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Cage 18
Commercial Bank of Vancouver, Washington
Records, 1888-1911.

Correspondence, minute and account books, and ledgers of the Commercial Bank of Vancouver.

ORGANIZATIONAL HISTORY

The Commercial Bank of Vancouver, Washington, was organized under territorial law in 1888 and continued in operation until December, 1910, when it closed amid controversy and suspicion. The bank's primary area of service was retail trade and small manufacturing in the Vancouver-Portland area. It also undertook considerable investment in land, some of a speculative nature. This combination of policies proved somewhat unstable throughout the bank's history, and, as a consequence, there arose differing views among the management. This resulted at times in rather drastic corrective measures such as the reduction of the capital stock or changes among the officers and directors.

The early years were dominated by Samuel M. Beard, for many years Cashier and then President until 1906. It was he who seem to have been the author of the investment policies of the bank. (Other business activities of S. M. Beard are documented in the papers and records of the Beard Fruit Company and the Vancouver Creamery Company in the Washington State University Library.) His successor, H. C. Phillip, continued these policies, which by 1910 were proving disastrous. Sensing the bank to be in difficulty, the state bank examiner, J. L. Mohundro, intervened and attempted to reorganize the bank and keep it operating. Feeling that the officers of the bank had deceived him, the examiner finally applied for a receiver and the bank went into a very involved liquidation, In addition, the President and Cashier were indicted for concealing the financial condition of the bank as well as illegally accepting deposits. After two trials, the President was acquitted, the Cashier's case was dropped, and the state bank examiner's office had its powers clarified by the legislature.

The papers of the Commercial Bank of Vancouver at Washington State University are far from complete. There are, however, enough to document the general policies, practices and problemS of the bank. In addition, the papers are more than sufficient as a representative sample which could be used to illustrate some of the banking practices of the early 20th century in Washington State. However, their incompleteness leaves considerable portions of the specific history of the Commercial Bank in doubt, especially the complicated series of events surrounding the closing of the bank.

CONTAINER LIST

Item	Description
1	Minute books, articles of incorporation, by-laws, director's oaths, real estate papers, 1888-1911. ca. 50 items.
	Letterbooks
2	December 18, 1889-October 13, 1890
3	August 9, 1893-October 6, 1894
4	September 17, 1895-June 25, 1896
5	March 9, 1897-February 9, 1898
6	February 10, 1898-February 15, 1899
7	February 16, 1899-Febrary 6, 1900
8	October 7, 1902-August 14, 1903
9	January 18, 1910-May 31, 1910
10	Letterbook of S. M. Beard re: Bank correspondence and other businesses with which Beard was associated, April 8, 1899-September 23, 1904.
	Journal (fund accounts and daily balances)
11	January 2, 1890-August 1, 1900
12	February 9, 1892-March 16, 1895
13	March 18, 1895-April 23, 1898
14	April 25, 1898-June 11, 1901
15	August 2, 1904-September 25, 1907
16	September 26, 1907-November 12, 1910
	Depositors Balance Book
17	September 1, 1892-June 6, 1893
18	June 15, 1893-June 6, 1894
19	June 7, 1894-May 8, 1895
20	May 9, 1895-January 15, 1896
21	January 16, 1896-January 8, 1897
22	January 9, 1897-December 29, 1897
23	December 30, 1897-December 23, 1898
24	December 24, 1898-December 23, 1899
25	December 26, 1899-January 28, 1901
26	January 29, 1901-November 13, 1901
27	November 14, 1901-May 31, 1902
28	Jane 2, 1902-December 13, 1902
	Collections and remittances (interbank)
29	June 30, 1893-October 2, 1900 (Chase National Bank, New York)
30	June 21, 1907-October 5, 1907 (Bank of California, Portland)
31	October 5, 1907-January 30, 1908 (Bank of California, Portland)
32	January 30, 1908-May 16, 1908 (Bank of California, Portland)
33	May 16, 1908-September 10, 1908 (Bank of California, Portland
34	September 10, 1908-January 11, 1909 (Bank of California, Portland)
35	January 12, 1909-May 17, 1909 (Bank of California, Portland)
36	September 23, 1907-June 29, 1908 (Mixed and local)
37	January 23, 1908-November 26, 1909 (Bank of California, Portland)
38	October 29, 1908-February 17, 1910 (Chase National Bank, New York)
39	July 7, 1908-June 23, 1909 (Mixed and local)
40	June 26, 1909-June 23, 1910 (Local Banks)
41	January 23, 1910-October 31, 1910 (Bank of California, Portland)
42	March 23, 1909-January 28, 1910 (Wells Fargo Nevada National Bank, San Francisco)
43	May 18, 1909-September 28, 1909 (Bank of California, Portland)
44	September 27, 1909-February 7, 1910 (Bank of California, Portland)
45	February 7, 1910-June 23, 1910 (Bank of California, Portland)
46	August 4, 1909-December 17, 1910 (Bank of California, Seattle)
	Checks and Deposits Register
47	February 10, 1897-August 15, 1898
48	February 17, 1903-November 3, 1903
49	November 21, 1905-May 18, 1906
50	April 5, 1907-June 18, 1907
51	June 11, 1908-October 21, 1908
52	October 22, 1908-February 18, 1909
53	June 29, 1908-March 4, 1909
54	February 19, 1909-June 11, 1909
55	November 1, 1909-March 29, 1910
56	March 30, 1910-June 15, 1910
57	Paid Loans Register, 1908-1911 (including some examiner records)
58	Depositor's Specimen Signature Register
59	Collections Register 1901
60	Draft Register 1910-1904
61-66	Checks Register 1891-1895; 1910; 1908 (these records may be of one of the associated businesses conducted by bank officers)