Morning journal and courier., 1888-04-07
A AuANnsomE RANKING HoUsE.

A HANDSOME BANKING HOUSE.
 The New Kdihce for the National
 Tradesmen's Bank-Features of the
 New Structure.
 The elegant new building of the National Tradesmen's bank is nearly finished and very soon will be ready for occupancy. It is one of the most charming and artistic banking houses of its size to be found any where in this country, and is most creditable to the city and to the enterprise and public spirit of this, one of the leading banks of our State. The building stands on Orange street, few doors from the present banking house of the Tradesmen's. Both the front and interior are models of elegance and artis- tic appearance. The front is of the beauti- full Longmeadow granite, first used, it is said, in this building in this city, and so massive and elegant is it's appearance that Mir. Cady, the noted New York architect, the architect of various of Yale's most beau tiful modern buildings, on inspecting it de- cided at once to recommend the same mate rial for Yales elegant new library building which is to be erected this year. Light ia furnished the interior from the front by means of two imposing arched windows of e single pane of French glass each, while above are other smaller windows similarly arched in stone, while the upper front is embellished by three massive stone pilasters whose rounded outer sides jut out g little from the face of the building and are hand somely carved in bas relief ct bottom, cen- ter and top, the tops forming little turrets, which rise Q few feet above the eornice. Entering the banking house and passing the vestibule the visitor sees before him a large commodious lobby which is beautifully tiled in American tiling, exe- cuted by Thomas Phillips 6 Son of this city, while to the left is the counter in irregular semi-circular form extending the whole length of the counting room and made of choice wood and in design very handsome. The openings at the te1lers' windows are guarded inside on either hand by upright open work of polished metal in addition to the regular metal framework, while the money is counted out on variegated marble plates. To the left immediately on entering tine building is the vice presidents office, a room 10x14, looking directly out upon Orange street. The entire room and the whole counting house and the rooms through out are wainscotted in quartered oak, which finely displays the grain and is embellished with ornamental devices of sim- liar choice wood and fine cabinet work The office opens into the counting room through 2 light door set Tn low decorated wooden framework, the upper part of which is bright ened by brass lattice work. The banking room is twenty-four feet wide by sixty eight feet deep and twenty-three feet in height, dimensions which show most commodious and ample sized room, with lofty ceiling, | and the entire walls and ceiling are beauti- | fed with exquisitely done fresco work ,sthe ' celors and figures of which are bright and cheerful in warm, soft tints, and the whole showing a most harmonious blending combined with artistic delicacy and | charnaing effect The floor of the central \ fireplace and the back are tiled in dark col. ored tiling with fine marble mantel, the oth
 CT freplaces being similarly adorned. The banking room and office are also admirably lighted from the top by highly ornamental
 and large daylight, and from the north side from many upper windows which heighter the fine effect We now come to the vaults
 the nearest of access being the bookkeepers
 vault, 10 feet long, 9 feet high and feel wide, where their books can be deposited, ol
 taken out without reference to the mair great vault. The latter stands like bis
 bulwark at the foot of the banking room, anc ! is 10 feet long, g feet high and 61S feet wide
 It is lined throughout with steel 215 inches in thickness. No other bank vault in tht State equals it in it's steel armor protection \ of it's magnitude is seen in the fact that tht | weight of the iron and steel in this vault ii \ eighty-six thousand pounds. Massive ot course are the foundations to support this massive weight. the foundations being seven teen feet byaifteen feet of solid masonry \ grouted in Portland cement, i. e., liquid ce ment poured in to fill all the interstices. The inside vault door is three and one-half inches
 thick; the outside door four inches. Int \ vault is supplied with combination locks anG | time locks and with Holmes electric protec
 tion, by means of which on the slightest
 tampering with the door instant alarm il
 given at police headquarters. The vault ii -E \ were possible to burn the entire massiv
 walls of the bank building the vaults would ! be unharmed. The vaults are enclosed bJ \ brick work which is twenty five inches thick
 In the rear of the lobby is a private bo1 ' where depositor can be alone and inspec
 his account; and adjoining are coat closets ! and in the rear is the directors room, pleasant and tastefully finished apartment
 adorned in keeping with the general plan O ! decoration throughout the bank. Overhead \ reached by an easy ascent of stairs, is a room. | loft where old ledgers, vouchers and othe
 unused records can be stored. This will lool
 into the big banking room below through 1
 large circular stained window. The counter of the bank were made by Andrews 6 Co. O New York and Chicago, who make a special ty of bank work, and all the rest of the or \ namental woodwork was by David H. Clarl
 of this city, who has made fine success o 1t. He also executed the contract fo the carpenter work of the bank. The masol
 builders were Smith & Sperry. The tiling
 other than furnished by Phillips & Son, wa
 by the Household Brass company of thi
 city. The frescoing was by Joseph Moeb
 of this city, the plumbing by Corbett O.
 Broadway, and the bronze hardware trim
 mings for the doors and windows were iron
 Sargent & Co.'s. Allen & Tyler were th
 architects of the building. The Steam Heat
 ing company will furnish the heating. Th'
 new building has attracted much attention
 not only from our citizens, but from dis
 tinguished visitors from abroad, and it is
 model structure. Much thought and pains
 taking regarding it has been exercised by tn
 officers and directors, and the result is
 very beautiful banking house, a model in al \ respects.
 At the First Presbyterian Church.
 auhiaof af Mro Daoaf1r Mor0orss Bill