[Volume XXVII
THE CHICAGO BANKER
26
night recently. D. C. Haas, a prominent resident, was awakened about one o’clock by a noise that he thought came from robbers who were going through the bank of Sioux Rapids. Thinking that he saw one of the burglars within the structure, Haas called up a half dozen citizens. Armed with a revolver, Judge Helsell, one of the citizens called, went to the town hall and rang the fire bell desperately, thus getting the entire town out of bed. It was then ascertained that the town marshal had found one of the bank doors open and was making an examination of the institution to ascertain the cause. Whereupon the townsfolk went back to bed.
F. Y. Whitmore, cashier of the State of West Union, is backing the manufacture of what is claimed to be the first automatic shoe shiner ever introduced in Iowa. The machine, it is said, is operated by simple pressure of an electric button. The company of which Whitmore is a member expects to introduce the machine in all. cities in Iowa, and it is thought that the royalties will be large enough to make the proceeds worthy of the investment.
Among the changes in Iowa national bank officials may be noted the following:	Scott
Skinner, elected vice-president of the Creston National at Creston, succeeding Ed. A. Aldrich; L. A. Dugan, vice-president of the Farmers National at Kingsley, in place of Allen Harrod; F. W. Kammann, cashier of the First National at Sioux City, succeeding Lawrence Critchell; Fritz Fritlin, assistant cashier, in place of Fred W. Bland.
New Iowa Reserve Agents
Reserve agents have been approved as follows: Union Stock Yards National at Omaha for the First National, Corning, First National, Creston, Farmers National, Hamburg, Farmers National, Red Oak, First National, Shenandoah, First National, Imogene; Corn Exchange National, Chicago, for First National, Hawkeye; South Omaha National, South Omaha, for the Security National, Sioux City, Mills County National, Glenwood, First National, Woodbine; Des Moines National, for the Coon Rapids National, Coon Rapids.
Three Grinneill banks, the Citizens National, the Merchants National, and the Grinnell Savings have filed a petition in federal courts alleging that the Grinnell Blanket & Pad Company is bankrupt. The claims of the three banks total $6,000.
Herbert B. Wyman, Jr., of Des Moines, was one of the fortunate ones in the claim drawing at the Coeur d’Alene land lottery last week. He is the son of H. B. Wyman, president of the Mechanics Savings of Des Moines.
New Banks and Bank Gossip
The Farmers State of Silver City has filed articles of incorporation with the secretary of state. The capital stock is $25,000. The officers are: F. H. Plumer, president; J. C. Flanagan, vice-president; W. H. Oaks, cashier.
The Peoples National at Independence announces that it will remodel its structure throughout. Complete new fixtures will be installed.
TO IOWA BANKERS
Please forward marked copies of your home paper to the Chicago Banker when it contains anythin¿ about Iowa Banks or Bankers. The favor will be appreciated.
Des Moines, Aug. 17.—Iowa savings banks will show a good gain in deposits and prosperous conditions generally when returns are in as a result of the call for August 10th, issued by the state banking department, so Des Moines Bankers believe. Des Moines bankers say that the conditions in general are satisfactory and the movement of crops requires money which will be on hand and ready for this purpose. The Des Moines clearing house has issued its report for August. It shows excellent conditions in the Des Moines institutions which belong to that association. The report shows that the Iowa National of Des Moines leads in deposits with $6,358,081 in that department. Loans are shown as $5,271,368, and cash $1,999,110. The Des Moines National is second with deposits of $4,-813,078, loans of $3,273,741, cash $1,486,197. Other banks follow in deposits in the following order :	Central State, Peoples Savings, Citizens
National, Valley National, Capital City State, Home Savings, Commercial Savings, German Savings, Mechanics Savings, Century Savings, Iowa Trust and Savings, Iowa State. The total gain in deposits fcr state banks from the preceding call, May 18th, was $598,799.93.
Too Many Banks in Des Moines
During the heated term, when bankers are somewhat hard up for something to discuss, the consolidation of numerous banks of the city has proven a fertile topic of conversation. It is considered by bankers that Des Moines has about a dozen banks too many, and that if the fourteen banks in the city were consolidated, the city would make a much more prosperous and enterprising appearance than it does now, so far as banks are concerned. Recent consolidations in Chicago banks are being pointed out by Des Moines bankers as worthy of imitation.
An interesting point is involved in a suit brought by the Commercial Bank of Britt against the Western Union Telegraph Company. Upon receipt of a telegram from the bank of Denison, the Commercial Bank of Britt paid a draft of $8,972 in favor of E. S. Barnes. Later it developed that the telegram was unauthorized. Now the Britt institution thinks it should recover from the Western Union. Former secretary of the treasury, L. M. Shaw, was president of the Denison institution at the time of the occurrence. On in the Weeks-Cannon Deal
Des Moines bankers are speculating not a little upon the recent appointments of Speaker Cannon on the committee of postoffices and postroads and they regard the placing of the chairmanship in the hands of Congressman Weeks as an indication that this committee is unfavorable to postal savings bank legislation. Mr. Weeks is a banker and like the bankers of the West, he has serious doubts as to the practicability of the postal savings bank idea.
Iowa national bank examiners have received letters from the comptroller of the currency requesting a list of all national banks in Iowa occupying the same room or rooms^ with state or savings banks. The examiners are also asked to state whether or not Auditor Bleakly has made arrangements for any joint, examinât'׳ !ns of each of these institutions. It is thought in Iowa that the object is to do away with the shifting about of assets, a procedure that, it is said, has not been uncommon. Joint examinations are urged by the comptroller and Iowa examiners are planning with that end in view.
False Alarm in Sioux Rapids
There was a lively time in Sioux Rapids one