essays on character which every young-man should read, and which will not prove unprofitable to older readers.
In the introduction there is an interesting account of Bryan’s first great speech in the house on the tariff. The New York Sun described him at that time as follows: “He is only 30 years old, is tall and well built, with a clean shaven face and jet black hair. Charley O’Neil, the father of the house, as he is called, says Mr. Bryan looks something as the late Samuel Jackson Randall looked 25 years ago.” The same article continues: “An hour was given Mr. Bryan to speak, but when that time elapsed there was a general chorus of ‘go on, go on’ from both sides of the house.”
Published by Personal Help Publishing Co., at Des Moines, Iowa, at one dollar.
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“A Comedy of Mammon”
This is a most clever and amusing satire on the follies of the smart set of English society, with interesting side-lights on their would-be associates and imitators, very evidently produced by a writer who has a first hand knowledge of her subject. It is, however, no mere sketch, but in indirect fashion works out a plot of unique interest and startlingly appropriate conclusion. The portrait sketches by William Fuller Curtis are peculiarly artistic and effective. It is altogether the brightest piece of work since the “Visits of Elizabeth.”
The text is founded upon department work in Punch, by Miss Ina Garvey, under the pen name of “Lady Blanche.”
Sioux City bankers are heading a movement to secure a new interurban from that place to Spirit Lake. The bankers of the city held a conference to which they invited other business men, and before the meeting adjourned $10,000 had been subscribed. E. A. Burgess addressed the meeting, explaining the proposed plan in detail and the bankers voted it one well worthy of assistance.
Auditor of State Carroll, through the banking department, in charge of F. E. Roberts, has issued a call for a statement of all state and savings banks at the close of business on August 14th. Auditor Carroll believes that the’banks will show an increase in deposits over the last call, for bankers throughout the state have universally commented upon the favorable conditions which have prevailed recently. Mr. Carroll has just returned from California, where he was called on insurance business.
An increase of more than 200,000 tons in the output of the Polk County coal mines is anticipated by coal men for the year ending June 30th. It is believed from the compilation thus far that the total will reach 1,750,000 tons, as against 1,425,876 for the preceding year. Since the miners are paid $1.00 per ton, it is figured that they have placed in the^ Des Moines banks $1,750,000, because practically all of them live in Des Moines and trade here as well as carry accounts with the various banking institutions.
W. W. Wells, president of the Washington National and one of the wealthiest! citizens in that city, is dead. Mr. Wells was a native of Connecticut, but came to Iowa a poor lad many years ago. When he landed at Mount Pleasant, his sole assets were just $9.00 in currency. He worked in a doctor’s office, later in a hotel, tried biacksmithing, ran a saw mill, and finally engaged in stock raising, at which he amassed a fortune of not quite $1,000,000. He was 88 years old at the time of his demise.
The American Association of Title Men held their yearly convention in Des Moines, the abstracters present expressed their approval of the Torrens land title system, guaranteeing a clear title to the holder, but not necessitating the running back of the ownership to its very beginning. The system is followed in Los Angeles and Chicago, and is likely to be adopted more generally. \ a rick C. Crosby, of Webster City, Iowa, president of the Iowa Abstracter’s Association, pleaded for government control of the abstracters. He said the government should stand behind them, and in return they should be responsible to the government.
An important hearing in bankruptcy has been on in Des Moines for several days before. Referee Ethridge. Louis R. Plough, a commission man, failed with assets of $15,000 and claims of $108,000. Mr. Hough’s true condition became apparent when the Century Savings, of Des Moines, itself a creditor, refused to honor his checks. He had drawn drafts to which he attached the bill of lading for each shipment of hogs, and in this way the bank came into possession of $2,800 just before the crash. Now J. C. Piles has sued the bank for tliat amount. He was a hog seller to Hough, and he claims that he is entitled to that amount deposited there by Hough who had led him to suppose that everything was all right.
Work has commenced on the building of the Newburg Savings at Newburg. R. G. Coutts, of Grinnell, has the contract. It is announced that the bank at Selma is to erect a new building. The general contract for the new two-story building for the German Savings at Ode-bolt has been let to C. W. Ennis, of Toledo, at $8,000.
To permit their employees to attend the state fair, the banks in East Des Moines closed