Читать книгу History of Fresno County, Vol. 4 - Paul E. Vandor - Страница 37

No town in California is more fortunate than Fowler in the character and caliber of the men entrusted with its financial interests, as will be seen alone from the history of the First National Bank which was organized on August 25, 1904. Another bank was organized at Fowler in January, 1913, .having also been created under the Federal laws, and that was called the Fowler National Bank, an institution that built the beautiful two-story brick building occupied by the First National since 1913.

In 1914 there was a merger of the two banks mentioned, an achievement made possible by the purchase of the stock in the First National Bank by the Fowler National, whose interests were thereupon transferred to the First National Bank, which has ever since occupied the banking offices and continued a general banking business under the corporate name of the First National Bank.

It is a solid financial institution, as may be seen by the examination of any of its recent official reports. On December 31, 1917, for example, it had for its resources loans and discounts to the amount of $337,580.46; United States bonds worth $96,106; municipal and other bonds totaling $59,876.67; $1,800 worth of Federal Reserve Bank stock; banking house and fixtures worth $27,700; $500 in other real estate; a five per cent, fund amounting to $2,500; and $162,855.82 in cash and due from other banks. Its liabilities are included in a capital stock of $50,000; a surplus fund of $10,000; undivided profits to the amount of $5,843.44; a dividend (No. 14) of $5,000; a circulation of $50,000, and deposits to the amount of $568,075.31, the debits and credits balancing at the sum of $688,918.75. The bank pays four per cent, interest on' time deposits, and rents its safe deposit boxes at $2, $3 and $5 per year.

The officers of this institution for 1917 were: President, Fred Nelson; Vice-president, C. V. Peterson; Cashier, L. J. Harriman; Assistant Cashier; R. E. Giffen. Directors, Fred Nelson, C. V. Peterson, L. J. Harriman, J. H. Weinberg, C. A. Rigby, and H. W. Wrightson. Among the bank's stockholders are many wealthy men of Fowler and Fresno County, and these, with the officers, endeavor in every way to further the best interests of the bank's patrons.