MEDFORD MAIL TRIBUNE, MEDFORD, OREGON
8 C
THURSDAY. MAY II. t
State Banks Had
Odd Practices !
Many Years Ago :
Portland, Ore. - IUPD - An
f individual can keep bit mon
ey where he likes, in a money
belt, a mattress or a woodpile.
But when a bank keep the
' deposits in a woodpile, it
does give rise to some con-
'. cern. ,'.).''. '
, The banks of today are fine
. structures, . molded of steel
: and stone and principle-. But
. the history of the Old West,
and Oregon in particular, re
veals banking procedures that
' make one wonder how we
got this far.
.Not until 1907 were state
: banks In Oregon subject to
examination.: As a result the
assets and transactions of the
, banks were not., segregated
from those of the owner. For
, many years banks continued
to be operated in a corner or
across an end ol a general
store,- . .1 1
Snowden Guy Sargent,
bank examiner , at the turn
of the century, records many
strange banking practices.
$5,000 Short - - ' ...
: In one bank, he found the
books $5,000 short. This ap
peared to be a shock to the
banker.
A second and third count
still showed a shortage. After
a bit of head scratching, the
banker remembered.
He led Sargent to a wood
shed at the rear of the bank
and busied himself lifting
wood out of a sack containing
the missing funds,
He explained that the bank
had only a small safe which
was not burglar proof. If H
were robbed, the bank would
save at least some of the
money. .
In another case, Sargent
. found the combination of the
safe written on a small piece
of paper pasted to the safe.
' The reasoning was that
since the safe was not burglar
proof, and the burglar had the
combination, he would . not
blow Up the safe. And though
they might lose the assets,
they still would have the safe.
In an old country, bank,
Sargent found the books
$1,000 short.. The banker
looked around and then whis
pered to the examiner, "Wait
minute. I'll get it for you."
He stepped over to an old
table, . stacked high with
paper, boxes and debris. From
this he pulled out a cigar box
containing several hundred
dollars in gold.. A similar
' amount was found under the
fuel in a wood box. Still more
was found beneath the ashes
in a stove.
He explained that the mon
ey would be safer almost anyv
where than in the safe. After
Sargent examined the safe,
he agreed. ? .
According to O. K. Burrell
of the University of Oregon,
some Northwest banks had
strange beginnings.
Special Deposits
Pioneer' merchants and ex
press companies often accept
ed special deposits such as
gold dust and pouches t cash.
' This did not actually constl
tute banking, although Bur
rell says many banks did
evolve from this practice
In Seattle, Dexter Horton,
' a ' respected merchant, often
kept "deposits" for trappers,
loggers and traders. Finally
' they acquired the habit of
: leaving their money in his
store, tied in cloth or buck
skin sacks and labeled, wltn
the owner's name. The sacks
or pouches were hidden some
where around the store. The
' coffee barrel was a favorite
i place,
From this beginning came
what is now the Seattle First
National Bank.
Court Records
' v. t
MKDrORO MUNICIPAL COURT
Joseph Edward Paulson, failure
to obtain Oregon's Meant, no op
era tor 'a license. $25.
Jamea Owen Crane, operating
vehicle with Instruction permit
wiinom ijcensea person in venicie,
us.
Frank ray Ditto, no registration
visible in venicie. aa.ou.
Thomaa William Carter, In
nrooer left turn. $10.
Ronald Roaa Plan kenhorn .wrong
way on one way street, $10.
Earl rtnley Clough, (allure to
yield right of way. $19.
Harry Warren Ruasell, failure
to leave Information at scene of
accident, $150. suspended.
Alpha Henry Harris, no driver's
license, SS, dismissed, -
Edith Lyle Jacobs, on head
light, $10. suspended.
Florence Cornell Poster, wrong
, way on one way street. 19.
John Bennett Gilllland, no li
cense plate light, $10,
Sandra Lea Sanchet, disobeyed
; traffic signal, 910.
Markcy Lee James, xeesslv
i noise. $10. i
Linda Ruth Vice, disobeyed traf
fic signal, sio.
Maurice Lane Henderson, fail
ure to yield right of way to pedes
I Irian, $15. ...
Richard Keenan Ryan, ioiiow-
lng too close, 129.
ca
Carmalella Patsy Graham.
lm-
nmnar riarnt iiirn. iiu.
Homer John Luke, violation of
' Basic ruie, aio.
Samuel Benjamin Lew, disobey
ed stop aign, $10.
Eleanor Ruth Llaae, violation of
basic rule, $10.
CIRCUIT COURT
Jeremiah Veatch Ward vs. Carol
; Sue Ward, divorce complaint.
.. Ruth C. Mason vs. Harold It
JMsson, divorce complaint.
Oliver R. McNeet vs. Mildred
'Kay McNeel, divorce complaint. :
Edna Lavern McClour vs. W. B.
McClourdivoro complaint.
Pract
;
Q CO NFIBE NCE I
V : : QS Y SATISFACTION
'
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