THE WORK OF COMMISSIONERS 119 
Randall, of the House of Representatives, asking 
for legislation which would permit the payment 
of five per cent interest on bank funds deposited 
in the United States Treasury. They also asked 
that the bank building be purchased by the 
United States government. The balances in the 
Treasury for five years had been: December 31, 
1874, $143,526.60; December 31, 1875, $156- 
867.34; December 30, 1876, $253,479.08; Dec- 
cember 31, 1877, $376,893.30; November 30, 
1878, $230,826.36.” 
It was a long time after the bank got into 
difficulties before the depositors received any of 
their money. There were numerous preferred 
claims which had to be settled, and these pay- 
ments took much of the ready money for the 
first year. Then, as soon as there were enough 
funds, a dividend was declared, and the money 
distributed among the depositors. In this con- 
nection Purvis and Creswell performed most of 
their work—at signing checks. A proposition to 
have the government depositories distribute the 
money was objected to by those members of Con- 
gress who believed that the government should 
accept no responsibility whatever; so the checks 
had to be written and sent to the depositors 
through the mails. Under the administration of 
the commissioners three dividends were declared: 
20 per cent on November 1, 1875; 10 per cent 
on March 20, 1878; 10 per cent on September 1, 
1880. A 20 per cent dividend amounted to 
$593,239.30.% 
» Bruce Report, Appendix, pp. 7-9. 
% Sen. Ex. Doc. No. 10, 45 Cong., 3 Sess.; Bankers’ Magazine, July, 
1881; Report of Commissioners, December 14, 1874. Among the pre- 
ferred claims were those of depositors who had made deposits after 
June 20, 1874.