BANKING: Boys from Rochester

The Johnstown Flood was the big U. S. news when Robert Charles Watson and his twin brother, William George, each five-foot-four, alike as two Dromios, set out from home one summer morning in 1889 to look for their first jobs. They met at noon at "Four Corners" in downtown Rochester, N. Y. Rob had landed a $10-a-month job as messenger for the Rochester Trust & Safe Deposit Co. Bill had a $10-a-month job as messenger for the Commercial National Bank.

Last week, contriving to avoid all the fuss & feathers they could, Rob and Bill celebrated their 50th anniversary in Rochester banking, Rob as president of Rochester Trust (third largest in town with resources of $42,540,898), Bill as vice president of the Lincoln-Alliance Bank & Trust Co., largest in Rochester and one of the 100 largest in the U. S. (resources, $86,487,946). That night they sat in honor seats at separate country-club dinners, smiled at many a twin-crack and went home early.

No Boys-from-Syracuse fixes have complicated the steady lives of the boys from Rochester, but they face routine confusions. Recent example: a friend mistook Bill for Rob on Main Street, apologized for his error when Bill identified himself. Few days later he stopped Bill again and told him of his mistake, again sure he was Rob. Bill did not bother to explain. After 70 years it is an old story.