The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-01-27
The Opening Night Was a
Brilliant Success
BUILDING WAS ILLUMINATED
Thousands of Citizens inspected the
Bank, and the Decorations and Fur
nishines Were Greatly Admired.
The First Nationals Record.

The First National bank removed
yesterday from its old quarters at the
corner of First avenue and Twentieth
street to the new First National bank
building at the corner of Twentieth and
Second avenue.
1t required four vans of the Harris
Transfer company to haul the cash. The
paper currency was packed in large
trunks and the silver and gold in bags
Teller Tom Bowron had charge of the re-
moval of the money. A number of deputy
sheriffs. armed with Winchesters rode III
the vans and several policemen and bank
employees walked along as an escort. the
cash was safely deposited in the new
vault and the tellers will find that it is
all there to cent.
The public had been invited to inspect
the new quarters between the hours OF
and 10 D. M and the invitation was very
generally accepted. Thousands of repre-
sentative citizens and hundreds of ladies
visited the bank and everyone was enthu-
siastic in expressions of admiration. Inc
elegance and perfect appointments OF the
bank were remarked President w. p G.
of the congratulations offered on the oc-
casion of the banks great stride was
highly appreciated.
The ten-story building was illuminated
from bottom to top in honor of the First
Nationals entrance under its roof and II
was veritable gala night. Calmans Or
chestra of fifteen pieces rendered a choice
programme.
The Public Impressed.
Everyone who visited the bank last
night was quickly impressed with the
happy combination of unitarian ideas
and the beautiful. In the first place the
bank occupies a space of 100 by 50 feet
and the pitch is Is feet. The main corri-
dor Is 16 feet wide and 100 feet deep and
the side corridor, leading to the ladies
apartment, is six feet wide Thus the
patrons of the institution will have more
than ample room for their comfort.
The space set apart for the working
force is "a by 80 feet and this affords an
abundance of room without the least
crowding or Inconvenience. The desks of
the vice-presldent, the cashier and the
assistant cashier are enclosed in the cor
ner space looking out upon the corridor,
near the entrance. Ranged along the cor
ridor to the east of the officials are the
latest approved cages. enclosing the ex-
change clerk the corporation teller, the
discount clerk, receiving teller and pay
ing tellers, the latter being close to the
money vault. The boolxkeepers have desks
in the rear of the cages and near the
windows looking out on Second avenue.
The presidents office, II by 15Ka feet is
entered from the right of the side cor
ridor and looks out on Twentieth street.
The directos room, 10 by % feet, adjoins
the presidents office This room is splen-
didly lighted by windows looking out both
on Twentieth street and Second avenue.
AS It is used by the directors only once
q week and for only about one hour, it
will be at the disposal of patrons of the
bank every day for conference purposes.
The bank proper has ten large windows.
The Great Vault.
The great steel vault is divided into two
compartments-money vault and safe de-
post vault. 1t is built on massive foun-
dation of concrete brick and steel and
this foundation rests on a solid rock. The
vault weighs 10000 pounds and doors
weigh seven and a half tons. Quadruple
time locks secure the doors and no vault
in the United States is superior to this
in solidity or complex design The doors
to the safe deposit compartment open
from the corridor, which is separated
from the main part of the lobby by grill
work. Opposite the safety deposit vault
doors is a row of four booths, constructed
of mahogany. for the accommodation of
patrons VINO desire privacy in handling