The New York herald., 1868-12-16


| Grand Opening Day and Public Reerr,io. =,
| Celebration Of Ifs OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Of the Building and It's Magnificent Bnnkin~
Roems-The Structure Lasting and Spleu-
did Monument TO Architectural Art.
The Park Bank Building, adjoining the HERALD
Building, Ia at length completed. 1t has taken two
years to accomplish this result but they have been
two years OF assiduous, rare and skilled labor In
its colossal proportions, In Its admirable design IN
the exquistely ornate completeness OF its exterior
and Interior in the superby fitting adaptation OF all
its appointments in the sriklngly pointed manifesto
tion everywhere OF those chief and indispensable
essentials to perfect strength
and beauy-it stands forth one OF the proudest and
most magnificent monuments TO architectural art In
our city. The formal announcement OF the compile
tion Of the building was made known through invi-
tations sent to all the leading merchants and bus
ness men ofthe city to inspect yesterday the build
Ing and couple with the inspection indulgence In an
informal banqueting reception. There were thou
sands Of respondents to the Invitations crushing
run on the bank exceeding all bank panic precedents
ever known. So great indeed was the throng OF
visitors that 1t was quite impossible to get more
than passing glance OF the interior splendor OF the
building and tetius 0eatls f,e was he to whom the
splendid profuslon Of viands and wines did not
prove the same as did to Tantaus the golden fruit
A full description Of the Park Bank Building has
already been given In the HERALD, and is unneces
sary, therefore, TO repeat the minute details of its
plan and style Of construction. 1t Is built OF pure
white marble; its frontage on Broadway, SO feet,
street OF feet inches Its height five stories, with
Mansard roof and its style OF architecture mngling
OF the Roman and Grecian Corinthian The imposing
beauty OF Its 'front.' its grand entrance and double
columns on either sde Its fine marble statuary and
circular pediments and c0rnces, supported by
encomum by the, passers-by on Broadway
But few, until they entered the building
YESTERDAY, however, had any conception Of the mag
nihcent completeness OF its interior and the incom
parable perectness OF the place for the purposes for
which It was designed. The banking room Is un-
II not In the world Architectural invention for the
utmost possible blending OF utility and elaborate
beauty and uniqueness OF finish has been taxed to
whose graceful and airy style OF finish Is cherd8upre
OF architectural art as also are the pleasant colors
OF the tastefuly frescoed walls the may network OF
bronze wire screen surmounting the counters and
heavy and curlousy wrought bronze part-
portion Of the room; and SO, too, the
nne finish Of the counters and the diverse-colored
marble OF their exterors, and the eaboratey carved
desks, and balconies on two sides supported by iron
beams and ornamental brackets. The dome Is elon-
gated, gracefully rising and swelling from the base
wholly made of iron and thick plate glass; and down
through IT there comes pouring such splendid mood
q sns On ~ tne s a day no gas s
exceeding beauty and fine workmanship, represent
Ing respectively Science Art Industry and Justice.
OF regal magnfcence as are all thes other to
be used for banking purposes. To look at the vaults
and the thickness OF their solid granite walls and
massive iron doors and ponderous bolts and nam.
moth Keys would be terror to the most desperate
burglar. One side OF one Of the vaults Is divided
into 488 apartments or distinct safes for special
posorsa feature that does not belong to any other
bank IN the city To these safes there are $50 dial
locks, having A. 730 combinations and 1OS register
locks. having q, 800 combnations-a very pleasant
array OF combinations against robberies The entire
building is nreproof well lighted and thoroughly
ventilated. and heated by steam. Mr.. Grlfnth
Thomas, who had already given exhibition OF his
superiority as an architect in his designs Of the new
Astor Library, the Pacnc, Metropolitan, Importers
and Traders St. Nicholas Broadway Bleecker street
Savings, Bowery Savings and other banks and COM
mercial edces was the architect OF the building. In
the completion OF this building he has iimitably
hanced his reputation. Mr.. j. 7. Smith was the con-
tracing builder. Messrs Chase & Co., of Broadway,
manufactured the bronze work. The ground and
building cost 81 900 600. The bank win remove from
tts present place In Beekman street into the new
building tomorrow. This bank is thirteen years old
and yet It has the heaviest deposits Of any bank In
the country. There are some sixty clerks. Mr.. w.
B. Kitcher. the president and James 8. Worth, the
cashier, are names well known in business circles.
Mr.. Worth holds his place not only most acceptably,
but legtimately, his grandfather having been the
cashier OF the old United States Bank.