The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-20

completely removed but the granite walls with the familiar Ionic columns were left practically untouched The architects Messrs. McKim, Meade & White, solved the problem of raising the structure four stories and converting it into a modern banking domicile without changing the buildings architectural character and tradition. By adding a Corinthian colon made and adhering strictly to a scheme of classic simplicity it is believed that an admirable result has been obtained. The altered structure has certainly lost none of it's former monumental charac- ter, while the alterations have made 1t a commodious and most Interesting home for a bank. <
 The entire lower section is given over to great banking chamber whose cei1- ing is 60 feet high; 1t is S3 feet to the top of the central dome and the two solid bronze doors on the Wall street portal are the largest in the world. There Is nothing in the way of balconies or pas sageways to mar the open effect of this huge domed chamber. The character of this interior Is that of extreme sim plicity and the whole color scheme is monotone. The columns, panels, balus- trades, etc. are of a very light gray Italian stone and the floor is of smoothed
 
 that enters into the scheme of this bank ing room is due to the presence of a few solid bronze fittings and the dull mahogany furniture. The glass dome is simple combination of dull, uncolored glass and bronze.
 The great armor plate safe, weighing 300 tons, is in the center of the building and 1t Is bare of disguise or ornament. The architects frankly treated it as q fo1I safe has certain twentieth century safety features, most striking of which Is a system of piping for live steam designed to quickly parboil any misguided person bent upon burglary.
 One of the officials of the National City bank spent the greater part of a year studying every bank building throughout the country and many sug- gestions for fixtures and equipment were borrowed, particularly from western in- stitutions. All messengers pass to and fro from a distinct department in the basement, department store carrier and a pneumatic tube service eXepedite the handling of 45,000 checks daily cable and telegraph communication is direet-these are few of the ideas borrowed from other banks The banks 400 employees will fare well with their own kitchens and dining rooms and a great assembly
 
 There is even provision for a miniature roof garden and there is also an unob- structed encircled promenade, extending around the roof of sufficient length and size for well filled Marathon race
 The National City bank Is Just four years short of the century mark as re- gards age. At the time of it's forma- tion in 1872 there were eight other banks In Uh atoI nit fo1i was $7,552,760. There were only 83 banks in the whole country with a combined capitalization of $42, ,610, 601. In 1880 the number had grown to 329 with capital ization of s114 192. .260 Ten years later the number was TAI; capitalization, s28S, ,2O9,- 622. In 1860 the banks numbered 1862 and the capitalization had grown to s423, ,664, 16S. In these 96 years the National City bank has had ten presidents Much of it's early prosperity was due to Moses Taylor who, for 45 years, was a director and for 28 years president. In 1882 he was succeeded by Percy R. Pyne and in 1891 James tillman was elected presi- dent. Mir Stillman at once sought to broaden the influence of the National City bank and as he and the Taylor es- tate owned a controlling interest in the institution the work of developing it's resources was left largely to MT. Still man. He brought various other strong interests into the directorate and 1t now includes such names as Henry c. Prick of Ptttsburg, Cleveland H. Dodge of the Pheps-Dodge copper and brass inter- ests; E. H. Hartman, chairman of the Union Pacific railroad; Cyrus H. Me- Cormfck, president of the International Harvester company; George w. Perkins, of J. P. Morgan & Co.,; William Rocke- feller, of the Standard Oil company and Jacob Schiff, of Kuhn, Loeb & Co. 9th CT directors are Francis M. Bacon, Charles s. Fairchild, Joseph P. Grace, Edwin S. Marston, Stephen S. Palmer, James A. Post, M. Taylor Pyne, James A. Stillman, Samuel Sloane, John W. Sterling, Henry A. c. Taylo, John w. entine, Moses Taylor and William D. Sloane. In 1901 Frank A. Vanderlip, who had been assistant secretary of the treas ury with Lyman G. Gage, was elected vice president and he has since taken an active part in the banks manage ment
 The first home of the National City bank was in the banking house of the old United States Branch bank, and it's present occupancy of the custom house is a fitting symbol of it's historical relationship with the national govern ment. The National City bank and the war with Great Britain, began together and in that first year of it's history it took a hand in federal finances, subscrib- ing $500000 to the government loan of 1913. This helpful relationship with the national governments financial reuuire- nents has been a continuing policy ever since.
 The National City pank was a mem Der of the syndicate which subscribed for the entire issue of Spanish-American war loan. It also arranged for the trans fer of the s2o,000,O0O payment made to Spain for the Philippine islands. Its close connections with other banking in stitutions have been constantly broad ened and developed. This relationship now extends to various New York city banks and many of the largest European banking institutions But the fact of the largest interest and importance Is the National City's relationship to the country at large through its offices as New York correspondent of one or more