New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1859-04-18
THE NEW CANAL BANK.

The new building at the corner OF Camp and Gra-
vier Streets lately built for and now occupied by the
New Orleans Canal and Banking Company, commands
the admiration Of ALL by its solidity, neatness, and
beautiful ornamentaton. Solid it looks, however,
it's actual and internal solidity is little known to those
who did not particularly notice It when in process Of
erection. ,..
We had the opportunity Of looking through the
building, day or two since, during banking hours,
and Of seeing not only how 1t had been finished but
its admirable adaptability to the purposes intended
It is truly model banking-house; and we are not
ready to gainsay what we have frequently heard as
serted, that for beauty, sodity, safety and general
convenience for banking operations, it is not excelled
by any similar building in the United States. The
architects Messrs. Caller & Esterbrook, have reason
to feel proud Of it, as the finest OF the numerous
monuments of their taste and skill which adorn the
| city.
| The heavy ironwork and machinery of the outside
walls, with the iron window lintels, are apparent to
any passer. Though the building does not look fire.
proof outside, especially about the windows it is still
perfectly fire proof Inside the sashes and wooden
shutters heavy panels Of ron resting and sliding
in iron frames and when closed entirely protecting
the interior from anything like FIRE outside; and the
interior partitions and floors are 80 solid that
/
either of the others. The floors are composed of
brick arches resting upon iron seepers like those Of
the new Custom House the stairway between the
basement and second story is Of solid iron resting
upon and entirely surrounded by the heaviest ma
sonry.
| The arrangement of the banking. room is admira
BILE, and gives the greatest satisfaction to Mr. Rath
bone the President and the other officers Of th.
bank. Whilst each subordinate officer has his OWL
division, separate from the rest, in the horseshoe
range of desks, the cashier occupies position from
which, whilst attending to his own duties, he cal
overlook everybody, and assure himself that at al
, times everything goes right. -.
The chief novelty of this bank, however, is it
strong.box, or money vaults. There are three o
four vaults, each about twelve feet by ten in lengt
, and breadth, and about twelve feet high and a
lighted by gas. They are neatly finished inside an
: give the behoder very little idea Of their enormou
strength. The oors sides, and arched ceilings, al
# made of heavy plates Of iron, an inch and ha
thick and secured to each other in the outest poss
n BILE manner. This part of the work was done by N
Luther Homes of this city Outside the iron partition
are solid walls of masonry. Outside these walls, ,agai
an opening or vacuum several inches deep being lei
"a are other and far stouter walls, made of brick al
"a hydraulic cement, with heavy wrought iron bands
every layer, transfxed by stout iron bars; the Whc
" of the iron being embedded in the brick and morti
- - The doors of the vaults are admirable and me
ponderous pieces of work. The vault is first clos
n by an inner pair Of doors of great strength. T
outer doors are over feet hgh more than thr
y. feet wide, and three inches thick, made of sol
wrought and chilled iron. Some idea of these doc
n may be derived from the fact that each par weig
about three tuns The locks are Of Lilies patel
~ combination locks which cannot be picked, or bov
10 with powder, Or even opened by any one if the
be left in the lock. The doors and frames were a
IF furnished by Llie the ironsafe and bank-lock mi
no ufacturer through his agents, Messrs. Fairbanks
he Co. No. 90 Camp street, the doors being the arg
Sc; Sc; of the kind ever made in this country
m ila The new Canal Bank is about heavy as sect
M M of the new Custom House. of similar size; and
The model affair throughout, being alike calculated
1as defy fire, earthquake powder, human villany, or
other test to which it could possibly be subjected.