The herald., 1897-01-01
FIRST NATIONAL BANK
Will Make Many New and Needed I'm.
pr0vements
Increasing Business Demands More
Room and Better Facilities for
Customers.

Early in the new year the First Ma
! tional bank will have the advantage
| of some long contemplated improve
! ments. Its many customers have had
! frequent opportunity during the past
| year to comment upon the rush of bus-
ness which, on busy days, such as Sal
| urdayS and Mondays, thronged the lob
bies and kept files standing in front Of
each teller's window 1t became appar-
| ent that the business of this popular in
| stitution was rapidly outgrowing the
| space set apart for it. and some months
! ago the directors took the matter up.
and, having thoroughly satisfied them
selves that more room and better facil-
ties We're needed, proceeded at once 10
| provide thepl. Contracts have been
signed for the remodeling of the lower
floor of the banks building, and the con-
struction of new fixtures and work Is
under way.
Through the courtesy of the architect
Mr.. +. G.. Roehrig, q Herald reporter
was yesterday afforded an opportunity
Of inspecting the plans of the improve.
ments in progress.
The south wall of the present bank
ing room VIII be taken out, the wall
above being supported by steel beam
| resting on steel columns so placed as
! not to obstruct the lobby. The room
! south of the wall will then be added.
more than doubling the floor space. The
floors Will be vitrious tiles laid on a
| foundation of concrete.
| The furniture and fixtures are being
constructed by the NJ. Winter Lumber
! company of Shehoygan, Wis Months OF
! caretul study Were given to securing the
| best and most convenient arrangement
| Starting from about the middle of the
| north wall of the bank the counters
| Will run a few feet toward, the south
| then toward the front and again toward
| the south leaving wide lobbies between
| the counter and the north and front
! walls and then back to the front of the
! vaults. The lobbiAs will be widest in the
| front, the portions of the counter occu-
! pied by Wickets being placed at an angle
! win the main counter. SO that all will
lace obllquely to the front thus securing
better light and enabling any one at
! the front to see the sign over each wicket
down the line Of counter. The countc,
and Wainscoting will be of similar de-
sign. and each will have u base of Cat
alma marble. The counter screen Will
be of beVeled plate glass and very hand
some brass grill work. The wickets
VIII be numerous enough to permit of
putting on extra tellers during busy
hours, ana thus prevent the necessity
Tor Keeping customers waiting A little
more than half way back on the south
lobby will be two cOmmodious private
offices for the president and cashier
Immediately in front of these will be tha
desks of those officers, each near his
window and standing on platform high
enough to enable a man sitting at the
desk to swing round in his chair and
face anyone coming to his window from
the outside. This convenient arrange
ment and the close proximity of the o.
ices required lof the more important
classes of business will greatly econo-
mize the time of two very busy men.
At the rear of the south lobby and li-
rectly under a skylieht, will be a row OF
q2e9 'sWooL IIeIus % sulooq uodnoo,
provided with desk and chair for the
convenience of customers who wish pri
vacy in lokin3 over papers or making
memoranda
The contracts call for the completion
OF the entire work on March 1st, ana
then the First National can take lust
pride in the handsomest and most con-
venient banking room in this part of the
state.
We congratulate the banks custo
mos on the provision thus being made
for their convenience, and the bank it
self upon the growth of business which