Omaha daily bee., 1910-11-22
CROWDS VIEW THE new BANK
Eager Public Does Not Wait for Day
Set for Reception.
BANK IS A MODEL OF BEAUTY
Large sum Of Money Has been EN-
pended to Make "a the Finest
banking Room in the En-
tire West.

The general public declined to wait until
Wednesday to inspect the new quarters OF
the Omaha National bank, and many be
sides those having business paid visit
Monday morning. when the doors opened
for the first time.
Visitors OF Monday saw what is generally
described as the handsomest banking
rooms in the west" and the popular YER
dict viii not be disputed. Enter the build
ing and the first sight which strikes the
eye is a great plate glass window at the
north end OF the central corridor. Through
this window one can see part OF the bank
beyond. The main bank quarters occupy
the whole first floor with the exception Of
the corridor. which is like an entrance hall
into an old-fashioned residence, with doors
on either side Of the hall at the right and
left. The main floor is thus a hollow
square with q slice out. In the center and
the part Of the bank which lie seen from
the entrance hall through the great window
is the connecting link between the right
and left wings
To leave the corridor and enter the bank
one passes through gates OF solid bronze
metal ten feet wide and twelve feet high
each Weighing approximately two atoms
Turning through the right entrance one
finds first a small space within railing
this being intended for customers room
where patrons may talk over business mat
tiers Adjoining this is the large officers
space on a raised platform. Officers and
customers spaces have been provided with
solid cast bronze entrance gates and vain
scots in solid pansled mahogany rise to a
height of seven and one-half feet Two
consultation rooms open to the east of the
officers space. discount files room Is
also located here and all three rONms are
finished In mahogany.
Women's Room First.
Ciroassian walnut has been used in fin
ishing the women's room, which is the first
department on the left of the main en-
trance. Receiving tellers cages and book
keepers desks take up the remainder OF
the west side In the northwest part OF
the room Is a two-stOry book vault with
complete steel fittings. The cash vault
stands in the center of the north space,
this space being the connecting Link re-
ferred to above.
Above is ceiling light, which covers the
north court between the wings Of the build
ing itself.
The directors room in the northeast cor
ner is q room Of real beauty. The ceiling
is paneled and decorated in relief plaster
and color, the walls have been tinted a
soft warm color and the finishing Is en-
tirely OF Circassian walnut. Gold Leaf dec
Grafton on the ceiling adds bright note
on the east side, too runs the counter ana
counter screen. which stretches the whole
three sides OF the bank. Back OF this in
the cages on the west side are more clerks
and the discount department. The counter
and counter screen are made OF highly
polished Pavonaszo marble Of warm
cream tone, with dark veining. base OF
Verde antique gives dark relief.
Polished plate glass fills in the counter
screen panels, the glass having an etched
and sand blasted border. The flooring OF
the whole room is OF Napoleon gray mar
bic, with border OF Verde antique and
IIauteville.
ola Building RemOdeled.
visitors will see that the architect,
George b. Prinz. has solved difficult prob
lem in remodeiing the lower floor OF the
old New York IAfe building. The entrance
corridor could not be dispensed with be-
cause access to elevators had to be fur
nished, but by removing nine stories Of
solid masonry at the rear the whole floor
was converted into one great ROOM with
the one exception In front Also the cell
ing is none too high, but the decorating
has raised this in appearance several feet
The plaster work In the ceiling of the
main room VIII attract ana command uni
versal admiration. The design was by Mr..
Prinz the material was made up by the
Chicago Architectural Decorating company
and the splendid application Of this was
done OF Anderson Bros Of Omaha.
The remodeHing OF the building has taken
three months to complete and has cost
$250OO0. most Of which went into the bank
room. Six carloads of marble were used
here. two carloads OF steel furniture with
fittings; twenty cars were required to ship
in the new vaults, three carloads OF orna-
mental plaster were employed, one car OF
solid bronze for the cages, two carloads of
cabinet work and one OF other furniture
than that OF steel base and wood finishing
The safety deposit department is located
on tho east side OF the basement and can
be entered either from the street or by a
stairway from the main floor
The cash vault has a door which weighs
twenty tons, the hinges alone welghing
two tons. But door and hinges are SC
nicely adjusted that one person can swing
u without effort. The cash and safety de-
posit vaults are the last word in vault
construction and are lined top, bottom and
sides with two and a half feet OF chrome
and hessemer steel.
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