19775. Providence Institution For Savings (Providence, RI)

Bank Information

Episode Type
Run Only
Bank Type
savings bank
Start Date
August 5, 1893
Location
Providence, Rhode Island (41.824, -71.413)

Metadata

Model
gpt-5-mini
Short Digest
44e40ae0

Response Measures

Accommodated withdrawals

Description

Small, short-lived run on Providence Institution for Savings on Aug 5, 1893. Bank paid depositors in full (checks drawn on Providence National Bank) and remained open; no suspension or closure mentioned. Cause appears driven by fear after the recent suspension/failure of the State Bank and wider bank-failure panic — classified as local_banks.

Events (1)

1. August 5, 1893 Run
Cause
Local Banks
Cause Details
Depositors frightened by the suspension/failure of the State Bank and wider epidemic of bank failures; many small foreign depositors withdrew funds.
Measures
Paid depositors promptly in full; gave checks on Providence National Bank which were cashed; continued to honor withdrawals (allowed limited immediate cash via checks).
Newspaper Excerpt
There was a slight run on the old Providence Institution for Savings on South Main street this morning. ... The Money was Forthcoming. ... each depositor was paid promptly and in full by the officials.
Source
newspapers

Newspaper Articles (2)

Article from The Providence News, August 5, 1893

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Article Text

FRIGHTENED DEPOSITORS SMALL RUN ON PROVIDENCE INSTITUTION FOR SAVINGS. No Cause For Alarm-The Bank Perfectly Solvent-All Requests for Withdrawal Were Honored. There was a slight run on the old Providence Institution for Savings on South Main street this morning. When the doors of the bank opened there were about sixty depositors waiting to get into the bank, and* this number was steadily an e.1 to until the room was crowded, 1 henit became necessary to close the doors to keep those inside from being jammed in the crowd that was outside. The Money was Forthcoming. There was no trouble at all in getting the money and each depositor was paid promptly and in full by the offi cials, One of the officials was asked as to the exten of the run on the institution and answered The News man by asking bi if be could tell how many fools there were in the city. The News man promptly gave it up" and so did the official. Only a Miniature Panic. "It is merely a small sized panic among the ignorant people," stated another official. "They b came alarmed at the su:pension of the State bank yesterday, and of course their first thought was to S cure their own money in case this bank should go up. But that is son ething not to be considered for a moment, as any one who knows is sure of the fact that the Provide: ee Institution for Savings is as firm as the ground under our feet. Large Depositors Paid by Check. The depositors were given checks on the Providence National Bank and these were immediately cashed by that institution. Most of the peop e who were awaiting a chance to draw their deposits were Italians and Portuguse who had small amounts on deposit. They were all paid in full. The bank anticipates no serious run and will get rid of the small depositors as quickly as p ossible.


Article from New-York Tribune, August 6, 1893

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Article Text

BUSINESS IN PROVIDENCE. COTTON MILLS CLOSING DOWN-RUN ON A BANK -TO CELEBRATE LABOR DAY. Providence, R. I., Aug. 5 (Special).-The industrial situation in Rhode Island is gradually growing worse. and beginning with this week a very large number of people will be out of employment temporarily. The Clyde Print Works in Warwick shut down several days ago. This is the largest print works in the country and employed a large number of people. The great cotton mills of B. B. & R. Knight. located in various villages in the town of Warwick, shut down to-night and will not start up again until the business prospects are brighter. These mills employ thousands of people, and there is consequently considerable uneasiness Zelt among them as to the future. The banks of Providence are generally supposed to be on a firm foundation. Their property is invested largely in real estate mortgages on Rhode Island property, and in first-class bonds and securitles. The fact that many people are out of work, added to the fear that the epidemic of bank failures will extend to this section, has induced many people to withdraw their deposits from savings banks. The result has been that all the larger banks, with one exception, are enforcing the ninety-day rule. In cases of extreme necessity, depositors are allowed to draw sums not exceeding $100 without notice. In this case they are obliged to take checks instead of currency. The exception noted above is the Providence Institution for Savings. That is the largest and strongest bank in the State, having at the last report 31,053 depositors. Many of its depositors are Poles, Itallans and other foreigners, who are easily frightened in times like this. These people have started a run of considerable proportions upon this bank, and their money is being paid to them as fast as they call for it. The run is a senseless one, and will result in the bank declining to take deposits from persons closing their accounts at this time. The State Bank failed on Friday. This is one of er banks of the city, being chartered in May, the 1850. It is a small institution, its entire resources amounting to $336,794. according to the last report of the bank commissioner. It held at that time about $200,000 in deposits. The descendants of Joseph Williams, who was a son of Roger Williams, the founder of Rhode Island. held a reunion at Roger Williams Park on Thursday. The occasion was made very informal, the only business of importance being the appointment of the committee to arrange for future reunions. On this committee are Professor Alonzo Williams. of Brown University, and Bowen R. Church, leader of the American Band. The Central Labor Union have made arrangements 'for a Labor Day demonstration at Rocky Point on September 4. It is proposed to have a large street parade in Providence in the morning, with speaking and sports at Rocky Point. The new electric railway, running from Market Square through East Providence to Crescent, Park, was opened this week, and has been carrying large numbers of passengers. The Continental Steamboat Company, which has hitherto had the monopoly of the Crescent Park business. has reduced its fares, so that the trip costs only ten cents where package tickets are purchased. By the electric road the fare is twenty cents. A lively competition is promised. The city is to erect a building at Roger Williams Park, to be used as a museum, at the expense of $40,000. The motive for this building was given by the fact that John Steere, a wealthy Californian and a former resident of this city, bequeathed to the city of Providence a very fine collection of stuffed birds and animals, upon condition that a suitable museum should be erected for them in Roger Williams Park B. B. & R. Knight, who are the owners of the village of River Point. located on the Pawtuxet River, have begun the construction of a system of sewers, to take care of sewage from the tenements and factories in that village, so that the Pawtuxet water, which is used by the people of Providence for drinking purposes. win no longer be contaminated from that source.