Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-04

cured by the National Safe Deposit, Saw
ings and Trust Company of large 'front.'
age on New York avenue adjoining the
building which it occupies is only another
evidence of the growing importance of the
financial institutions of the city. The an
nouncement is made in connection with
this purchase that the property is to be
used to provide additional room when need
ed. There is doubt that the building
just purchased will be SO reconstructed as
to provide ample quarters for the safe de-
post vaults and for other departments of
the company. In this connection it will
be not at all surprising If the company
should enlarge it's capital stock SO that in
stead of a million of dollars it may have
two or three millions.
There is nothing surprising in the pro-
vision for additional room for such an in
stitution or the probability of increasing
the capital stock to such an amount. Dur
ing the past decade the resources of the
national banks and trust companies in this
District have about doubled and in keeping
with the large increase has been improve
ments made in the buildings occupied, and
in some cases entire new structures have
been erected.
Splendid Banking Buildings.
AT the present time several buildings de-
signed for the use of such institutions are
in the hands of workmen, and when the
plans now under way are completed the
facilities for the business carried on by
the respective concerns will be largely add
ed to, and the convenience of the Gus
toners will be consulted. The largest I'M
dertaking of the sort is the new building
which is nearing completion, and which in
the fall will be ready for the occupancy Of
the American Security and Trust Company,
which erected it. AS is well known, this
is a one-story building and is for the ex-
elusive use of the business of the COM
pany. Occupying it does such a con-
spicuous corner, looking down 18th street
from New York avenue, it commands at
tention by the beauty and the harmony of
its proportions as well as by the strength
and durability shown in its construction.
Its next neighbor, the building erected
by the Riggs Bank, and occupied by that
concern, may be said to be a worthy COM
panion to this magnificent example of
banking building. They properly looked
upon as ornaments to the city.
Providing Improved Facilities.
An undertaking that represented a good
deal for the young bank, or, indeed. for any
institution in this city, was the acquiring
by the American National Bank of the
Sun building on street, large office
building. The two lower floors have been
thrown into one lofty apartment, which
has been fitted up handsomely with mar
BILE and bronze and mahogany. 1t will be
the home Of the bank for the future. Ad-
joining this building on the west is an at
tractive structure of pleasing design which
was recently erected by the firm of Lewis
Johnson & Company, bankers, and which
affords the best facilities for their bust
ness, which is located in the first of the
two stories.
Changes have been made in the building
at the northwest corner of 14th and G
streets, which was purchased by the Com
mercial Bank when it was organized short
time ago. Two stories have been added to
the height of the building, and these adj
ditonal floors will be used for Office pur
poses, as is the case with the space on the
upper floors. The first floor, which is on
level with the street, is being completely
remodeled, and the walls paneled with mar
BILE from Italy. The latter is ornamented
by nature with an agreeable blending of
white and black veins with dash Of yell
low that makes 1t SO attractive for inte-
rior ornamentation. There is to be bronze
screens and mahogany fittings and furni-
ture, that the banking room when 1t is
completed is going to be not only hand
tended. There is a wide entrance from 14th
street well as the present one from
street.
A Tall Building.
Plans are being prepared for a large
building which Is to be erected by the Met
ropoltan Citizens Bank on the site OF the
old Metropolitan Bank building on 18th
street between F and G streets. The bank
will occupy the ground floor. and the up
per floors will be arranged for office uses.
In the past ten years such changes have
been made in the capitalization of the Dis
trict banks that now Of the twelve banks do
ing business here, five have capital Of a
half million more. In short time an
other bank will be added to the list. SO
that exactly one-half of the entire number
will be in that class.
Citizens and the City.
Similar in character and in aim to the
citizens associations, which are such
feature of civic life In this city,are the ward
Improvement clubs which flourish in a
number of cities. The purposes Of such or