Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-07-21
A Notable Improvement.
THE HANDSOME NEW HOME OF THE NATIONAL SAT-
DEPOSIT COMPANY.

THE HANDSOME NEW HOME OF THE NATIONAL SAFE
DEPOSIT COMPANY.
The handsome new building at the northeast
corner or 18th street and New York avenue is
nearly completed. For the past eighteen months
the patrons OF the National Safe Deposit Company
and Savings Bank have been listening to the din
OF hammers and gazing upon the rough boards OF
the scafodng used by the workmen. All this is
changed. The old-fashoned building, which was
one OF the landmarks OF the city, has disappeared.
In It's place has risen stately pile, which is an
ornament 10 the conspicuous site upon which It
stands. II IS one OF the most substantial build
fngs ever erected IN this city, and yet perhaps one
OF the most ornate. The brick-work OF the exte-
nor Is enriched with Seneca stone and terra
Gotta, the latter being In elaborate designs
The terra-cotta frieze is a fine specimen
OF work of that kind. The main
entrance is constructed entirely OF stone, with
carved work at the sides and top. Arounded
tower projection OF copper is the feature or the
corner, ana 1t terminates in graceful cupola Of
the same material The entire building Is fire.
proof To sustain the weight OF the brick floors
the exterior walls are feet thick at the basement
and gradually decrease until at the top Of the NTH
ana last story the thickness is feet.
THE FIRST FLOOR
will be used for the business OF the company and
Is magnificent apartment. The ceiling is 81 feet
nigh and Is supported by massive iron pillars. The
orlck arches resting on iron girders, which sep
arate each floor, in the banklng-room afford an
opportunity for decoration which has not been
neglected. The walls and ceilings are painted in
what Is known plastic work, and the colorS and
design harmonic with the rich mahogany wood
work or the room. The high walnScoting enriched
with panels, the counters, doors and all the wood
work Is OF that color which makes this wood so
effective In interior decoration. Standing out clear
from the walls on all sides is the great vault with
Drlck and steel walls.
THE VAULT
The exterior OF the vault is covered with ting
OF an ornamental design. This vault is built up
from the rock, and the lower part which is in the
basement, Is used for the storage OF silver. 1t is
n MI a nnhl ptndf ho
Top OF the vault and have there room for the
meeting Of the directors The vaults In The base
ment extend under the sidewalk all the way
around and are well worth seeing. The brick
walls In this part as wei. throughout the
building are laid in Portland cement. As Is well
known, this cement when dry becomes like stone
1t is almost Impossible TO chiSel a hole through
wall OF this Kind. Col. Robert l. Fleming, the
architect and builder, who has had entire charge
that he used up three or four men In trying 20 cut
small hole through a wall
THE FIRE-PRooF CHARACTER
or the construction Is carried out with equal in
the upper stories OF the building. The entrance
to these is from NeY York avenue, and there Is
an iron staircase with marble steps, and risers
leading up TO the topof the building An elevator
oilers an easier method or ascent, and is now in
operation, a. the nfth or upper story, and por-
ton OF the fourth story Is occupied by the offices
OF the United states Fish Commission. The adj
vantage OF the ten rooms on each OF the four
Storle, Is That they are all front rooms.
A FINE VIEW OF THE CITY
can be obtained from the root, which is protected
by parapet. The roof is formed OF brick arches
on iron grders and Is covered with Neuchatel
cement, which has the merit OF expanding and
contracting with the heat and cold, and In conS.-
quence never cracks. This roofing, with the brick
parapet covered with copper, is only part or the
thorough fire-proonng or the building. There is
no wood in The building except the doors and the
window frames Even the partitions between the
rooms are made OF terra Gotta. Some day the en-
tire building Will be used for storage purposes, and
one story Is as secure as another.
portion OF the ground floor on 18th street has
been lifted up as stores.
HOW 1T WAS BUILT.
The building, Independent or the ground, cost
quarter Of million Of dollars, and during the en-
tire time occupied In its construction the business
of the company has gone on without the loss or a
single nour. The new building has been built up
around the old, and only a lew days ago the last
veSIigeS OF the former Stru ture were removed Mr.
Is. Z. Snyder, the president or the company, who
has given his time TO this work, thought that
great credit was due that they had been able 10
carry on the business and the building at the
time IL required good deal OF thought on the
part Of the builder and considerable nIgnt work
but it was done with entire success and satisrac-