Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-01-01

other large room, where the registering
clerks Will do their work and the twelve
The bank is brilliantly lighted by electric
lights. variously disposed. \ unique lea-
ture of the lighting Is d large number Of
ceiling lights. each in the center OF Il
panel twelve feet square. Each ligat con-
sists of L cluster OF iucuudescents hid te-
hind a half globe OF ground glass just
~protrudlng through the ceiling. giving 4
beautiful. soft light which j. in perfect
harmony with the mellow. creamy lint Of
the ceiling.
OF course. the g.eat feature OF a bank is
safety, and the vaults OF this rev banking
house are certainly built TO defy all danger
features the best and most modern in the
entire West. The vaults proper are an
outside shell OF steeel. with many inches
Of frs-defying cement material. the whole
being lined with three inches more OF the
hardest steel. There are four of these
vaults, two entered from the main rioor Of
the banking room, and two from Il .,ttle
gallery right above. The main treasure
vault in which the money is kept IS IN
weighing nearly eight tons. Its immense
hinges are ball and pin bearing. and wnen
the time lock mechanism lets go ii can lie
swung Tery easily. dust inside this great
door IS Il day gate which closes itself, with
gravity hinges. AT night this gate slides
70 one site and another steel door wi,l
complicated time locks Is shut before clos
ing the outer door. Inside the vault Is Il
tremendous ball safe.
1t is of gun metal. about twelve inches
thick, ana inside i another ball in which
are the receplacles for the coin. Half a
dozen complicated locking mechanisms ill.,
tervere between the outside of this safe
could get into it he would have 10 get
through nearly Il dozen locks or drill
through many inches of steel and gun
metal.
In a word. the reserve of the bank kept
In tn. bali safe is absolutely beyond dan
ger from robbers. This same vault con-
- ttnG nN-atnt +hLv. CO. faC If FnEyt yNn l-n
with screw doors for ordinary funds of
the bank. One of the other vaults con-
tains private boxes for the valuables OF
patrons and safes Tor the discount teller's
securities and papers left in escrow. An
other is for checks from other banks. an
other for the books of the bank. the whole
furnishing plenty of room for all its moneys.
valuable papers and books.
In the basement. besides the room for
for the use of such officers as cannot leave
the bank during the day. together with
kitchen. toilet room, locker room for cloth
Ing. etc.
In keeping with the rest of this fine build
ing the sub-bascment is a bright. cheerful
place painted in white and chocolate. Here
are the electric machinery. engines and
boilers. together with the tiitering and icing
plant for all water used In the building.
The electrical machinery is most modern
and complete. 1t consists of two dynamos
of 100 and 800 light capacity. They are
driven by direct connected engines. thus
doing away with all betting. shafting ana
iuiitsS- II tlElHtH dIt SiAtN-uNt "Hi
125 horsepower. Two boilers of 100 horse
power each complete the power plant. The
building is heated by the vacuum system
with the Exhaust steam from these boilers.
The furnace are equipped with a smoke
burning device 80 that nothing more than
a light vapor ever issues from the smoke
stack of the Commerce building.
The new bank building is complete
throughout. beautiful commodtous: conven-
lent. rich and tasty. \ pleasing feature is
that. with the exception of the furniture,
counters and grill. all the material and
work was done by Kansas City firms. 1t
reflects credit alike upon the bank com>
pany and the skill and taste of Kansas
CITY wOrkmen.