1906. Bank of Metropolis (Washington, DC)

Bank Information

Episode Type
Run → Suspension → Unsure
Bank Type
state
Start Date
September 23, 1857
Location
Washington, District of Columbia (38.895, -77.036)

Metadata

Model
gpt-5-mini
Short Digest
f5a6effc

Response Measures

Accommodated withdrawals, Full suspension

Other: Bank intended to resume; articles express confidence in solvency and resumption soon.

Description

Newspaper accounts from Sept. 23–26, 1857 report heavy withdrawals (runs) on Washington banks amid the wider 1857 panic and that the Bank of Metropolis at first paid large sums (over $60k–$67k) but then suspended specie payments. Several items express confidence in its ultimate resumption but do not provide a definite reopening date; therefore classified as run -> suspension with reopening uncertain. OCR variations (e.g., 'Metrepelis') corrected to 'Metropolis'.

Events (2)

1. September 23, 1857 Suspension
Cause
Macro News
Cause Details
Suspension undertaken as a precautionary measure because the panic caused much larger specie demand than anticipated; described as consequence of northern bank suspensions and runs in Baltimore/Philadelphia area.
Newspaper Excerpt
A notice posted on the Bank of Metropolis says ... that institution is under the painful necessity of suspending specie payments for the present.
Source
newspapers
2. September 25, 1857 Run
Cause
Macro News
Cause Details
Panic originating from northern suspensions (Philadelphia/Baltimore) produced heavy withdrawals in Washington; article notes runs following refusal of Philadelphia banks to pay specie.
Measures
Paid out large sums to meet withdrawals (reports of $65,000–$67,000 paid out); trustees sought to resume and reassure depositors.
Newspaper Excerpt
Bank of Metropolis closed firm. The commercial community is generally satisfied with the course of the banks.
Source
newspapers

Newspaper Articles (6)

Article from Daily Iowa State Democrat, September 29, 1857

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Article Text

WASHINGTON NEWS. Washington, Sep. 26. The officers of the Navy and Marine Corps at Washington, held a meeting yesterday, to give expression to their sympathy for the untimely death of Captain Herndon. Successors of Ministers Dodge, Mason and Dalias, have been designated. but will not be appointed until the meeting of the Se nate. Senator Slidell goes to Paris, some northern man to London, and a southern man to Madrid. Bank of Metrepelis closed firm. The commercial community is generally satisfied with the other banks All are confident of their stability and resumption at an early day. A considerable amount of deposits has been made in the Patriotic Bank of Washington since their suspension.


Article from The Evansville Daily Journal, September 29, 1857

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Article Text

Bank Suspensions in Washington. WASHINGTON. Sept 23-M A notice posted on the Bank of Metropolis savs that the panic causing the suspension of other banks, having caused a much larger demand for specie than was anticipated, that institution is under the painful necessity of suspending specie payments for the present. The Trustees remark that they will make every exertion to resume; that the bank paid out $65,000 on Seturday. The Bank of W ashington and the Patriotic Bank, which paid only small sumson Saturday, have not altogether suspended. The Savings Bank pays either in city bank notes or Virginia money, and demand the six day's notice from depositors, Virginia money is at a discount of 5 per cent, and the tendency is still downward.Business nearly suspended, and uncurrent money unsalcable.


Article from Quasqueton Guardian, October 1, 1857

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WASHINGTON, Sept. 25. Bank of Metropolis closed firm. The commercial community is generally satisfied with the course of the banks. All are confident of their stability and resumption at an early day. A considerable amount of deposits have been made in the Patriotic Bank of Washington since its suspension.


Article from Montgomery County Sentinel, October 2, 1857

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Article Text

THE MONEY PANIC. We regret that our limited space will not allow us to give the particulars of the recent bank suspensions, which have created a great panie throughout the country. Since the refusal of the Philadelphia banks to pay specie on Saturday last, each day has witnessed a large number of suspensions in other cities and smaller towns in the interior. The Baltimore banks all suspended in the course of the same day, and were followed by two of those in Washingtonthe Bank of Washington and the Patriotic-the Bank of Metropolis holding out throughout Saturday, and paying out over sixty-seven thousand dollars.It, however, also suspended on Monday. There does not appear to be the slightest doubt of the entire soundness of the banks of Washington and Baltimore, or of their ability to meet their liabilities when the crisis shall have passed. They are still redeeming their $5 issues, that being their lowest denomination. Indeed, their suspension was a necessary consequence from the action of the northern institutions, and was resorted to as a e precautionary mcasure to prevent the drain of specie to other points. They S also evince every disposition to be as accommodating as possible to the holders of bills and to depositors. Although these suspensions must, of e necessity, create great stringency in c r monetary affairs and stagnation in busiy ness, there will still be enough currency r for the ordinary wants of society, and the bills of the banks will pass as usual, subject, it may be, to a discount representative of the difference between the e bank paper and specie. The Intellid gencer of Wednesday notes the best Virginia paper as at 5 per cent. discount and adds that dealing in distant money d has come to a stand. The known ultimate safety and solvency of the Baltie more and Washington banks-in which our people are chiefly interested-will, h we hope, result in an entire restoration of confidence in a short time. There is, we apprehend, little reason why much c uneasiness should be felt, or the panic y continued in these cities; for they are e both free from the heavy failures which have brought on the crisis at the North, and, in a commercial light, they can of perhaps present as healthy symptoms of e d general soundness as any other places n whatever. of The New York banks still hold out, and a confidence appears to be felt that W they will weather the storm, as well as is those of New Orleans. The whole hope of time commercial community appears, d indeed, to rest upon the former city.e We observe, in this connexion, that the n is Courier of that city, states its belief that New York cannot only sustain itself but 11 render important aid to other cities, and d holds the opinion that in thirty days there will be a greater accumulation of t gold there than ever before known in e history.


Article from Republican Vindicator, October 3, 1857

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Article Text

Bank Suspension.-The WHIRLWIND UPON Us.-This morning information was telegraphed to this city that all the banks in Baltimore had suspended specie payment, creating a run upon those in this city, which forced two more of them-the Patriotic Bank and Bank of Washington-to suspend for the present. the payment of specie except upon notes of the denomination of $5, and checks for small amounts. They feel themselves able to meet every obligation against them, but resort to this as a measure of self defence. The Bank of Metropolis has, up to the time of going to press, sustained the heavy run upon it without yielding: as has also the Washington Saving's Bank.- Wash. Star. 26th.


Article from Evening Star, September 29, 1907

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vogue fifty years ago under the old Maryland statutes, which applied to the District of Columbia. Apprentice In The Star of September 23, System. 1857. is a news Item which discloses a pecullar working of this method of procuring the labor of young men and boys: "Yesterday a case was tried before Justice Donn under the law of Maryland relative to the removal of servants from another state to that and vice versa. Mr. W. D. Bell had a colored boy, an apprentice. for a term of years, and being about to remove to the state of Maryland, the boy heard of it and eloped. He was taken into the employment of Mr. Hitchcock, from whose possession Mr. Bell took him and a suit was the consequence. The case was laid before Justice Goddard. who remanded the boy to Mr. Hitcheock. Bell again got possession of him. and the boy's mother being afraid he was going to be taken beyond the jurisdiction of the court asked that the security required by law should be given by Mr. Bell. hence this case. Mr. Carrington appeared for the boy and Mr. Rateliffe for the defense. Justice Donn demanded $500 security that the boy should not be removed beyond the jurisdiction of the court. which was given, and the boy placed in Mr. Bell's custody. and he had him committed to the county jail." * "Hard times" prevailed half a century ago. A money crisis was at hand. Banks were trembling and depositors were lining up before the Money tellers' windows. In The Star Crisis. of September 28, 1857, is the following editorial, under the heading "The Whirlwind Upon us:" "This morning information was telegraphed to this city that all the banks in Baltimore had suspended specle payment, creating a run upon those in this city, which forced two of them, the Patriotic Bank and Bank of Washington, to suspend for the present the payment of specie, except upon notes of the denomination of $5 and checks for small amounts. They feel themselves able to meet every obligation against them. but resort to this as a measure of self-defense. The Bank of Metropolis has. up to the time of going to press, sustained the heavy run upon it without yielding, as has also the Washington Savings Bank. The run upon Sweeny, Rittenhouse & Co. has also been promptly met. With regard to the Bank of Washington and the Patriotic Bank no fears are entertained of ultimate loss to any one through their suspension, as they are known to be abundantly able to liquidate every demand against them." Local confidence in the banks was at an unfortunately low stage just then, owing to the failure of the banking house of Pairo & Nourse a few days previous, in circumstances calculated to give rise to grave doubts as to the management. It was believed that the worst of the storm had passed the capital, but Philadelphia was suffering sorely, and the same issue of The Star contained telegrams from that city and New York, indicating a high state of excitement over the stringency. * * In this same issue of September 26 is another item which will give to housekeepers of today a line on the cost of feeding a family half a Food century ago, when the InPrices. come of the average wageearner was much less than It is now: "We have obtained from reliable sources the following list of prices of such provisions as are in general use by housekeepers in this city. They are the retail prices, best understood by housekeepers: