The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1903-02-04
SECOND NATIONAL BANK
WILL ERECT FINE BANKING
HOUSE ON CHURCH STREET.

Has Purchased the Plant Residences
( Next tho Free Plbiiu Library Tho
Banks Large and Consistently IDcreas-
Ing Business Requires Larger GUAR
ters and More Central Location.
i. One Of the most notable and irnpor-
.tant real estate transactions in this
city in q long time with reference to
the disposition OF the purchase has
just been consunnated. This is the
purchase BY the Second National bank
of the Plant residence, No. 1877 Church
street. It has been bought by the bank
Of M. f. Plant son Of the late III. B.
Plant, the noted railroad and steam
boat naagnate, who bought the property
a year or SO before his death, intend
ing to make 1t his residence. The ac-
quirement of this property by the bank
is with the view at an early day Of \
utilizing 1t for banking house, and
when ready the bank will remove from
its present location to the new site.
The bank has not 1natured all its ar
rangemerts on the subject but will
have plans for a building made at an
early date for a model banking building
of most convenient arrangement and
of commodious size and IL acceptable
the bank will then proceed at once to
erect fine banking house on the prop
erty. The Plant residence is next to
the Free Public Library and the lot is
of convenient size, being 40 feet front
by $40 feet deep. This willlgive ample
space for a building suitable for the
banks needs. The subject Of making A
change in the banks location has long
been a matter of consideration by the
banks authorities and the opportunity
arrived when the Plant property came
into the market, no better or more de-
sirable location for an institution Of
the kind existing in the city and its
perpetuity as desirable location being
forever fixed owing to Its facing the
old Green, which Of course practically
guarantees it's central character. This
coming change marks an important
new departure and the bank is to be
congratulated upon having been SO sue
cessful in securing so desirable q site.
The history of the bank Is an inter
esting one. Starting originally as the
Elm City bank, which was organized
in 1854, 1t began business In 1855 on 1
Chapel street about opposite its present
location in building now passed
away, which stood next to where the
Masonic Temple now stands. In 1860
the bank bought the Brewster hall
building In which it is now and has
ever since been located. In this locally
historic building at that time were the ]
postoffice IL. A. Thomas, postmaster),
the merchant tailoring store of Knev-
ais g. Hull and the hardware store Of
J. g. & r. II. Brown. The bank in
1874 enlarged the building by adding to
1t another story and it also owing to
its growth of business enlarged and inn
proved it's banking house. &a@
The first president Of the bank was
ex- Mayor e. c. Scranton, who was
elected president in 1856 and continued
in the position until his death Deem
ber Goth, 1866. He was also president.
Of the New York and New Haven Rail-
road company at the time Of his death.
On January sth, 1857 the late Samuel
Hemingway was elected president of
the bank, which had then become the
Second National (the charter name
having been changed In 1864 and Mr..
Hemingway continued president until
his death December 81, 1881. Mr.. Hem
ingway was, like ex-Mayor Scranton.
a very highly esteemed and a highly
useful citizen.
The banks next president was Ar
thur D. Osborne, who was elected jan
uary 10, 1882, continuing in the office
until January IL, 1899, when he declined
a. reelection. FIis father, the late
lcnuHinjled1 an Third Ragssl