tVolume XXV THE CHICAGO BANKER 20 MECHANICS-AMERICAN NATIONAL BANK OF ST. LOUIS CAPITAL $2,000,000 SURPLUS $2,500,000 Superior Facilities Offered to Correspondents WALKER HILL, President H. P. HILLIARD, Vice President EPHRON CATLIN, Vice President L. A. BATTAILE, Cashier J. S. CALFEE, Ass’t Cashier J. A. BERNINGHAUS, Ass’t Cashier G. M. TRUMBO, Ass’t Cashier C. L. ALLEN, Ass’t Cashier Reading, “The Lesson of the Last Defalcation,” by L. Moreton; and “The Organization of a Bank,” by E. R. Carhart. J. H. Patrick, president of the chapter, was chairman of the meeting. A. J. Kisselberg entertained the members with a number of songs which were greatly enjoyed. Philadelphia Chapter Meeting The Philadelphia Chapter of the American Institute of Banking was addressed by Charles Heber Clark, of the Atlantic Deeper Waterways Association, at the last meeting of the chapter, on the subject “The Development of the Inland Waterways of the United States.” The same subject was also ably treated by Congressman J. Hampton Moore. I. Herman of the Farmers and Mechanics will represent the Minneapolis Chapter in the debate with the Milwaukee team at Milwaukee on Saturday evening. Minneapolis will have the negative of the question: “Resolved, That it would be for the best interests of the country for all banking business to be done by national Salt Lake Chapter Meeting An interesting and enthusiastic meeting of the Salt Lake Chapter was held at the Commercial Club recently, at which the following-program was presented: “Early History of Banking in the United States,” by F. M. Mickelson; “Duties of Officers and Employees,” by Walter Johnson; active charter members have signed the articles. Frank K. Houston was elected president, W. R. Anderson, vice-president; John J, Heflin, secretary, and C. H. Wetterau, treasurer. The four officers with Douglas Wright, V. I. Witherspoon, and Drew Rowan, constitute the executive committee. As Nashville has a number of important universities and colleges the chapter will have no difficulty in working-up a splendid lecture course. It is proposed for the lecture course to begin the second Tuesday in January. Minneapolis-Milwaukee Chapter Debate Gray Warren of the First National, Thomas N. Rees of the Security National, and Charles St. Louis Ban !]Ыи Kansas City Fidelity Trust Company. When the Union National was absorbed by the National Bank of Commerce the sale included the lease on its quarters, which does not expire until next summer. F. P. Neal, who is organizing the new bank, said that it would open for business January 6th. St. Louis Visitors Among out-of-town bankers who visited St. Louis banks last week were: E. B. Jacobs, cashier of the First National of Carthage, Mo.; D. P. Kirtland, vice-president of the Oil Belt National of Oblong, 111.; D. W. Odell, president of the First National of Oblong; D. T. Upchurch, president of the Bank of Galatia, 111.; T. W. Andrews, cashier of the Merchants National of Philadelphia, Pa.; W. L. Norton, president of the American National of Bartlesville, Okla., and George L. Gahm, cashier of the Johnston City State Bank of Tohnston City 111. Elected a Director of Mississippi Valley August A. Busch has been elected a director of the Mississippi Valley Trust Company of St. Louis. H. D. Neely Elected Cashier H. D. Neely succeeds O. R. Nicholson as cashier of the First National of Durant, Okla. J. F. Rochau Elected Cashier ^ J. F. Rochau has been elected cashier of the First National of Fairfax, Okla., to succeed Raymond Hoss. V* The National Union Bank Thomas Bremeiser has been elected a director of the National Union Bank, of Reading, Pa., to take the place of Charles Bremeiser, r'e- The First National of Kennewick, Wash., is soon to have a bank building to cost $15,000. Kansas City Bank Clearings Kansas City, which temporarily lost sixth place in bank clearings to Pittsburgh last week, has resigned that position. The figures this week are $40,256,000, an increase over the corresponding week last year of 38 per cent. New׳ York alone among the leading cities shows a larger increase. The St. Louis Money Market St. Louis banks are well supplied with funds, and deposits are running high, with practically all the leading institutions. Collections, both city and country, are reported as being satisfactory. Rates range between qjA and 5y2 per cent. The Maize State Bank Two heavy charges of nitroglycerin exploded against the vault doors of the Maize State Bank at Maize, ten miles northwest of Wichita, Kan., at 2 o’clock Wednesday morning, awoke the town and frightened the robbers away without booty. The vault doors were dented and battered, but they remained intact. First National to Reopen A meeting of creditors of the First National of Fort Scott, Kan., was held in the office of Hafif & Michaels, last week. It was an informal meeting attended only by the principal creditors. Grant Hornaday, who was head of the bank, and its principal owner, is eager to reopen the institution, and a committee of creditors is at work with that end in view. They will help put the bank on its feet again if its condition justifies such action. The Southwest National The new Southwest National of Kansas City is to occupy the old quarters of the Pinion National in the New York Life Building. Until the lease expires, however, the new institution will be located in the rooms directly across the hall, formerly the home of the T he plans of the South Texas National of Houston for the improvement of the property held by that institution between Congress and Franklin avenues on Main Street, have not as yet been definitely determined. It is stated, however, that arrangements are being made and that the matter will be laid before the directors for formal action before long. Discussing Kansas Guaranty The executive committee of the Kansas Bankers Association are in session at Topeka, to work out some sort of an agreement as to what sort of a bank deposit guaranty law will be favored in the next legislature. The members of the legislature from both parties are pledged to enact a guaranty law, and the bankers probably will offer one that suits them. T he meeting was consumed in discussing various forms of bank guaranty laws. Some of the bankers favor a strict law with the state treasurer as the custodian of the funds. Others favor a law which will not create a fund at all, but will leave the money in the banks. If there should be a failure of a bank then an assessment on all bankers participating in the fund would be made sufficient to pay the depositors of the failed bank. After the assets of the bank were collected the assessment would be returned. Other bankers favor the organization of a bank deposit insurance company. Winants to Head a Bank W. H. Winants, former vice-president of the National Bank of Commerce, of Kansas City, may head a new North end bank. The plans for the organization of the new bank are nearly completed. It is to be a state bank and will occupy rooms once used by the National Bank of Commerce at 545 Delaware Street. “I am taking an interest in the new bank,” Mr. Winants said, “but the officers and directors have not been selected. The name has not been selected. It will be a state bank."