San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-12-20
SAN ANTONIO NATIONAL BANK.

The banking institutions of this city are
generally accepted as among the SOundest in
the southwest. The memory of the oldest
inhabitant runneth not to the time when
there was a San Antonio bank failure, and
this not outstanding there are some very
aged men in this city, and San AntOniO's
business years are rekOned by periods ante
dating the birth of the republic.
BY general consent at home and abroad,
the San Antonio National bank ranks all
other financial institutions of the city. 1t
was organized in 1866 with capital stock of
Sl25,OOO, at which figure it nOminally re-
mains to-day. Business was originally
established in the old French building, south
east corner of Main plaza, now used as a
United States court room. The bank
quarters were in the extreme southeast of
the building, up stairs, and overlooking the
famous bend in the river which forms Bowie
island. The following year move was
made to the bank building now occupied by
OCOnnOr " Sullivan, and two years later,
1879, to the Dwyer building, corner of Com
merCe and st. Mary'S street, in which
operations were conducted until November
of this present year, when the San Antonio
National took possession of its present
quarters, in which it will probably remain
and do business for century to come.
During the twenty years of its existence
the San Antonio National grew and pros
pered, increased its surplus, extended its
operations, multiplied its profits and en-
larged its business until at the last annual
meeting of the directors its surplus and
undivided profits were four times the
capital stock.
The necessity for increased facilities for
their growing operations, as well as abSO-
lutte security against loss by fire, had long
been felt by the bank management, and on
the sixth day of August, 1885, ground was
broken for the new bank building. The
site selected was on the north side of Com
merce street, between st. Mary and Navarro
streets, the lot fronting 59l3 feet on Com
merce and running through to the river, a
depth of about 200 feet. The bank building
is a solid, two story stone structure, :2Xl0O
feet, built throughout in the most substantial
manner, and as absolutely tire-prOOf as stone,
iron and cement can make it. The fOunda-
tiOns are laid i'll Il bed of solid COnciu.u, and
the walls below the water table are from
three to four feet in thickness. Above the
water table the walls preserve a uniform
thickness of two feet Dimension stone are
used throughout, every stone i'll the building
running through from inner to outer sur
face. These stones are hammer dressed
and present Il rugged, ornate appearance that
harmOnzes well with the massive character
Of the structure The floors are Portland
cement and stone. The iron eyebeamS are
Is inches in depth throughout, and the
cement filling is covered with encauStic
tlllng. Inc ROOF Is tnt same as the nOOTS;
iron, cement and tiling, absolutely secure
against damage by fire. The height of base
ment ceiling is eight feet; of the first story,
Is feet, and of the third story IL feet.
Entering the bank through the massive
stone pOrtiCO which forms the main en-
teranCe, the visitor finds himself in CORR
dor eight feet wide by 50 feet in length On
his right is the wall of the building, on his
left the bank offices. Separated from these
by solid walnut counter, surmOunted by Il
heavy screen of ornamental bronze work, he
finds himself effeCtually cutoff from all COM
munication with the bank officials, save
through the wickets which open sufficiently
for purposes of business Intercourse. A
door to tine left, near the enterance, admits
you to the private Office of the bank preSi-
dent. Even here you are effectually cut off
from the paying and receiving tcllers by
an ornament steel screen rising nine feet
from the floor. This screen completely
enclOses the cash department of the bank,
separating the tellers not only from the
private Office, but also from the other
officials of the bank. A steel screen, sim
liar in height and design to that which
enclOSes the tellers, cuts off about 20 feet at
the rear end of the bank room, which Is used