Believe it or not, bank fees have been around for a long time. In 1926, the Lassen Industrial Bank introduced a “service charge” on checking accounts. The bank’s reasoning that it was meant to provide better service. The bank stated: “For the past decade the cost of conducting the banking business with higher wages, higher taxes and higher cost of check books, stationery and supplies has increased greatly. The rate of income realized by the bank has not advanced with the increasing cost of doing business.”

Of course this did not go over well with its customers in the greater Susanville area. It should be noted that the bank also had branches in Bieber and Fall River Mills, and those folks registered their dissatisfaction.

Tim