16662. Union Dime Savings Bank (New York, NY)

Bank Information

Episode Type
Run Only
Bank Type
savings bank
Start Date
May 16, 1884
Location
New York, New York (40.714, -74.006)

Metadata

Model
gpt-5-mini
Short Digest
cbb1859d

Response Measures

Accommodated withdrawals

Description

Articles (New-York Tribune, May 16–17, 1884) describe a run earlier in the day on Union Dime Savings Bank that subsided by afternoon; the bank remained open and paid depositors. The panic was triggered by failures/flurry down-town (other banks), not by bank-specific insolvency or a discrete misinformation event.

Events (1)

1. May 16, 1884 Run
Cause
Local Banks
Cause Details
Increased withdrawals triggered by failures and a general flurry in Wall Street and the close of another bank (panic effects from other local banks).
Measures
Continued to pay depositors during the day; no suspension invoked.
Newspaper Excerpt
There had been a run earlier in the day, but, as the afternoon wore on, the demand for money stopped.
Source
newspapers

Newspaper Articles (3)

Article from New-York Tribune, May 16, 1884

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Article Text

that the women's antrance was closed and locked its and the crowd was left only one door for both hrentrance and departure. When 3 o'clock in rived no additional persons were admitted Then the bank and the heavy doors were closed crowd a shout of disappointment went up from the without, which lingered about the street until dusk. Treasurer David Olyphant, in speaking of the condition of the bank, said to a TRIBUNE reporter: This rush does not alarm us in any way. The people who are demanding their money are small depositors, and Accountant Knolle tells me that the largest amount be has paid out to-day was $300. We have 109,517 depositors and a total fund of $40,601,604, 80 you see there This is bound to be some crush after a scare like this. bank and. think, all the other savings banks are in ex cellent condition, as they have been obliged to keep from investments recently -because there was nothing to invest in. Therefore they have large amounts of cash on hand. Wall Street does not affect us in any way as the National banks were welded together yesterday by the action of the Clearing House Committee, and they are the only depositories of our surplus. Our cash accounts are with the Manhattan Company and the Bank of Com merce, and think there is no person who will say anything against those institutions. The amount we owe our depositors 18 $39,679,063 11. The daily average payment of the bank to its depositors is about 000; today, as nearly as the accountant can judge, it has been about $125,000. BOWERY BANK READY FOR EMERGENCIES. The interior of the Bowery Bank was occupied by depositors who lounged leisurely about the long benches and looked meditatively at the long line of their fellow depositors who were drawing their money. There was no excitement, and when the time for closing came the depositors left the building without disorder. President Edward Wood said: There was a run on us this morning, but, when it was known that we were perfectly willing to pay all depositors who came, it dwindled down to the scene before you. We have been prepared for an excitement of this kind for a considerable time and, consequently, we shall feel no evil effect from it. We shall gain rather than lose, for the depositors by drawing their money forfeit all claim to interest on it. We make an average payment and of $15,000 each day in ordinary times, to-day, as nearly as I can approxmate, we have paid out about $60,000. We are prepared for any emergeney, and if to morrow we should find a great crowd here we shall simply refuse to pay out any money for thirty days, as we have always done in case of panic and as the depositors know that we have right to do, because the rule is printed in every pass book. All of these people here to-day will lose half year's interest. We have assets which can be realized at almost any time amounting to $42,970,2 28: our depositors can claim of that $40.222,969 55 Right underneath your feet. in our vaults, we have $756, 175 11 in eash: SO you can understand we are in a good, solid condition. THE SEAMEN'S ABLE TO STAND A RUN. The great drab-colored building of the Seamen's Bank for Savings loomed up in Wall-st. like a rock. The venerable president, W. H. Macy. received a TRIBUNE reporter, and looked askance at him when he inquired how the bank was affected by the failure. The banking-room was filled with depositors, and a long line of them extended to the paying teller's desk. They conducted themselves quietly, however, and there was only a slight run on the bank. Mr. Macy said The failures have passed by us at such a distance that we haven't even felt the wind of them. We have had a larger demand for money to-day than we have ordinarily; but it has caused (with smile) no uneasiness. We haven't had a demand to-day sufficiently large to require us to draw a check for it. We can go on paying, at this on rate, every day this year, and we could have a run the bank until July 1. and then have surplus of $2,000,000. felt in my bones that this erash was coming, and we prepared for it by keeping the money in our vaults, instead of investing it. At present our assets amount to $27,696,406 59, of which more than -thirds is invested in National. State and City bonds. No, we have no reason to dread a panic, except that our depositors may be foolish enough to draw their money and lose their interest. THE DRY DOCK INSTITUTION SOLID. Things were unusually quiet at the Dry Dock Savings Bank. There had been a run, but it had been unimportant and few persons were in the bank when the reporter called. Secretary William V. Webster said We are all right here and we haven't felt the slightest wave from the flurry down-town. Of course, there have been more persons calling on us to-day to withdraw their money than on ordinary occassions, but not remarkably so. Our payments have all been in small amounts, and the total, should think, was about $40,000. Our daily average 18 about $15,000. At present-we have assets amounting to $12,248,720 85 and a surplus of $1,158,219 29 over the amount we owe our depositors. As we never invest in anything ether than Government securities, we can negotiate them and realize within forty eight hours. No, we are solid here. NOTHING DREADED BY THE UNION DIME. There were not more than twenty persons waiting to draw their deposits when the Union Dime Savings Bank closed for the night. There had been a run earlier in the day, but, as the afternoon wore on, the demand for money stopped. Mr. Chapin, the treasurer, said that his total payments for the day would not amount to more than $30,000. We have nothing to dread, said he, for our depositors know that the bank is reliable and we have a surplus of $443,234 91. OLD "CHAMBERS STREETS" SURPLUS. The East River Savings Institution, or, as it is better known, "the Old Chambers Street Bank," had its entrance blocked with enger depositors in the morning, but the excitement subsided in the afternoon. At 3 p. m. the president attended a a regular meeting of the Finance Committee in banking room whence all depositors had departed apparently satisfied. Secretary Charles A. Whitney informed a reporter that only about $30,000 had been paid out during the banking honrs. As we have a surplus fund of 1,393,252 12," he continned, we think we need have no dread of danger." THE GREENWICH IN GOOD CONDITION. Treasurer Gilbert, of the Greenwich Savings Bank, shook his head energetically when a reporter asked him if his bank had been affected by the trouble down-town. He said: I don't think our bank will be affected when we can show a surplus above all liabilities of $3,215, 167 22. We have assets amounting to over twenty one millions, and we owe our depositors something over eighteenand half millions. There has been a considerable increase in the number of persons who drew money from the bank to-day, as we have paid out about $50,000; but we do not regard that as important. No, sir; the savings banks were never to a better condition than they'are at pr sent. A LITTLE EXCITEMENT IN BROOKLYN. Some excitement prevailed in the Brooklyn banks where timid depositors drew out their savings, losing interest for three or six months. There was no reason for fear, it was declared. in regard to any of the Brooklyn savings banks, but small crowds of depositors gathered at each. Probably the bank which suffered the most was the South Brooklyn Savings Institution, sometimes called the Atlantic Bank, at Clinton-st. and Atlantic -ave. The sumilarity of the name to that of the Atlantic State Bank led many persons to confound the two, and a large amount was withdrawn by the deposi-


Article from New-York Tribune, May 16, 1884

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THE DRY DOCK INSTITUTION SOLID. Things were unusually quiet at the Dry Dock Savings Bank. There had been a run, but it had been unimportant; and few persons were in the bank when the reporter called. Secretary William V. Webster said : We are all right here and we haven't felt the slightest wave from the flurry down-town. Of course, there have been more persons calling on us to-day to withdraw their money than on ordinary occassions, but not remarkably so. Our payments have all been in small amounts, and the total, I should think, was about $40,000. Our daily average 18 about $15,000. a At present-we have assets amounting to $12,248,720 85 and a surplus of $1,158,219 29 over the amount we owe our depositors. As we never invest in anything ether than Government securities, we can negotiate them and realize within forty-eight hours. No, we are solid here. NOTHING DREADED BY THE UNION DIME. There were not more than twenty persons waiting todraw their deposits when the Union Dime Savings Bank closed for the night. There had been a run earlier in the day, but, as the afternoon wore on, the demand for money stopped. Mr. Chapin, the treasurer, said that his total payments for the day would not amount to more than $30,000. " We have nothing to dread," said he, for our depositors know that the bank is reliable and we have a surplus of $443,234 91."


Article from New-York Tribune, May 17, 1884

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Article Text

BOWERY SAVINGS BANK, January 1, 1884. Assets. $150,000 Banking House and Lot Par value. Stock, viz.: 21,143,000 00 United States 422,000 00 State of New York 135,000 00 Ohio 534,000 Connecticut 10,000 00 Rhode Island 389,600 00 Maine 177,600 00 New Hampshire 21,000 00 Kansas 450,000 00 Missouri, 10,000 00 Michigan 233,000 00 Indiana 757,000 00 Massachusetts 50,000 00 Maryland 3,834,500 00 City of New-York 1,775,000 00 Brooklyn 125,000 00 Poughkeepsie 432,000 00 County of Kings 9,103,778 Bonds and Mortgages 1,783,950 00 Loans on Stock (U. S. Bonds as collateral) 674,312 17 Deposit in Banks and Trust Companies 756,475 11 Cash in Vaults $42,970.215 28 40,222,969 The Liabilities to Depositors $2,747,245 73 Surplus OTHER BANKS DECLARE THEIR SOLVENCY. The East River Bank in Chamber-st., the Union Dime Savings Bank and the Greenwich Bank* in Sixth-ave., all had a larger number of persons call upon them to draw money than they do in ordinary times; but there was no excitement at either of them. Everything flowed along in its customary channel, as though Wall-st. wasnot. The close of the Newark Bank had considerable influence in increasing the number of people who stood in line at the Seaman's Bank in Wall-st., but they were met with their money as fast as they appeared and President Macy smiled benignly upon them from his private office. The Citizen's, the Emigrant Industral, the German, the Franklin and the smaller savings banks have really been affected less than their great competitors. There have been runs on them all; but the depositors have been met by so many evidences of solvency that they have been reassured and in many instances have gone away from the bank forgetting all about the resolutions which took them there.