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THE KANSAS CITY SCARE. A BANKING COMPANY AND A SAVINGS BANK CLOSE. The National Bank Failure Starts n RunCrowds Upon the Streets-Banks Pull Through-Reports of Their Condition. KANSAR CITY. July 15.-This was the most critical day in the banking history of Kansas City. Runs were made on all the banks. The Northrup Banking Company and the Franklin Saving Bank closed their doors on account of the failure of the National Bank of Kansas City yesterday afternoon. The bankers opened their dooré this morning expecting runs of more or less consequence. The banks were prepared as well as could be expected to withstand any attack. As soon as the doors of the Bank of Commerce. the Missouri National. the Metropolitan. the Union National. and the Midland were thrown open the people began to collect about them. and many drew out their deposits. The Ferd Heim. Brewing Company dumped $33,000 at the receiving window in the Missouri National Bank as its daily deposit. and a better feeling spread among the assembled depositors. Atthe windows of this bank hung the sign: This bank will be open until 12 o'clock tonight. "D. V. RIEBER. President." Ninth and Delaware streets, the moneyed thoroughfares of the city. were lively places. Each was thronged. The crowds began gathering about 8:30 o'clock. and so steadily increased that the force of policemen was doubled. The officers kept the people moving. The Northrup Bank. which failed this morning for half a million dollars. was founded by Hiram Northrup and Joseph S. Chick. President of the National Bank of Kansas City. in the year 1857. It has always been regarded as a solid concern. and until the death of its President and founder. a few months ago. its depositors never had a thought of its failing. The eight national banks of the city have just completed statements of their condition at the close of business last Wednesday, in response to a call from the Comptroller of the Currency. They show that the banks have total deposits to the amount of $11.789.597. and cash on hand $4,426,105. or a little over 37.5 per cent. of the deposits in actual cash in the vaults. despite a long-continued withdrawal of deposits. If to the cash on hand is added assets immediately available in the form of demand loans and United States and State bonds, the total reserve is swelled to 47 per cent. of the deposite. This is considered by financial men to be an exceedingly good showing when 25 per cent. of the deposits is supposed to be sufficient to be kept on hand. Large amounts of Government. State. and. municipal bonds also are held by the banks. Concerning the condition of the National Bank of Kansas City President Chick says: Our assets will approximate $4,000,000. They consist of $3,000,000 in commercial. mercantile. and bank loans and nearly $1,000,000 worth of property. on May 1 we had a reserve fund of about $1,500,000. but soon after that time the withdrawal of deposits began and has continued ever since. increasing day by day. Since May 1 over $2,000,000 have been drawn out. and on the day that the Kansas City Safe Deposit and Savings Bank suspended we stood a drain of about $150,000. Lately we have paid out on an average $100,000 a day. and we did all that was possible to avert the crisis which we saw approaching. Thursday afternoon the bank appealed to the Clearing House for assistance. The sum asked for approximated $1,000,000. and the Clearing House responded with $35,000." It is believed that Monday will find a better feeling and no new failures.
