Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1902-10-01
New Bank andPostoiIie Building
OCCUPIED.

New Bank andPoStOffie Building
Occupied.
For some nights past the Brilliant
Illuminated First National Bank an
postoflice building on Main street
adjoining the court house square, ha
attracted considerable attention, ant
many visitors have taken occasion t.
visit this handsome structure, nov
ready for occupancy.
About year ago the directors o
the bank, feeling the need of more
commodious quarters, purchased the
old Estill property, tore it away ano
began work on the building which
was to be used by the bank and the
Lexington postOffice, the latter hay
ing made q lease for q number OF
years. The building was planned
throughout by Col II. A. Mari of the
Virginia Military Institute, who has
superintended its construction. g..
w. Hancock & Son of Lynchburg,
were the builders. The electric
lighting was done by Mr. r. h.
Hutton, manager of the Lexington
Light and Power Company, and the
painting and vanishing by Mr.. q.
w. Bare.
The building is a handsome three
story structure of gray pressed brick
with gray limestone trimmings, six
bands of the latter extending around
the building, thus adding to the
Of the walls. The struc-
ture measures 46 feet front, 46 feet
high above the water table. and 20
feet deep. A broad granolithic pave
ment replaces the old brick walk in
front of the building, and IL seven
foot walk of the same material If LAID
next the building on the court house
side and in the rear.
!. The first floor is occupied by the
bank and pOstOflice, the former next
the court house and the latterneXt the
Hotel. Beautiful figured
fling covers the front of the lobbies
Of the two rooms and also of the vesti
)ule. Three sets of broad stone steps,
with handsome brass ratings, lead to
he bank, the vest bule and the post
office from the front, and one set TO
-ne bank from the court house yard !
The rooms Of the entire building are
inished in gray cement plaster The
loOrs and trimmings are OF natural
yak, oiled. Easy handsome stairs |
cad to the upper floors, and on the |
econd and third floors broad halls |
xtend the length of the building
kept a room in front. Each Of these
oors contains Il rooms for Offices or
hambers. The ceilings are lofty, the
rst floor measuring - feet, the
ecOnd, 10 feet. an / the third 10 feet.
The main entrance admits into the
estibule, which is closed with double
oors of steel grill work. Doors
nter from the vestibule into the
ank and pOstoflice, re spectiyely TIE
ont windows in the bank and post
flee are of the finest plate glass and
leasure ) feet inches by feet
lches. Large circular top plate glass
indOws adOrn the banking room
ext the court house, while the second
ld third stories have spacious win
ows of plate glass.
The latest style of furniture has
zen placed in the bank and post
flee, of antique oak with bronze
etal trimmings. The pOstoflie room
rs a depth of j23 feet, and is % feet ,
ur inches wide. Two small rooms :
e in the rear Il bedroom and Il pri- ,
tie office for the postmaster. The :
)stOflice is furnished with 437 boxes ;
I'd 10 drawers of regulation size.
The Easement of the building, front, .
'ntains room for a restaurant under :
e bank, and under the pOstOflice the !
rnace for heating the building by
cam.
The alright, burglar-proof vault is
aced at the rear of the banking :
ON. 1t was built by the l.. II. .
iler Safe Company of Baltimore, g
III weighs $4,000 pounds. 1t meas :
ers feet front, feet deep and 7
et high, and is covered with walls y
gray brick two feet thick, with =
rec inches air space. The plates of =
e side walls are ) pig crome steel and !
easure from three 80 six inches
lex. The vestibule to the vault is I
)sed with alright door, the jambs
ing highly finished and smoothly 7
lished. The outer door is hung on !,
lid steel crane casting, ball bearing, :,
tn compressed wheel enclosi ng =
YER The door fits in frame of y
rated hanges, with packing, when a
itch into CORE 'ponding grooves, .
liking it air-tight. The door is held -
place when locked by two time y
ks by 24 solid steel bolts,24 inches y
diameter TIL" vault will contain =,
o solidly wrought steel money :,
ests, % inches by 30 inches and 20 y
;hes deep, and 81 safe deposit boxes ~
lches by33 inches and 20inches deep j."
ey are covered with aluminium -
int with bronze trimmings. The n
tside diminsions Of the vault are ~ ~
feet long, II feet wide and 10 g, q
t high In the rear of the vault is u, u,
, room for the meeting of the ~
'ectOrs. :,
Beneath the vault and directors a. o.
III in the basement is the fire proof a.
IN, 1S feet by 103 feet and 8 feet :.
yh. Heavy, cemented walls sur IL, IL,
md this room, with outside and 10
ide air chambers, securing dryness. ~
e granolithic floor with cinder \,
uting excludes all possibility of ~ ~
npn0ss. A room of similar con- ~
action opens into this one from
Ter the bank. The room is reached W
m above by an iron stairway, and 20
1t is furnished by rear window. =,
he finishing touches are now being ~,
on the vault, and if completed in N
e the bank will open up business ~: ~.
he new building Monday, Court ~
. The postoflce will move in II u"
TT time.
Died. IL.