578 APPENDIX. 



banks, and especially the number of women. This shows that the owners of 

 national banks are not all rich men, but largely comparatively poor people, 

 depending upon the earnings of their money for a livelihood. 



2. STATE {COMMERCIAL) BANKS. 



Number of state banks, 1896-7 3,857 



Total capital stock $228,677,088 



Surplus and undivided profits 102,359,024 



Total capital $331,036,112 



Deposits 723,640,795 



The comptroller of the currency is unable to obtain from the state banks 

 and trust companies such detailed reports of profits as the law compels national 

 banks to furnish, but of five hundred fifty-seven banks and one hundred sixty- 

 seven trust companies reporting, the banks averaged seven per cent on their 

 capital, and the trust companies seven and eight-tenths per cent. Had all 

 reported, the average rate of dividends would doubtless be less, as it would 

 usually be the least successful concerns that would dislike to report. Their 

 average earnings are doubtless about the same as the national banks. 



3. STATE LOAN AND TRUST COMPANIES. 



Loan and trust companies are usually banks receiving deposits, but not 

 transacting the collection and other minor functions of a bank, and in most 

 cases confining their business to large operations. 



Number of loan and trust companies reporting to comptroller 



1896-7 251 



Capital stock $106,963,253 



Surplus and undivided profits 89,025,207 



Total capital $195,993,520 



Deposits 566,922,205 



The ownership of the capital of the state banks and trust companies is 

 doubtless distributed among small and large stockholders, like that of the 

 national banks. There are no general statistics upon this point. 



The above is not a complete statement of the business of the loan and trust 

 companies, as many, not being so required, failed to report to the comptroller. 

 Keturns gathered earlier in the year by the New York Financier and quoted by 

 the comptroller, are as follows: — 



Number of companies 458 



Capital stock $141,278,000 



Surplus and undivided profits 97,853,000 



Total capital $239,131,000 



Deposits 675,100,000 



In this case, also, complete returns of earnings were not made, but the 

 dividends paid by the companies of New York City averaged, for the previous 

 year, fifteen and one-third per cent, which shows the enormous profit attending 



