Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1884-12-24
rHarnsg COUNTER.

One of the EAGLE reporters in Yesterday
mornings issue made mention Of the new
banking counter just placed in the Wichita
National bank. His description, while leay-
ing the reader impressed with the idea Of
something elaborately beautiful. yet an ar
tist or workman would hardly get any def
mite or adequate idea Of the actual thing
which cost nearly two thousand dollars.
While the form cannot be technically de-
scribed BY us nor the richness and beauty
of the mouldings, the capitals, panels and
bases pictured in type. We cai, say it is
thirty-cight feet long and nine feet high, and
that il forms scalene angle running from
the eastern wall around and back 10 the
south partition enclosing the doors Of the
vault, the cashiers' desk, the desks Of the
bookkeepers- teller and vice-president- The
body of the counter, sides and top are Of
solid cherry polished up to the smoothness
Of mirror, ard the pannels are Of birds
eye maple veneered. The pilas.ers or col
umns which are very heavy with line
wrought bases, and beautiful capitals of
solid wood carving are of black walnut.
Demonstrations Of encaussic thing of high
finish and brilliancy run up the faces of the
pilasters and entirely around the heavy edge
of the counter-top properly. The carvings
Of the pilasters and of the elaborate body of
the counter arc further ornamented
with carvings of beautiful designs
and resets stamped in the wood by patent
process. There are three wickets, or win
dowi, size three feet wide by two and a half
feet high each, which are formed of solid
nickel work, the rods running up and down
being highly FURNISHED and each rod being
about three feet long and half an inch in
thickness. The tops and bottoms of these
beautiful rods are held to their places by
parallel bars which are connected with open
filagree work in nickle, representing flowers
and flying birds. The pinacles of the prin-
cipal pilasters, which reach away up towards
the ceiling, are of solid walnut carvings, and
stud the counter its entire length, being or
ranging about four fec. apart. The real
form of the counter would be hard to describe
but II consists Of running angles and a
single recess. The whole is striking, rich
and attractive, and shows artistic skill and
work throughout to the smallest
and most insignificant detail. The work,
which has taken months, was done at
The shops of W. P. Stem, by James II. Nor
gan, who says it is INCIDENTALLY the finest
bank counter in the state. Mr.. Morgan.
whose business for years was the erection
Of bank counters in New York City,
says himself that while more costly coun-
ters can be found in that city he doubts if
On more beautiful and unique Can be, tax
ing it in all its parts. Ofthe mans genius
and ability TO execute, we need add nothing
so far as the people Of this city are concern
ID, as all the finest work of that character in
his city has come from his brain and
hands. Like the woman who had to have
new house because of her new furniture,
Mcrgan's counter has beggarded It's sar-
and the officers of the Wichita
National will be compelled to do something
to elevate the harmonies of the room to its
central attraction.