James King of Wm.

had discontinued business on his own account, and been employed by Adams & Co.

as their cashier and banker, and Isaiah C.Wood had succeeded Haskell in chief control of the express department.
Wells, Fargo & Co.

were also bankers as well as expressmen, and William J.Pardee was the resident partner.
As the mail-steamer came in on February 17, 1855, according to her custom, she ran close to the Long Wharf (Meiggs's) on North Beach, to throw ashore the express-parcels of news for speedy delivery.
Some passenger on deck called to a man of his acquaintance standing on the wharf, that Page & Bacon had failed in New York.

The news spread like wild-fire, but soon it was met by the newspaper accounts to the effect that some particular acceptances of Page & Bacon, of St.Louis, in the hands of Duncan, Sherman & Co., in New York, had gone to protest.