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Has Anniversary W. A. Mahl, executive vicepresident of the First National bank, today began his 41st year of service with the institution at which he first began work as errand boy and janitor. read in a dozen places. In fact, Houston was completely isolated yesterday. The trip back to WInona over the No. 43 detour was good going after what we had been through. Several bridges are in bad shape and there are deep ruts the entire distance, that make speed impossible. We advise no one to go into the flood area tomorrow for pleasure driving. Long Career as Errand Boy in 1893. William Anthony Mahl. better known as "Bill" Mahl. executive vice-president of the First National Bank, president of the Winons Clearing House association and the veteran of Winona bankers in point of service, celebrated an anniversary today. Forty years ago today, a strapping country lad, he came to the First National to get the job of errand boy and Janitor-and stayed to run the The First National was housed then at Third and Center street, where the Fashion store is now Roy H. Jackson, and general manager of the Standard Lumber company, whom Mahl sueceeded as general factotum of the bank, showed him his duties, how to scrub down the steps, sweep and dust, polish the big brass of the day. how to run the old letter copy press. Bill Mahl, the banker, laughed today at Billy Mahl, the office boy, he recalled that spring day of 1893 when he trudged in from the old Andrew Hamilton farm at Sugar Loaf to take his first steady job. On Job Early. "I was sitting on the steps of the bank at six o'clock in the morning. waiting for It to open." Ed Hulbert cashier at the bank here then and later president of one of the biggest Chicago banks, had Mahl, when he gave him the job of office boy, with the idea boy would have to work hard to become . banker. Mahl put so much real into his work of running the copy letter press, he admitted today, that he broke two presses before some one told him to case off. Bill Mahl doesn't want to pose as the hero of Horatio Alger suecess story titled "From Office Boy to Banker,' but even he won't deny he has done rather well. His formula is simple. "Work and Save." He's stuck to is through Jean years and fat. "I'm conservative optimist," he said. "The country has hit bottom. We're on the way up. The climb may be slow, but It will be steady. But that doesn't mean anyone can sit down and wait till about July for his old job, his old salary or income. You can't climb sitting down!" Panics, money troubles? Yes, he had seen some of those in the years he has been in the bank. The year 1893 was a bad year, 1897 an- Proud of Winons Banks. "I was just a kid around here then, but old enough to know what was going on. don't think any them were as bad. though, as the trouble we have just got over. As president of the Winona Clearing House association, Mahl played leading role in the recent bank holiday, a trying period for local bankers as well as depositors. He was full of praise today for the calmness, courage and faith depositors showed in the crisis. He was proud. too, of the record of Winons banks and bankers. pointing out the city has never had bank failure. Mr. Mahl's first strides up the banking ladder were not big ones,