Sacramento daily record-union., 1890-07-19
i NOBLE STRUCTURE.
SOMETHING ABOUT THE NEW STATE
BANK BUILDING.
The Handsomest and Most Modern in
NJ. the Capital City-An Architect
ural Ornament.

The Han0gOm60S Anu AOSb MOuoIn IL
-. the Capital City-An Architect
ural Ornament.
The finest business building in interior
California approaches completion in this
city. Indeed, it may be said that there is
not even in the metropolis more impos-
ing structure; certainly not one finished
with finer taste. No bank building west
of the Mississippi is equal to that of the
California State Bank, the structure to
which we refer, erected al Fourth and
streets, in this city.
Were we to describe it architecturally or
attempt to convey to the general reader an
adequate idea of its appearance and the
imposing presence of the noble pile, more
space would be required than it is possible
to now allot in these columns.
SPLENDID BUSINESS TEMPLE.
It must therefore suffice to say that it is
the loftiest business house in the interior;
that its style is composite, and the carvings
RomanesQue. 1t is constructed OF lone
red sandstone quarried by the lone Stone
Company, and is the first building in Sac
ramento in which that exquisitely beauti-
full material has been used. The walls
upon Fourth and upon streets laid up in
this fine stone, rough hewn with orna-
ments and pillars and fianks of entrances
chiseled in tasteful designs, are no less
than three feet in thickness. and are
broken by graceful arches of varied spans.
They rise to great hight in ordered state
illness and harmonious beauty, and i'm
press the spectator with q sense of the
great labor and the high skill of the work
ers and designers.
The roof, slate covered and crowned by
ornamental iron work, rises in hip that
presents to the street pleasing aspect.
The whole structure, with its massive
4rches, its
RUGGED sTATLINEss
And its harmony of parts, speaks of the
architectural fulfllment of the purpose for
which 1t is designed. While we have said
that it is of the composite order, yet there
Is sense of freedom manifest about it, q
degree of bold originality, that testifes to
the independence of the designer, and that
he considered not too strictly the architec-
ture of any given period. The walks in
front are broad and of heavy cement, with
granite curb. The entrances are granite,
with granite buttresses, massive and in
keeping with the tone of the building. The
building is sixty by sixty feet, and with
the basement, rising half above the plane
of the crown of the street, is five stories
in hight. The erection of this splendid
achievement Of architectural skill was be- ]
gun in March, 1885, The building proper |
cost its owner, the California State Bank, |
0,000, and the bank fittings some $15 900 |
more.
THE BUILDING.
The architects were Cuvett & Cuthbertson, |
but the entire construction has been under |
the immediate personal supervision of A. |
Abbott, Cashier of the bank, who, by this |
demonstration of executive ability, has i
established his capacity in direction
wholly unlocked for. The basement is to |
be occupied in few weeks by the Federal
Internal Revenue Offices the main floor by |
the California State Bank, and the three |
upper floors by the Sutter Club.
THE LOWER FLOOR.
The lower floor embraces one large
counting-room, with several offices opening
from it, and large burglar and fire-proof |
vault, besides a storage bank vault. The |
inside work finish of the rooms is of Port |
Oxford cedar, showing the natural grain, !
and having highly finished surfaces. The |
counters are of mahogany and rich in style |
and finish. The walls will for the present |
remain in white but will eventually be |
tinted. Out of the counting-room rise two |
massive iron pillars, supporting an enor- |
nous steel girder for the first floor or floor |
above but they are finished to match the |
walls and ceiling.
THE FIRST FLOOR.
Entering upon the first floor by broad
semi-circular flight of steps, beneath an
elegant arch, and flanked by graceful |
chiseled pillars, the visitor steps into the
California State Banks counting-room, un-
questionably the finest upon the Pacific |
coast, and more richly and appropriately
fitted than any room of similar char.
acter on the Pacific. This counting
room is fifty by forty feet, and includes the |
great vaults and the safe deposit Upon
the north are side offices, and to the rear of |
these the rear hall. the lavatories, closets
and telephone room. The ceiling is nine.
teen feet, and broken into large deep square
panels with chaste heavy holdings. The
panels lie equally either side the great
steel girder crossing the room, supported
by two graceful metal pillars, the steel
being hidden in both cases.
THE FLOORING.
The flooring outside the line of the cornt-
er5 is laid in encaustic tiling, terra cotee |
and blue being the predominating colors.
All the woodwork in this beautiful count,
ing. room is OF solid cherry, grain finished
and trimmed with chaste moldings The
effect of this treatment of the interior is one
very rich and pleasing, the polished wood.
with its fine grain relieved so artfully, add
ing to the richness OF the room and com.
porting admirably with It's character, So,
too, the counters of solid NAL Ll.oeany. highly /
Pohshed and ornamented with carvings of
SnaSiS design, BELTS the elegant finish of
the room.
THE VAULTS.
The vaults which stand out from the
west wall are two in number, one l2xS feet,
steel lined, burglar and fire proof and
closed by massive triple steel-lined doors,
and secured by Hall time locks. Beneath
this main vault, in the basement, is the
banks storage vault of similar character
and size. On the south of and adjoining the
main vault is the safe deposit. 1t fronts
to the south, and between its department
and the counting-room is an elegant
japanned copper railing and lattice work.
We believe this is the first of this character
of metal work introduced upon the coast,
and it is certainly rich, and is artistic in a
high sense. The metal work in the count
ing room is throughout oxidized silver or
lapanned copper. The Safe Deposit vault
is approached through an elegant doorway
IN which hangs ponderous six-inch solid
steel door OF the very latest pattern, and
mounted with Hall time locks. The vault
itself is of irregular form, IL by feet in
general area, and is lined throughout with
four inch solid steel Arranged about the
walls and inseparably built into them are
FIVE HUNDRED SAFES
For deposits by renters. These small safes
are of solid steel, and each is secured by
the most approved safe deposit locks, with
individual combinations for each lock. All
the vaults were built By the Hall Safe and
Lock Company of Chicago. and include all
the latest improvements and most approved
devices known In vault and safe construc-
tion. The lighting of the counting.room is
admirably provided for. Both fronts are
practically plate, glass, so large and high