The ledger card for the record of cash transactions regarding packages left for storage is practically the same as that used in the renting of safes, shown in Figure 94; the only difference being that the words "Package No. -" are substituted for the words "Safe No. ." It is customary, however, to have the two sets of cards of different colors.

Some companies use what is called the "Rental, Renewal and Surrender Book," a form of which is shown in Figure 104. This is intended to give a running account of the business done by the department. It shows the business transacted during any given period, and provides a means of comparing the growth of the company from time to time.

This department sends to the general bookkeeper a daily report, which, together with the reports from all of the other departments, is placed each morning on the desk of the President or the executive head of the company. This report shows the number of safes rented during the day, the number surrendered, the number of packages received and the number surrendered, a statement of the number of visitors to the vault during the day, and a comparative statement of the number of safes rented, packages in storage and current earnings. A form of such a report, adapted, of course, to the needs of the company which uses it, is shown in Figure 105. Monthly, semi-annual and annual statements of the same character are also prepared.

CHAPTER IX.

FORMS AND RECORDS FOR THE BANKING DEPARTMENT.

A

S has already been stated, the business of the banking department of a trust company differs little from that of an ordinary state bank, with the exception that trust companies in many states are forbidden to discount commercial paper. As a consequence many of the forms and records used by state banks, and also some of those used by national banks, are adapted to the use of the banking department of the trust company. Such forms and records have been treated at length in several excellent books on the subject and in current periodicals; so that in treating of them here it is necessary to travel over a fairly well-beaten road. However, each year sees introduced into our banking institutions new forms and devices, and he who would keep abreast of the times must be ever watchful for the latest improvements. The up-to-date systems of bank accounting involve many time and labor-saving plans, some of which are regarded by the old-time banker as sacrificing safety and completeness to speed. Loose-leaf records, card systems and the doing away with the use of intermediate journals have largely supplanted the old systems in many banks; while others regard these innovations with suspicion if not with open hostility. Experience, however, seems not to justify the fears that many bankers hold regarding new methods.

The modern trust company is equipped with many devices which lighten labor, save time and insure greater accuracy and neatness. Prominent among these are the typewriter and the adding-machine, without which the enormous amount of business done each day by the large institutions would be difficult if not impossible. A great profusion of other time and labor-saving devices are used, rotary letter-copying machines, filing-cabinets, manifolding devices, interest tables, coin-trays and counters, check-protectors, rubber stamps, etc.

While there is a general similarity in the forms used by different companies for given purposes, slight variations from standard forms are so numerous that it would be quite impossible in such a sketch as this to include all good forms that are in use. In selecting the forms to be given here, as in selecting those already given for other departments, the writer does not intend to imply that other forms may not be as good. It should, perhaps, also be remarked that throughout this work the writer has usually avoided New York city forms, because the business of banks and trust companies in the metropolis is in some respects different in its requirements from that of those located in the smaller cities and in the towns in different parts of the country.

When a new customer opens an account, the first form needed is the signature-card, upon which he writes his signature to be used by the company as a means of identifying his checks. The card, a form of which is shown in Figure 106, should also contain his address, and other information as shown in the figure. These cards are filed alphabetically in cases with guide-cards at frequent intervals; the cases being placed in such a position as to be easily accessible to the paying tellers and to the bookkeepers. Some companies take two or more signatures from each customer, so that the signatures may be filed in places convenient to the different workers who may have to refer to them. Formerly signature

books were used instead of cards; but, except in very small companies, the advantages of the cards are so many that they are rapidly displacing books for this purpose. It sometimes happens that the signature of the new depositor cannot be obtained at the time the account is opened. In such case, a signature-card is sent to him to be signed and returned to the company; and in the meantime it is a good plan to have a dummy signature-card, like that shown in Figure 107, which is filed in the proper place with the regular signature-cards until such time as the signature is obtained. The use of this card, which should be of different color from that of the signature-cards, serves as a constant reminder that a signature is missing, and also makes the signature file a complete index of accounts.

The customer is next provided with a pad of deposit tickets, one of which he fills out for his first deposit, with help from the new accounts teller if necessary. A customary form of deposit-slip is shown in Figure 108. Figure 109 shows another form providing for the separate listing of checks on local banks. For customers whose deposits are apt to include long lists of checks, larger slips in much the same form are provided, double columns for amounts often being used.

The customer is next given a pass-book, in which is entered his name and the date and amount of the first deposit. It is a great convenience to have the customer's name written on the front cover of the pass-book, and this is usually done. The pages in the old-style pass-book, still used

in many institutions, particularly in the East, are usually ruled as shown. in Figure 110, the deposits being entered, as debits to the trust company, on the left-hand page; and the checks being entered, when the book is left to be balanced, on the right-hand page, as shown in the figure. It is now more common, however, to list the checks on an adding-machine, entering in the pass-book only the total of the checks, and subtracting such total from the footing of the deposits to show the balance. In such case the pages of the pass-book are not regarded as debit and credit pages; the book being simply a record of deposits, which are entered on either the left-hand or right-hand page of the book when the previous page is filled, as is shown in Figure 111. Rubber stamps are used to insert the words "total checks paid" and "balance," and the lines, when the book is balanced.

Several different sizes of pass-books are usually kept in stock to accommodate accounts of all degrees of activity, the rulings of all passbooks being the same, following either the form shown in Figure 110 or that shown in Figure 111. Some companies provide special pass-books for the use of women customers, of size small enough (about 314 by 22 inches) to be carried in a woman's pocket-book.

FIG. 110.-PASS-BOOK, WITH DEBIT AND CREDIT PAGES.