Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-01-08

was completed last night.
The structure is one-ef the hand
soonest buildings OF its kind in the
| South and is one of the finest buildings
in Norfolk. 1t is an honor to the city.
is Il credit TO the bank and is Il house
that every citizen in this city should
be proud of.
DESCRIPTION OF BUILDING.
The building is located on Main
street next to the Post Office and is "A
seven-story structure: is beautiful
and modern banking and Office build
ing.
In style the exterior is the Italian
renaissance, the walls being of hard
burned brick throughout, faced with
salmon hued pressed bricks on all four
sides, and trimmed with Worcester
stone and tcrra-cotta. With the excep-
ton of an entrance hall the entire first
moor is to be used by the bank, the
large room--50Xl36 feet-n which il is
TO be located, being lighted by windows
on all sides. The desks are arranged
IN the centre, with IL marble and grille
enclosure, and with aiSleS next TO the
wall, giving access to the Presidents
ana Cnshier's private rooms, coupon
rooms ior ladies and gentlemen Il di-
rcrtorE room, an employees room. en-
plOyees' lockers and n toilet room, all
OIL which occupy spaces in the rear of
the Dlrglar-proof Vault-the latter be-
ING located Just back of the banking
enclosure. The vault is built free from
! contact with the walls of the building
ana ONLY connected with the floor of
the bank at the entrance to it. a space
being Omen around it, down 10 the
floor a
u half feet wide.
BEAUTIFUL ORNAMENTATIONS.
The walls of the banking room are
nniShed in very delicate yellow hue
the relief OrnamentS-Wreat tbs ptc-De-
ing OF cream tint. The supports of
me room are Il number OF handsome
, white Corinthian columns, the capitals
OF which are ornamcnted in gilt Most
OF the coloring in this handsome room
is delicate, so as not to sacrifice its
nSht. The Wainscoating and the base
of the bank enclosure is OF old convent
sienna marble, which is Very scarce
lis color being mixture running from
orange to black
Among the convenicnces of the bank
~ a telephone system, by which the
| desks of each bookkeepcr and those of
the officers OF the bank are connected.
enabling the officers to communicates nv
phone with each desk and the clerks
10 communicate with each other. An
other feature is that the outer doors
III INC cage MISUNDERSTANDING in the
pahk oiIlciels and clerks from the aisles
have electric locks, and no one can
enter the enclosure till the official nj
ms desk presses the button" that re-
leases the lock This is n prudential
measure mat can be readily appre-
cldted IN its relation to a bank.
PRETTY DINING PARLORS.
IN the rear of the banking room and
LOOKING down upon it is what is known
as Mezzanine story or broad gallery
from the front of this ladies or others
VINO desire to see a big bank i'm full on
Gration VIII have permission to do so
In the Mezzanine story, too, are located
me olning rooms for the officers and
employees Of the bank, pantry store
room ana Kitchen. Here will no nro
pared and served the midday meal of
tne pahk people, the cooking being done
on gas ranges and charcoal broilers.
Inc interior of the vault is covered
e-ofef convent marble. The IN
and safe deposit business. the lattar
comprising 400 metal boxes, which are
10 De let to the public. In. connection
with the use of these boxes nv The
renters of the same there will he Ia :
'iles and gentlemen's coupon rooms {"
conveniently located, and conta;niny
s.aiis LOT INDIVIDUAL privacy in handling
pohus ana other v0luab les that NAV he
Kept in the boxes. The door NJ he
vault is fitted with time lock. - Re-
low the main vault is q fire-proof yanIt
lot the storage OF silver plate and Other
Vaiuaoles that the public NAV desire -
be safely kent.
me basement of the building Is fur
~ steam hydraulic and electrical ma
". @
proper equipment OF n structure like
tnis' and cisterns for both rain and
cry water. The former has a can,citv
OF -o'oU0 gallons, from which ico vatar
Is supplied throughout the buildinp
SUPPLY or city water is kept on hand
LOT emergencies Drive well water 10
, useu LOT closets and the like In the
-" n, neil 100 VIII be bicycle de-
pHltNhent Tor the accommodation Of en,-
ployees and patrons; also storage ana
supply rooms. aiu
Inc eastern main entrance of tho
ou.iuinS opens into handsome vesti
ouIe' finished in marble, and from this
ltaus an e!esant marble stairway. and
also TWO hydraulic elevators, giving
.sauS aceess 10 phe six stories of Offices
mat are above the bank proper. There
are lis OF these rooms, ranging in size
from SXl5 to 1Sx26 feet. heated Nv
steam, lighted by electricity, ventilat-
ed on the most modern plan. and adj
lnirably adapted for business offices
They open on large corridors and the
numbers cf the rooms are arranged on
the 100 system-1O0 TO each floor The
walls are all of solid cement and the
building fire-proof throughout. There
are two ladies' parors in the building
one in the third story and the other in
the sixth, and ladies' and gentlemen's
toilets on each floor. The walls of the
corridors are finished in oil colors and
stripped: while the wood finish is in
veneered chestnut The floors of the
corridors and toilets are in mosaic.
From the roof OF the building a mar