Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-03-23
COUNTY NATIONAL BANK


Ne" DANAAN1 hOUSE OCCCPlED.
a Fine Ssructure-Some DESCRIPTION of IT.
Names of Builders, Building Commit
tee and Bank Officers
The new banking house, built for the
use Of the Lancaster County National
bank, has been completed. 1t OCCUPIES
the site of the old banking house, and adds
one more to the many fine structures on
the first square on East King street. The
nav building has front of 90 feet 4 inches,
a depth of 90 feet, AID heighth Of As
feet. The walls are Of brick and are
eighteen inches in thickness, except the
front wall which is twenty-five inches
thick.
The front elevation presents the ap-
pearance Of . thrss story building, of
unique design-~ltogether unlike any
other in this city. The front wall has a
handsome base of Richmond granite. The
wall itself is Of Philadelphia pressed brick,
with Ohio stone dressing-the window sills
being Of that material, while broad band
of the same extends across the entire
front containing the words, in raised let
ters, LANCASTER COUNTY NATIONAL
BANK" The arch above tie doorway and
the arched tops of the windows are laid in
alternate rows of red and black bricks,
and pretty designs in black brick laid at
proper intcrvalsin tho battresses, pilastcrs
and cOrnice give n pleasant relief to the
red brick wall. The top of the building
terminates in a row Of battlements, with
pyramidal stone caps.
- In the 6rst-stOry there are two largo
windows, one on either aide Of the door,
filled with fine plate glass. The second
story has three double windows and the
third six single windows, all filled with
fine glass. One important popularity of
the building is that it has but single en-
trance-the front door. Thero is no way
Of getting into any part Of the building.
from basement to gazret, except by going
through this door, which leads directly
into the. banking room, and Of course the
only means of exit is through the same
door. Thus every conner, tor whatever
purpose, must present himself before tho
assembled officers and this makes it bad
for tue thieves, burglars and other i'm
proper characters.
As stated above, the building viewed
from the outside has the appearance OF
being three stories high, but in fact it is
only two stOries-the ceiling Of the bank
ing-rOom extending above the second
story windows. This room is by far tho
largest, handsomest and most conveniently
arranged banking room in the city. 1t is
"a feet in length and q in width, and 81
feet in height from floor to ceiling. The
floor is of English tiles, of ten or dozen
different shades, arranged in pret1ily de-
signed geometrical figures. The walls are
of light neutral tint. plastered in sand
finish, and wainscotcd in walnut. A heavy
and very pretty cOrnice runs entirely around
the banking-room. The ceiling is pierced
by two large sky-iShts, seven by ten feet,
tho roof-lights being of hammered plate
glass and the ceiling lights of frosted glass.
These skylights, and the large front Win
dows shed q flood of mellow light through
out tho room. For night work, a sufficient
number of gas burners are placed ut pro-
per intervals. The room is heated by hot
air from two furnaces in tho basement, one
of them MershOn and the other port.
able Reynolds heater. The hot air is con-
veyed through pipes to flues in the West
wall of the building, and enters the room
through registers cot in slate frames.
There are veutilating tlues furnished with
similar registers, to let off surplus heat
and impure cir. The fues, placed at reg
ular intervals along the wall, form well
pilasters which, together With
the lofty ceiling, tho broad walls and
heavy corDice, will furnish a fine field for
tho taste and skill of tho fresco artist "in
the coming by-and-by."
The business part Of the banking room
is enclosed behind heavy walnut counters,
With birdeye maple panels, and along the
outer edges of the counters is placed i
line Of plate glass and woven wire screen
ing, set in heavy and prettily designed
walnut railing, similar to that used in the
1o,n l. nd 1v
front of the room and for at least an equal
distance along the west wall. Within the
enclosure thus formed are the desks, ia
bles, drawers, racks and other appliances
necessary for the officers and clerks. Near
the rear of this enclosure are two large
freproof aud burglar. proof vaults; for the
safe keeping of money, books and other
valuables. One of these vaults contains a
Watson & Son safe, and the other a Her.
ring & Co. safe-both being furnished
with locks of the strongest and most ap-
p proved construction.
In the rear of the banking room, and con-
Meeting with il, is the directors room, 81
feet long by IL feet wide. 1t is handsome
ly furnished and looks ont upon 4 large
lot of ground belonging to the bank, finely
sodded and filed with fruit trees. Ad-
joining the room isa Slationary washstand,
water-closet and other conveniences.
A stairway in the northeast corner of
the building leads to a second story room
above the directorss' room. IL is fitted up
with shelving and pigeOD-hOlcs for the
storing away Of books, papers and other
archives, no longer of much value, except
as matters of occasional reference. A
door from this room leads out upon a
pretty balcony, with ash balusters and
walnut balustrade, overlooking the bank
ing room, and being a fine point Of OBJ
servatiOn for directors, stockholders or
patrons of the bank, who may be admit
ted to it, to watch the busy clerks within
and the bustling throng of customers
without the railing. There is similar
balcony over the front. vest:bule and ex.
tending entirely across the room. 1t was
built. however, more for ornament than
use, there being no stairway leading to it.
Above the storage room is capaciOUs :
loft, of tho full extent Of the building,
largo enough'to contain the acculnulating
books, papers and other documents for a
century to come.
Mr.. G. 8. Erisman, architect and
builder, designed the plans and specifica-
tiOns, and had exclusive charge of the
erection of the building. The work has
been finished in every department, reflect
ing credit not only upon the builder, but
upon the mechanics and artisans who so
ably assisted him..
We begin az the bottom and name their
order: The demolition of the old building
and the excavation Of the cellar for the
new, was done by Martin Kendig. The
walls and other masonry we're