15757. East River Savings Institution (New York, NY)

Bank Information

Episode Type
Run Only
Bank Type
savings bank
Start Date
November 2, 1896
Location
New York, New York (40.714, -74.006)

Metadata

Model
gpt-5-mini
Short Digest
13b184ec

Response Measures

Accommodated withdrawals

Description

Articles describe substantial withdrawals (a 'rush' to withdraw before the 1896 election) but the bank remained open and soon saw deposits (in gold) returned after the election. No suspension or closure is mentioned.

Events (2)

1. November 2, 1896 Run
Cause
Macro News
Cause Details
Withdrawals driven by fear of Bryan's election and prospect of bimetallism/gold premium (election-related panic).
Measures
None mentioned.
Newspaper Excerpt
There was an unprecedented rush of big and little depositors... Persons who were afraid of Bryan's election... have all been drawing upon the banks to the full extent of their deposits. The day before the election there had been a heavy withdrawal made.
Source
newspapers
2. November 6, 1896 Other
Newspaper Excerpt
When it became certain that the representatives of sound money had been elected the aspect of affairs changed entirely... Yesterday, he said, more than $10,000 in gold had been taken in ... deposits phenominally increased; depositors returning the money they had withdrawn when there was cause for anxiety.
Source
newspapers

Newspaper Articles (2)

Article from New-York Tribune, November 6, 1896

Click image to open full size in new tab

Article Text

A RUSH TO THE SAVINGS BANKS MONEY WITHDRAWN BEFORE ELECTION BEING RETURNED NOW. DEPOSITS PHENOMENALLY INCREASED-MOST OF THE DEPOSITORS HOARDED GOLD-DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS ENTHUSIASTIC. The savings institutions of this city have been among the first to feel the favorable reaction following the victory of sound money last Tuesday. Yesterday and the day before there was an unprecedented rush of big and little depositors, who kept tellers, bookkeepers and clerks on the jump and brought broad smiles of satisfaction and contentment to the faces of the officers of all the leading savings banks in town. Day after day and week after week all through the campaign just brought to a close, the books of these institutions have shown the balance always in favor of withdrawals over deposits, the amount sometimes running up to the tens of thousands daily. Persons who were afraid of Bryan's election: persons who hoped to make a snug little sum when gold went to a premium; persons who thought the country was going to the dogs, have all been drawing upon the banks to the full extent of their deposits. When It became certain that the representatives of sound money had been elected the aspect of affairs changed entirely, and there was a rush to redeposit the funds that had been previously withdrawn. At the East River Savings Institution, No. 3 Chambers-st., one of the directors told a Tribune reporter yesterday that the first favorable change in the long unsatisfactory period through which the bank had been going was noticed the morning after election. Yesterday. he said, more than $10,000 in gold had been taken in, and this was the first gold to speak of that the bank had received from depositors in a year. He added that drafts had been greatly reduced in number since election, all of which pointed to a most welcome change in public sentiment. At the Emigrant Industrial Savings Bank, one of the officers said that on Monday the withdrawals were $25,000 more than the deposits, but on Wednesday the current turned and the deposits exceeded the withdrawals by the same amount. A noteworthy feature of the deposits made on Wednesday was that they were largely in gold. One depositor who withdrew several thousand dollars before election returned yesterday, bringing only gold. He had evidently figured that by converting his money into gold he would make a snug sum. As it turned out, his loss in interest will amount to $120, to say nothing of what it cost him to get the gold. At the Citizens' Savings Bank, No. 58 Bowery, the cashier said that the bank had taken in more gold since the election thar he had seen in the last three months. The banks had been doing practically nothing for the last three months, and he had never seen such a wonderful reaction for the better since he had been in the banking business. John B. Townsend, president of the Bowery Bank, said that they had received at the bank about $3,000 in gold each day since election, at the same time refusing large sums in gold which had been offered for deposit, for the reason that the bank did not want gold deposits. Mr. Townsend said that many new accounts had been opened since election. The day before the election there had been a heavy withdrawal made. An official of one of the leading savings banks of the city said that in the last few months the amount withdrawn from all the saving institutions In the city to be converted into gold would probably amount to $60,000,000. W. C. Sturgis, president of the Seamen's Bank for Savings, said: "The indications, as shown by our deposits to-day and yesterday, are that those among our depositors who hoarded gold prior to the election are now again depositing the sums they withdrew from circulation. Other savings bank officers tell of a similar experience. The fact that gold is bulky and cannot be kept with such safety as paper money will be one of the things which will operate toward promoting Its quick deposit in banks."


Article from New-York Tribune, November 7, 1896

Click image to open full size in new tab

Article Text

DEPOSITS POURING IN. SAVINGS BANKS' BUSINESS STILL A HIGH TIDE. DEPOSITORS RETURNING THE MONEY THEY HA WITHDRAWN WHEN THERE WAS CAUSE FOR ANXIETY-HOW SAVINGS INSTITUTIONS FARED DURING THE CAMPAIGN. The tidal wave of favorable business which swep In upon the savings banks of the city as a resu of the election continued in full force yesterda; Long lines of depositors stood all day yesterday be fore the windows of the receiving tellers in all the banks waiting to pat back the money they ha withdrawn only a week or a month ago. Th amounts deposited as reported yesterday were dos ble the amounts withdrawn, a condition of busines which the banks have not known since the close . the Chicago Convention. A large part of the amount offered for deposit yesterday was In gold and while there were one or two institutions which were averse to accepting much of the yello metal, most of them took It all in without any que tions. At the Emigrant Industrial Savings Bank Dav Ledwith. the controller, told a Tribune report yesterday afternoon that the volume of busines was even ahead of that of the previous two day Gold continued to be deposited, amounting in the aggregate to several thousand dollars. Mr. Le with cited several cases before the election when depositors had withdrawn their savings and ha paid a premium to have them converted into gol This gold was now being put back in the bank I the depositors, who lost by the transaction not on the interest which their money would have earne had It remained in the bank. but also the amount paid in premiums. He said many a bitter complain had been poured into his ear by persons who ha thus hastily taken action regarding their account At the East River Savings Bank and the Bower Savings Bank statements were made by officia that business yesterday was similar in charact to that of the previous two days, gold averagir from $3,000 to $5,000 daily. At the Bowery Bank was said that many of those who had withdraw their savings belong to the class of Russian Jev living along the Bowery. These are always the fir to take fright on the slightest provocation, at withdraw their accounts, for which reason they a looked upon by the banks as unwelcome customer In the present instance It was noticeable that returning to reopen their accounts most all broug gold, showing how thoroughly they had prepare to protect their interests in case of the election Bryan. The Manhattan Savings Institution. at No. 6 Broadway. the Union Dime Savings Bank. Broa way and Thirty-second-st.: the Bank for Saving No. 230 Fourth-ave.: the Harlem Savings Bank. Third-ave. and One-hundred-and-twenty-fourth-s all reported a marked and wonderful change in bus ness. In all these institutions the excess of depo its over withdrawals since Tuesday has been larg amounting in some cases to as high as $30,000 in single day, many of the deposits being in gold. The officials of savings institutions in general a of the opinion that this unprecedented condition affairs will continue for several days If not tw weeks longer, when business will resume its no mal status. One official of a leading bank made the stateme) the f-in c there, by