USA > Indiana > Vanderburgh County > Evansville > History of the city of Evansville and Vanderburg County, Indiana, Volume I > Part 28
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his home, then the real man showed itself. No more pleasant, no more well-informed or no more entertaining a companion could be found any- where.
FIRST NATIONAL BANK.
In 1850 there was organized what was known as the Evansville Insur- ance Company. It had a capital of $250,000 and obtained a charter which gave it all insurance and banking privileges. The old Canal bank had been conducted under the Free Banking Law of Indiana, but in 1863 it was incorporated as the First National Bank of Evansville. Shortly afterwards the original capital was increased to $500,000. It made money from the very beginning. Its first board was composed of Mr. Maghee, Robert Barnes, Charles Viele, John S. Hopkins, John Ingle, Jr., Dr. M. J. Bray and S. M. Archer. H. Q. Wheeler was made president and William T. Page cashier. It is sad to state that not one of these men is now living. every one of them having passed to his reward. In 1865 James H. Cutler was ap- pointed cashier and in 1868 John S. Hopkins became president. Charles Viele was president in 1879 and was succeeded in 1893 by Francis J. Rice. At that time James H. Cutler was vice president, Henry L. Cook cashier, and John H. Dippel assistant cashier. The directors had changed to F. J. Reitz, Thomas E. Garvin, James H. Cutler, Geo. B. Mesker, Madison J. Bray, John Ingle, C. F. Jacobi, A. J. Klein and David Kronenberger. The name of the bank now is the City National. Francis J. Reitz is president, C. B. Enlow, cashier. Mr. Dipple still holds the place of assistant cashier. Its capital is $350,000 and its surplus and undivided profits, $300,000.
THE CITIZENS' NATIONAL BANK.
This bank succeeded the banking house of W. G. Lowry & Co., and began business at 121 Upper First street, with a capital of $175,000. Its first officers were R. C. Slaughter, president; S. P. Gillett, cashier ; R. C. Slaughter, John J. Roach, Leroy Swormstedt, Geo. P. Hudspeth, Samuel Vickory, F. W. Cook, J. H. McNeeley, Fred Lukenheimer and S. P. Gillett, as directors. Mr. Slaughter resigned in 1883 and was succeeded by Mathew Henning. S. P. Gillett succeeded Mr. Henning in 1884. In 1876 J. W. Walker and J. S. Buchanan were added to the board of directors, and in 1877 they were succeeded by Charles Kellogg and A. C. Tanner. In 1879 Dr. C. P. Bacon became a member of the board. In 1883 W. M. Akin and L. Lowenthal were added. In 1891 the death of A. C. Tanner brought about the election of Judge Azro Dyer in his place. It has always been the boast, perhaps the greatest boast, of the business men of Evansville, that during the entire history of the city there has never been a bank failure and the nearest approach to one occurred in connection with the bank above noted, only a short time ago. This bank never broke nor was it in any dan- ger of breaking, but investigation into its books showed that it had made
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some what might have been called bad loans, but at the same time the capital was never impaired and there never was the slightest need for its depositors to feel any doubt but that they would receive back every cent which they had paid in. But all over this country it has been the same. Let one whisper that any bank is in a critical condition, and timid depositors go like a flock of sheep, to draw out what they have in. This was exemplified some years ago in the case of the People's Savings Bank, one of the soundest institu- tions that ever existed in the city of Evansville. Some idiot started a report that the bank was in bad shape and the sidewalks were soon crowded with people desiring to draw out their small means, for the People's Savings Bank had been noted for the large number of its small depositors. There was never a minute that the bank could not pay dollar for dollar and the Evening Tribune, in a strongly written article, criticised the people for being so foolish and made the assertion boldly that no one would lose a cent from the People's Savings Bank. It is needless to say that the bank kept paying right on, and the only trouble was that the timid ones who were in such a rush to draw out their money simply threw away an enormous amount of interest which they would otherwise have collected. The fact of the matter is that this scare was one of the best things that ever happened to the bank.
The officers of the Citizen's National Bank now are: Allen Gray, pres- ident ; J. C. Johnson, vice president ; Dr. C. P. Bacon, vice president ; Frank Fuchs, cashier ; F. W. Cook, H. E. Bacon, F. W. Lauenstein, Samuel Vick- ory, Charles W. Cook, W. W. Gray, directors; with a capital of $300,000. It will be seen by the above that this is a very strong directorate both finan- cially and in point of business acumen and it is safe to say, that so long as this bank may exist there will never be another flurry of any kind regard- ing its affairs.
The founding of the German National Bank was different from the others. It purchased a charter of the East Chester National Bank of New Jersey and congress gave the officials permission to transfer the bank and change the name to the German National Bank of Evansville. The capital stock was $250,000 and they had permission to increase this to $500,000. Samuel Orr was selected as president, John A. Reitz vice president and Philip C. Decker, who is now one of the oldest bankers in the city, was cashier. The directors were Samuel Orr, John A. Reitz, Samuel Bayard. James Kerth, Edward Boetticher, Charles Schultz, Theo. McFerson and Philip C. Decker. Mr. Orr died in 1883 and was succeeded by Mr. Reitz and Mr. Philip C. Decker became vice president. The charter of this company expired in the year 1890 and it was reorganized as the German Bank, with a capital of $400,000. Mr. Reitz died in 1892 and Philip C. Decker was elected president and R. K. Dunkerson vice president. A year afterwards Joseph Brentano succeeded H. L. Cook as cashier. This bank first started on First street but afterwards obtained control of the building once known as the Crescent City Hall at the corner of 3rd and Main, in
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which they now have pleasant quarters. It has been very successful and as will be seen from its officials, they were all men who understood the banking business in all its details.
PEOPLE'S SAVINGS BANK.
This bank, which is said now to have the largest cash surplus of any bank in Evansville, was founded in 1870. The projectors of this bank realized that with the large manufacturing element in this city, which em- ployed the services of so many men, a bank that would receive small de- posits from these men, as they were able to save from their wages, would be extremely successful. The first officers were: John M. Shackleford, president ; John D. Roach, secretary and treasurer; J. M. Shackleford, Eccles G. Van Riper, M. Muhlhausen, John Laval, James Steele, Fred Lunkenheimer, Christian Hedderich, James W. Lauer, trustees.
After Mr. Roach died Dr. John Laval became secretary and treasurer. He in turn resigned in 1880, and Fred Lunkenheimer was elected to fill the vacancy. He was succeeded by Major Jesse Walker who served only three years and then died. In 1888 Col. John Rheinlander became pres- ident and served for many years. Michael Schaefer was cashier of the bank from 1880 till the time of his death. About this time James T. Walker and D. Edwin Walker became interested in the bank and have since been prominent in the management.
To show from what small beginnings a large business may grow, the bank only had two depositors on the first day that it opened. One depos- ited $2 and the other $1. It would be hard to say how many depositors it now has. It has grown wonderfully and in another part of this work men- tion is made of the beautiful building which they have erected on the site of the old one. The bank at present has the following officials : Dr. Muhl- hausen, president ; Frank Schwegman, cashier ; and L. H. Legler, secretary.
THE BANK OF COMMERCE.
In July, 1890, this bank was started in the west corner of the B. M. A. building. E. P. Huston was president, F. W. Cook cashier and A. W. Emery assistant cashier. The board of directors were William Heilman, F. W. Cook, E. R. Huston, Robert Huston, Samuel Bayard, E. G. Ragon, E. B. Morgan and J. E. Igleheart. It was incorporated with a capital of $100,000. This was afterward increased to $250,000. The Bank of Com- merce was not as successful as some of the others. The death of Mr. Heilman had its effect, and also the financial embarrassment of two of the other members and stockholders and it later liquidated.
THE MERCANTILE TRUST AND SAVINGS COMPANY.
The Mercantile Trust and Savings company, which is remodeling its home at the corner of Second and Sycamore streets, in the Waverly build- ing, is the third bank to occupy that corner. The original institution was
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the Bank of Commerce. Five years ago the Mercantile National was started and corollary to it the Mercantile Trust and Savings was estab- lished.
Last July the directors of the two institutions decided to merge, the change wiping out the charter of the Mercantile National. The depositors of this latter institution have been paid off, and the stockholders are now being settled with. Within a few weeks the liquidation of the national bank will have been completed.
The Trust and Savings Company, with deposits of over $500,000, and ably officered by Charles Finley Smith as president, William Warren vice president, and W. Ed. Clarke as secretary, is one of the most progressive banking institutions in the city. It is closely allied with the development of the Public Service Steam Heating and Electric Company. The directors of the Trust and Savings Company are Charles Finley Smith, William Warren, H. J. Karges, Charles Scholz, Clarence Schutz, H. C. Murphy, W. A. Koch, W. E. Stinson, R. Mannheimer, H. C. Kleymeyer, B. F. Persons.
THE WEST SIDE BANK.
The West Side bank was established November 10, 1902, in order to meet the growing demand of the pushing merchants of that part of the city, who often lacked time to come up town and leave their business be- fore the closing of the banks at three o'clock. Again, the lower part of the city had increased so much in the way of capital that some of the best citizens of that part of Evansville decided that a good bank would be a fine speculative investment. It was commodious quarters without very much attempt at fine architecture, but as regards its financial standing there is absolutely no doubt. The board at present is :
Ben Bosse, president, J. W. Varner, vice president, H. J. Reichman, cashier, and A. A. Klein, assistant cashier, W. A. Rosenberger, assistant cashier. The directors are: Geo. Bockstaege, Ben Bosse, J. C. Fischer, Geo. W. Folz, Wiillam Haynes, Thomas Macer, Frank Lahoff, August Rosenberger, Dr. Geo. W. Varner.
It will be noted that these gentlemen represent the most progressive ele- ment of the West End.
THE AMERICAN TRUST AND SAVINGS.
The American Trust and Savings company was incorporated December Ist, 1904. The directors erected a beautiful building at the corner of Main and Sixth streets. The business of this institution is varied. Not only do they do a fine banking business but they handle estates, act as trustees, and handle loans of all kinds. They also have a safety deposit department con- nected with it and are equipped with everything that goes to make up an up-to-date banking institution. The board are: Marcus Sonntag, president,
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Walter J. Lewis, vice president, Walter H. Karsch, secretary, and the di- rectors are: W. H. McCurdy, Wilbur Erskine, W. W. Lewis, Christian Kanzler, Clifford Shopbell, August Rosenberger, Geo. L. Torian, Marcus S. Sonntag, and Walter Lewis.
This building cost nearly $100,000 and has one of the handsomest fronts in the city.
FARMERS' AND CITIZENS' BANK OF HOWELL.
This bank in our progressive suburb was organized in 1906, to meet the wants of the merchants of Howell, as well as many farmers residing in the territory near there. In point of capital this would not be called a large institution but it is of sufficient size to do the business necessary to the section in which it is located. A glance at the list of officials will convince one that its business will be done on a most conservative basis. Dr. D. A. Cox is president, and Henry E. Drier, treasurer. The directors are E. G. Thomas, L. Rollet, A. A. Kamp, J. J. Thompson, R. S. Worst and Charles Joyce.
THE EXCHANGE BANK.
The Exchange Bank is a substantial bank of not very large capital but it really does not need it in the line of business which it pursues, although it does a general banking business in connection with real estate loans, of the settlement of estates, acting as trustees for estates, etc. The officials are: Joe Bailey, president ; William J. Rogers, vice president; Vernon Sul- lenger, cashier ; directors, F. C. Gore, Joe Bailey, W. J. Rogers and F. A. Larkin.
It is with pride that this work refers to the above list of well-conducted banking institutions. Probably no city of the size of Evansville has more of such institutions in ratio to its population and they are a wonderful aid to the community, for in a city so rapidly growing, almost every man of any push and energy is compelled to go to the banks at times. There are many who do not seem to realize of what the business of banking consists and a little anecdote may possibly enlighten them.
Some years ago a man who was possessed of a great deal of real estate had never failed to pay an honest debt in his life and stood high in the com- munity in every respect, found it necessary to go to one of the banks for some ready money to aid him in an investment he was making. He went to a certain bank and approached the president with fear and trembling. He had his hat in his hands and his air was that of a man going to be executed. He was ushered into the private office of the president who very kindly said, "Well, what can I do for you?" The first party began by say- ing that he had come asking a very great favor, that he did not know whether it could be granted or not but if it could be it would be the great- est favor ever done him in his life. He went on to say that he referred to all the citizens who had known him as to whether or not he was an honest
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man and he needed some money, and he had gotten about this far, when much to his surprise, the president slapped him on the back and said, "Now look here. You sit down in that chair and tell me how much you want. That is all we want to know. You have gotten the wrong idea about banks. Our business is to loan money and not keep it tied up in the vault and when- ever as good a man as you are comes here to borrow money, he is the one who is doing the favor and not us." He continued, "Now don't ever be afraid to go to the bank. People imagine sometimes that banks do not want to loan money because a great many questions are asked when a man comes to borrow. But this is only a matter of business. Whenever we find that a customer is all right he can borrow just as far as he can put up collateral to secure us on our investment. If we simply took in money and stowed it away in our vault and never loaned it, it would be a very short time until this bank would have to close up. It is the interest that we make in our loans that keeps all the wheels greased, pays my salary and the salary of all the men whom you see working here, so dont' be afraid to come back and see us again."
The man drew a long sigh of relief, got his money and meeting a friend said, "Why, I was scared to death when I went to the bank for money but I guess it was because I had never been there before. They are the nicest fellows I ever met and if I had just staid there a little longer I could have borrowed every cent they had."
THE NEWSPAPERS.
Who can imagine a town, even a small one, without its paper? It is in the morning that we pick up our dailies and read of events occurring all over the entire world or in the evening sit after a day's work and read what has happened in the last 24 hours preceding. It is really hard to imagine what must have been the state of affairs when the only newspaper was from mouth to mouth and when events that would startle the whole world and are now flashed over the telegraph wires in a few moments, only be- came known months after they happened and even when the newspapers in this city began, their crudity was in great contrast with the papers of the present. Within my recollection, we had hand presses and what were known as flat-bed presses. The hand presses were as the name indicates, turned by hand, just as they grind sausages, while the flat-bed presses were really not so very much better as regarded speed and in those early days an editor was not only expected to write his own matter, but he must be a typesetter and know how to make up his forms, read his own proof, put his form on the old press bed and then get off his edition as best he could. He must even know how to make his own rollers, a thing that is done now by factories who make a business of turning them out, and they are shipped ready-made of any size and any hardness and to work on any and all kinds of presses. The Journal and Courier had flat-bed presses of the old kind,
EVANSVILLE PRESS CLUB
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as did the Evansville Demokrat. The Tribune, before I bought it, had be- come quite high-toned and actually owned a double cylinder Hoe press. This press was held together by so many wires and pieces of rope and belts that it was hard to tell where the press needed repairs. To actually run off an edition without stopping for repairs was an unknown quantity. To- day everything is changed.
A perfect press turns out papers from a huge roll of paper, cuts the copies, folds them and pushes them nicely into little boxes, so that one can simply push the lever which starts the press and he has nothing to do save take out the papers ready for delivery. It may be said to the credit of Evansville, that it early realized the necessity of a newspaper, for the Evans- ville Gazette was published in 1821. Its proprietors were Gen. Elisha Harrison and William Monroe. Gen. Harrison had great ability and en- ergy and was a self-taught man. He held many places of trust and was much esteemed for his manly qualities. He was the kind of a man who stamped his personality on everyone with which he had any connection. His partner, Mr. Monroe, was simply a practical printer. He knew how to set type in a machinelike manner and that was all. When the hard times came in 1824, the Gazette passed out of existence and for ten years no paper nearer than Vincenes was published in this entire part of the state. At that time an Eastern man, William Town, came here and announced his inten- tion of starting a weekly paper. Of course he was met with open arms by the citizens and what encouragement they could give him they freely ex- tended. Mr. Town was a well educated man and in order to eke out a livelihood he taught a grammar school in the old Presbyterian church at night, while he was preparing his printing office on Main street. In March, 1834, he got out his first issue and his leading item was a long account of the Buck Horn tavern. This gained its name from its sign-an enormous deer or buck horn nailed to the top of a post which stood in front of the cabin. Mr. Town called his paper the Evansville Journal and the name has never been changed up to the present time, although the word "News" has been added during the last years. The Journal was, of course, a Whig paper, as there was no Republican party in those days and it paid very little atten- tion to politics, its every aim being to assist in developing this part of the country. If the papers of the present day would only follow the example of this primitive sheet, how much better off the people and the country would be. Mr. Town died but a year after coming here in 1839. His paper was bought by William H. and John J. Chandler, who were both highly capable men and of great influence. When they took charge of the paper they changed the name to the Evansville Journal and Vanderburg Adver- tiser, but this was entirely too heavy a head for the size of the sheet and they soon dropped the latter part. The greatest improvement in the paper was in its appearance. As William H. Chandler was a practical printer, the old copies of the paper show that in make-up and general appearance the ap- pearance of the paper imroved wonderfully in its very first issue. Mr.
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John J. Chandler, through the pressure of legal business, was compelled to give up his connection with the paper and sold his interest to his brother. In 1846 the latter started a Tri-weekly Journal and in 1848 the Daily Jour- nal. Mr. Chandler did the manifold duties of editor, news department and a great deal of the mechanical work. It is said that he used to go to the office at four o'clock in the morning and remain until midnight, so that it is no wonder he succeeded even in such a small field. He was from Ver- mont originally and his father died from that strange disease, "milk sick- ness." He had worked at Nashville on the Republican of that city as fore- man of the book department and had saved up $2,000. It was with this money that he started in the newspaper business here. He was appointed postmaster in 1848 and at once sold the Journal to Gen. Add H. Sanders. He held the office during the term of President Pierce and shortly after- wards he was almost completely disabled by rheumatism and was com- pelled to retire from active life in 1862. He published the first city direc- tory in Evansville. Gen. Sanders owned the Journal for six years. He was an accomplished journalist of the old school and the paper became very popular. His editorials were to the point and, being a naturally witty man who abounded in humor, his local paragraphs were very engaging. He turned his attention to the city department and made of that all that could be made of it. In those days the owner of the paper was supposed to write a few editorials and allow the city department to be made up of anything that happened to come in. Gen. Sanders was also a Whig and advocated the principles of that party until the campaign of 1852. He opposed vig- orously the democratic party in 1884, and put his paper into the know- nothing line. The history of the know-nothing party is that it existed for a short time and it is very hard to tell of just what its principles consisted. Two years afterward he supported Millard Fillmore for the presidency, as a representative of the American party. But while the contest was at its height he sold the paper to F. Y. Carlile, a thorough scholar of great literary attainments. He was a ready and careful writer, while his sarcasm was particularly effective. He made the mistake of discussing too many scien- tific, financial and economic questions and, to put it plainly, his ideas were ahead of the ideas of his readers. In politics he was not at all effective and the paper did not progress as was expected, so he decided to associate himself with practical printers, and it was this decision that made F. M. Thayer and John H. McNeely partners in the Journal. They took hold in 1858 and controlled both the financial and the mechanical departments. At this time the Journal was published at the corner of Main and Water streets, in the old Lewis building upstairs. The entire work was done on two hand presses and it is said that the weekly pay roll covering everything was only about $60. It can thus be imagined that the two mechanics did most of the work. Very shortly they put in a steam engine and power press and also decided to put in a job press and a lot of new job type. They were just getting into shape when a fire wiped out the building and
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destroyed their office completely. The paper suspended, however, only for one day. In 1858 the proprietors of the Journal very wisely decided that it was not necessary for a paper to be published on Main street, and if they got out a readable paper it made no difference where the mechanical paper was done, so they purchased a lot where now stands the sugar house of the Bement Grocery Company at Locust and Water streets. It was at first a two-story frame, fifty feet deep, with a basement fitted out for a press room. In 1865 they began the erection of a better building and in 1867 they had a most complete plant, a commodious three-story brick, with a fine jobbing department and everything necessary to turn out not only first-class newspapers but all kinds of book and job printing. At this time Mr. Thayer took charge of the editorial department, long before Mr. Car- lile had sold his interest to James H. McNeely. Mr. Carlile had advocated the election the election of Gen. Hovey on what was known as the anti- Nebraska issue, one of the old-time political issues of the day. Those who remember old papers will note that even in those days the chief aim of the two parties of the country was to find "issues" on which to fight. Possibly the general public who read the news in those days believe that these issues were of great importance and not simply vehicles to be used to fight over, so that the big men of one party or the other could get into office and draw a fat salary. In these days the people are better educated and when the average politician fires away and talks, the people take his speech for ex- actly what it is worth. It is a great pity, in the mind of the writer, that the people have not known this all along. With the retirement of Mr. Car- lile the two proprietors, who were republicans by instinct, determined to cast their fortunes with this new political organization and the position of the paper has never changed from that day. When Abraham Lincoln was nominated at Chicago the Journal was one of his warmest supporters and throughout that campaign it fought boldy for his election. At that time Vanderburg County went republican and much of this is due to the good work done by the Journal. After the election of Mr. Lincoln, James H. McNeeley was appointed postmaster and Mr. Thayer took entire charge of the editorial department and conducted it for more than twenty years. All through the war the Journal was never changed in its loyalty. It again supported Mr. Lincoln in 1864. In 1866 Col. John W. Foster bought the interest of James H. McNeely and at once began to show his wonderful ability in the editorial department and shortly afterward Edward Tabor who had been with the office for many years, was also taken in as a part- ner and with a position of business manager. Col. Foster was appointed postmaster by Gen. Grant in 1872 and sold his interest in the office to Mr. Claude G. DeBruler, a young but able editor. Mr. Thayer shortly after- wards moved to the West and Mr. Tabor died, and the paper was thus left to the ownership of John H. McNeely and Mr. DeBruler. Mr. James H. McNeely purchased Mr. DeBruler's interest and again assumed control
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