A History of the City of Cairo, Illinois

XXIX. Cairo Banks--Building and Loan Associations--The Custom House--The Halliday Hotel--The Springfield Block--The Court of Common Pleas

CHAPTER XXIX CAIRO BANKS-BUILDING AND LOAN ASSOCIATIONS--THE CUSTOM HOUSE-THE HALLIDAY HOTEL-THE SPRINGFIELD BLOCK-THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS-ALEXANDER M. JENKINS C AIRO BANKs.-On the 2d day of March, 1839, the legislature granted to the Cairo City & Canal Company the right to use the banking privileges granted by the Territorial Act of January 9, r8I8, to the City and Bank of Cairo, the tenth section of which required the banking business of the corporation to be transacted at Kaskaskia; hence, the reaso.n why the bank bills represented on the opposite page were issued at Kaskaskia. Bills were issued from time to time and to such an extent that the legislature thought best to interfere; and on March 4, r843, it repealed the act 0.£ January 9, r8I8, so far as it related to banking. The City Bank of Cairo was organized in the year 1858 under the general banking law of the state, by Mr. Lotus Niles, of Springfield. Of this bank Mr. James C. Smith was president and Mr. Alfred B. Safford was the cashier. It carried on its business in Cairo up to the time of the organization of the City National Bank. The Planters Bank of Cairo was organized under the same general banking act in the same year and by a Mr. Trimble, of McCracken County, Kentucky. It did business here for a few years and seems to have been succeeded by the First National Bank of Cairo. The First National Bank of Cairo was organized on the 24th day of July, r863, under the National Banking Act of February 25, 1863. The first board of directors were John W. Trover, Daniel Hurd, Robert W. Miller, and the president, cashier and teller were John W. Trover, Daniel Hurd and William H. Morris. The bank continued to do business for many years; but its experience was somewhat varied, and its stock depreciating, Capt. William P. Halliday acquired the controlling interest in the stock, and after having carried on the business 0.£ the bank for a year or two, found it best to, discontinue the institution. The City National Bank of Cairo was organized February 7, 1865, under the same Nationa! Banking Act. The first board of directors were William P. Halliday, Samuel B. Halliday, A. B. Safford, S. Staats Taylor, and G. D. Williamson. The first of these became its president, the second its vice-president, and the third its cashier. They continued in these positions up to the times of their respective deaths. This bank continued to transact a large business in Cairo for over forty years, and until merged into the present First Bank & Trust Company. 231 HISTORY OF THE CITY OF CAIRO The Enterprise (Savings) Bank of Cairo was chartered March 3, [869, the incorporators of which were William P. Halliday, William H. 3reen, and Alfred B. Safford. It was conducted chiefly as a savings lank and did a large business until its merger, with the City National, nto the First Bank & Trust Company. The First Bank & Trust Company was organized on the zd day )f January, I907, and is the successor of the City National Bank and :he Enterprise (Savings) Bank above mentioned. The present officers md board of directors of the bank are as follows: John S. Aisthorpe, )resident; Henry S. Candee, Walter H. Wood, and William P. Hallilay , vice-presidents; H. R. Aisthorpe, cashier and secretary; Thomas P. Cotter, Reed Green, H. E. Halliday, Andrew Lohr, Peter Saup, Paul G. Schuh and Thomas J. Smyth. There was no other bank in Cairo besides the two National Banks :rom the year 1865 until the year 1875, when Thomas Lewis, long a :esident of Cairo, organized the Alexander County Bank under the state )anking law of February IS, 1851, and only a short time before that lct was repealed by the adoption of the state constitution of 1870. rhe officers of that bank were P. C. Canady, president; Henry Wells, rice-president; Thomas Lewis, cashier; and Thomas J. Kerth, assistmt cashier. About one year later, the bank was reorganized, with fudge Fredolin Bross as president; Peter Neff as vice-president; aenry Wells, cashier; and Thomas J. Kerth, assistant cashier. It :ontinued its banking business until July I, 1887, when it was changed :0 a national bank, and called the Alexander County National Bank. [t8 present board of directors and officers are as follows: Edward A. :luder, president; Charles Feuchter, vice-president; James H. Galli- ;an, cashier; Charles O. Patier, Calvin V...