The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1855-10-27
MONDAY MORNING, OCTOBER %, 1866.
A Model Banking House.

Model Banking House.
We were interested for an hour or two a
few days since in examining the interior con-
struction and fixtures of the new Banking
House of Borup & Oakes, Third street, below
Jackson. We have heretofore been called
upon to notice the architectural skill and
taste of Mr. Branch, the builder of this new
concern but we must say that he has ex-
ceeded all former works in the finishing up
of this new Banking House. Credit is due
Mr.. Branch for the elegant and substantial
manner in which he has carried out the de-
tails of his original plan Of making this the
model building of the kind in the North
West.
But when we talk of a banking house, it
is of course expected that the public will
wish to know more about the strongholds of
the institution than of the mechanical
work visible to the eye. Therefore we will
proceed to describe:
Some people may say that DR.. Borup is
not safe man; but we are compelled on this
occasion to state the fact that he is "safe
man." That is to say, he has a safe which
will safely hold and thoroughly guard all the
money that may be deposited in it from now
till dooms lay. The vault of this bank is
fire-prooG to begin with. Then we come to
the money safe, inside the vault. This is
one of Bacon's celebrated Burglar Proof
Bank Safes "a safe now in general use by
Bankers in the States 1t is composed of the
best quality of English spring steel cease
hardened) and wrought iron, which have
proved the best and only materials the me-
chanical world has yet produced to resist the
various cunning implements devised by bur-
glars to promote the ends of their trade.
The lock to this safe is styled Yales' Patent
Improved Duplex Bank Lock-" and is much
more complicated than its name. There is
no problem in Euclid that is not more easily
worked out than the opening of the safe
with the keys in your hand. Capt. Dana,
the Cashier, undertook to show us the modus
Operandi of the concern; but it would be
about as difficult although we profess to be
something of mechanic-for us to use
those keys successfully, as it will be for the
Rice people to keep their party together in
Minnesota after Rice himself ceases to exist.
This is home and homely comparison
perhaps uncouth and misplaced-but it is the
best that strikes us at this moment, and we
cannot help using it. Were we on jury,
we think it would not be policy at least to
send a man to the Penitentiary who could
pick that lock; for he certainly would be the
mechanical genius of the age-IIObbs not
excepted. ...
Another safe, thoroughly ire-proof, is in
side the fire-proof vault, which is used as a
depository of account books and valuable
papers.
The finish of the business room here de-
serves passing notice. The joiner's work
is not surpassed by any we have seen in this
or any other city. The painting end grain
ing come fully un to Tue harmonious style of
The whole establishment. Mr.. Charles Ross
is the artist of this department; and Mr..
Crosby did the plastering, &C., which is in
keeping with the other mechanical excellence
of the finish. The windows and partitions
are of enamelled glass of elegant and taste
full pattern; and massive chandelier over
head harmonizes we'll with the general ar
rangement of the room and its elegant fur
niture. ... .-.-.-
We had in our memory the items of cost
of the various interior fixtures Of the estab
lishment, but can now only recollect two Oh
three of them. The burglar-proof safe alone
cost $500, and the lock $24O. The glass
of the windows and partitions cost $l67.
Upon the whole, if some citizens object, al
they will, to regarding Borup & Oakes as th'
model Bankers of st. Paul, no one can fai
to give them the credit of having the mode
Banking House-a finished building
structure which does high credit to the me
chanical skill of our young city.
e The crew of the schooner Napoleon
on hor I. rt tr;,, from, Green Raw hOmeward