2054. Mechanics Bank (Washington, DC)

Bank Information

Episode Type
Run Only
Bank Type
state
Start Date
October 11, 1852
Location
Washington, District of Columbia (38.895, -77.036)

Metadata

Model
gpt-5-mini
Short Digest
2e7e687c

Response Measures

None

Description

Contemporary papers (Oct 11, 1852) report a 'great run on the bogus banks' in Washington and list 'Mechanics'' among the institutions experiencing runs. No articles mention a suspension, receivership for this specific bank, or reopening — only an active run on that date. 'Bogus banks' suggests issues of legitimacy/counterfeit notes; I classify cause as bank-specific adverse information rather than mere rumor. Bank charter type not explicit in these snippets.

Events (1)

1. October 11, 1852 Run
Cause
Bank Specific Adverse Info
Cause Details
Run described as directed at 'bogus' or 'unknown' banks issuing notes without banking houses; the institutions (including Mechanics') were targeted for illegitimate/irregular note issues.
Newspaper Excerpt
There is a great run on the bogus banks at Washington... The Central, Citizens, Empire, Fulton, Mechanics', Merchants', Exchange... on which the run is being made.
Source
newspapers

Newspaper Articles (4)

Article from The New York Herald, October 12, 1852

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Article Text

APPOINTMENTS BY THE PRESIDENT - RUN ON THE WASHINGTON BANKS WASHINGTON, October 11 1852. The President has appointed Charles W. Christmas Register of the Mianesota Land office, ani Reuben M. Richardson as Receiver. There is a great run on the bogus banks at Washing ton. The unknown backs circulating and dating here, a re the Central. Citizens'. Empire, Fulton, Mechanics', Merchants', Exchange, Merchants' and Mechanics', Me. tropolitan. Ocean. and Railroad. with about a dozen others. on which the run is being made. The Bank of the Union had a large circulation in the District.


Article from New-York Daily Tribune, October 12, 1852

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Article Text

Appointments by the President-Run on the Washington Banks. WASHINGTON, Monday, Oct. 11, 1852. The President has appointed CHARLES W. CHRISTMAS, Register of the Minnesota Land Office, and REUBEN M. RICHARDSON as Receiver. There is a great run on the bogas Banks at Washington. The unknown Banks circulating and dating here, without having Banking houses, are the Central, Citizens, Empire, Fulton, Mechanics, Merchants, Exchange. Merchants and Mechanics, Metropolitan, Ocean and Railroad, with about a dozen others- -on which the run is being made. The Bank of the Union had a large circulation in the District.


Article from Meigs County Telegraph, October 19, 1852

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Article Text

WASHINGTON, Oct. 11th.-Charles H. is the Chrismas appointed Richardson by President Receiver Register. and Reuben M. of Land Office at Minnesota. Great run on bogus banks. Washington Bank of the Union had a large circulation in the District. Various unknown banks, without banking houses, circulating and dated The Central, Citizens, Mechanics, and Ocean Mechanics, Empire, at Washington. Fulion, Metropolitan, Merchants and Railroad banks and dozen others who have officers here and on which run is being made. Mrs Swisshelm, in speaking of the two most prominent candidates for the Presiden. cy. makes use of the following language: "Personally, we have always preferred General Scott to General Pierce, because we like a man to be what he pretends-to succeed in making himself what he aims to be. So, a military chiefiain is better than a man who tried to be hero and couldn't. UNPARDONABLE S IN!-The New York that there are shops in various of New York city regsol to children at a cent a ularly parts Times states where liquor glass!- is that and the Police returns give assurance the keepers of them have induced scores of children to become regular frequenters and customers of them. Among the new works that will be published this winter, are--the writings of Judge Woodbury; the works of W. H. Seward; Letters to Washington, by Sparks; the fifth volume of Bancroft's History of the United States, and the Travels of Kossuth in the United States, by Madame Pulsky, who with her husband, accompanied Kossuth. New YORK CITY.- The expenses of New York city, for 1852, will be about four millions of dollars! The majority of the council is in the hands of the Locos-elected as a "Reform Council"-and they have increassed the expenses they promised to reduce in the sum of over six hundred thousand dollars. They have redeemed their promise of "reirenchment and reform" after the usual fashion of L. F. politicians. DEATH OF ANOTHER MASSACHUSETTS CONM. Benjamin Thompson, district of Charlestown on GRESSMAN.-Hon. C. died from in the 4th Friday Massachusette, last. He had been sick but a few days. This is the third vacancy made by death in the present delegation from Massachusetts. Fowler, Rantoul and Thompson, three of the ten members, have died within the last two months. TELEGRAPH TO EUROPE.- London of the National Intelligencer, a for a telebetween the two been states graph correspondent that project continents, submarine has the started there, which has received sanction of the British Government, and promises to accomplish the great object had in view. BALTIMORE, Sept. 8th.-Two mails from received. anthat the War apLauimer, nounces New Orleans Department The United Picayune States has Naa for the Board of to pointed vy, guard Majors Captain Chase, Barnard Commissioners and Beaure the mouth of the of a the axamine with a view opening channel Mississippi into river, Gulf. Texas is supposed to contain a population of hundred thousand souls, having about thousand persons over age of who can neither nor twenty three thirty read the write. Oct. 11.-John W. Rand, with the charged NORFOLK, robbing Portsmouth Ba Penitenwas sentenced five years to the tiary. The McDonough will has been completely a decision of the New and the goes to heirs Orleans, broke, by property Court the in at law, and the cities of Baltimore and New Orleans receive nothing. LEONIDAS SHAVER, Esq., of Lexington has been associate Judge of ident, Kentucky, appointed Utah. by Salt the A Pres- Kentucky paper says he will leave for Lake in the October mail. Does he go post-paid? Emigration for California this fall is large. 700 sailed on on board the Over Tuesday, passengers steamship from New Geor- York gia, and over 400 on the Prometheus. A telegraph has been constructed from Paris to Bordeaux, in France, which runs under ground the whole distance. The wires, ten in number, are properly isolated, and encased in a coating of gulta pereha and lead. named George SUTCLIFF was shot in a few nights since, robA Cincinnati man while shot bing a grave, and the person who him has been held to bail in $10,000. JOHN LOWRY, the murderer of MOORE in has been convicted in His counsel has the Cincinnati, first degree. of moved murder for a new trial. The Cincinnati and Dayton Railroad Company, are about to prepare their road bed for a second track, and will commence laying the iron in a short time. Ex-Governor Chambers, of Ky., died on the 21st inst. The Result in the State. We give below the result in several of the


Article from Monongalia Mirror, October 23, 1852

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Article Text

Washington, Oct. 11. Charles H. Christmas has been apReuben M. Richardson, Receiver at the Land Office at Minnessota. There is a great run on the bogus banks in Washington. The Bank of the Union had a large circulation in the District. There are various unknown banks without banking-houses circulaling notes dated at Washington, The run is being made on the Central, Citizens', Empire, Fulton, Mechanics', Merchants', Exchange, Merchants and Mechanics', Metropolitan, Ocean and Railroad Banks, and about a dozen others having offices here. There is a disposition here on the part of the public to set their faces against irresponsible issues of bank notes. Episcopal Missions.-The receipts of the Board of Domestic Missions since June, 1851, were $23,566, and for Foreign Missions $41,048; in all $64,614. The Committee have very nearly doubled the number of their missionaries within the year just closed. The missions to China and the west coast of Africa will both receive further enlargement this fall, and there are arrangements for occupying new openings for missionary work. German Baptist Missions.-In 1835 the Baptist mission at Hamburg was commenced, when six persons were received into the church. There are now in connection with this mission 292 preaching places, in 40 different cities and towns; 683 persons have been baptized, and 3,881 are at present connected with the churches. Trade upon the Gulf.-It is calculated that the amount of ocean commerce of the American ports on the Gulf of Mexico, inward and outward, foreign and domestic, exceeds $250,000,000 per annum, besides that of the Mexican and other ports of the gulf. Duke of Wellington's Successor.The new Commander-in-chief, successor to the Duke of Wellington, has bren nominated, Lord Hardinge being the party selected. His age is 67. He was already a lieutenant-general. and enjoys a pension for wounds at Waterloo, and also a pension of $25,000 a year for the battlesof the Sutlej,where h commanded when he was Governor-General of India. Many years ago he was Secretary at War (as Sir Henry Hardinge,) and subsequently he was chief secretary for Ireland. Within twenty years three millions and a half of copies of the Bible, and fifteen millions of religious tracts, have been distributed in France.