El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-03-14
New First National Bank; The Makers
BANK IS frost
BRAIN PRODUCT
The "Architects of Glass "
Designed New First Ma
tiOnal Bank Home.

A great. yellow pressed brick struct-
ure stands at the intersection OF San
Antonio and oregon streets as another
monument to the architectural skill OF
frost & frost. It is the new First Ma
tional bank building which combines
the old American National bank builo-
ing on the corner of the two streets
and the new bank building, which eZ-
tends west to the alley, giving the en-
tire bank building a space that covers
a quarter of block and extends in the
air seven stories with court In the
center.
raj and color scheme of the
beautiful American bank build
ing. which was itself designed by
this firm, has been carried out in the
new structure. It is Of reinforced con-
crete with an exterior finish Of yellow
pressed brick and yellow terra Gotta
finish The designs for this terra Gotta
work were made mere at nome In the
office of the architectural firm and are
pronounced to be the finest in the city.
The heavy COrnlce gives the bank
building a massive, impressive appear
anee from both the front sides The en-
trance from Oregon and the two from
San Antonio street are done in bronze,
thanked by massive columns Of Missouri
red granite, highly polished and meas
uring SO inches in diameter and "a feet
high. over the entrances in bronze let
tiers is the name of the bank with the
monogram surrounded by a buckled
The interior of the banking room
proper is finished in ornamental plas-
ter, which, like the exterior terra Gotta
was DESIGNED by frost and frost in
their home office here. G. Zierold, the
FL Paso artist and mOdeler. made all Of
the ornamental plaster work for the
interior of the building. The interior
is designed in the same classic style
which was applied 50 successfully to
the exterior Of the structure The dec
OratiOns are in French gray the soft
tones being brought out by the nigh
lights of the gold tints.
Four large mural paintings decorate
the east wall and depict characteristics
out of doors scenes IN the great south
west. All of these decorations were
done under the direction OF frost and
frost and the splendid color effect and
the absence of anytime glazing or out
Of harmony is another tribute to their
ability as architectural designers. The
interior woodwork is in circassian wal
nut and the bank furnishings are to be
Of the same rich wood The floor OF the
main banking room is in marble and
the counter rail is in drawn bronze.
The floors behind the working counters
are OF the new Acme preparation OF
wood pulp, which gives fine finish
without the hardness 50 harmful TO
men who must stand on it all day. This
flooring takes a color tone that cor
responds to the interior finish and
woodwork Of the bank and is one Of the
noticeable touches of detail which
makes the bank so complete.
The building is as much a triumph
for safety first as any of the newest
safety designs. 1t is absolutely fire
proof throughout. The windows on the
court are of wire glass set in steel cas-
ings and will not break or allow any
fire to penetrate to the interior Of the
building. Even the basement floor is
of marble and the structure IS construct
ed of reinforced concrete with brick
veneer which makes it absolutely fire.
proof from basement to roof Another
safety arrangement is in the elevator
service. There are two elevators oper-
ating all the time on the oregon street
side and a third large elevator having
a high power quick speed car operat-
ing to the roof. BY these elevators II IS
possible to empty the building within
very short time In addition there
are fire escapes on all sides and every
detail Of safety convenience has Deen
studied out carefully by the architects
Next to the Arson Mills building the
First National bank building is the
largest in the city and has the largest
bank floor space in FL Paso or the
southwest