The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-02-16
Plans Under Way For Fine New Structure at Main
 and State Streets. BUILDING WILL BE
 COMMENCED SOON First Bridgeport Institution will Be Housed on
 Ground Floor.
MANY OFFICES IN
 UPPER STORIES
Site of New Structure Includes location of Historic
 ssGhost Show

lIllOS1 6llOWs
 In preparation for the new building which the First Bridgeport National hank will erect at the southeast cor her of Main and State streets, the de- n1o1ition of the buildings m 0sale @ Street from 1O9 to 129 has begun. The roofs and top stories of what were nnce -three-story brick buildings in inc section mentioned. ' have already been torn off. The work was ha1teo today because of the storm but VIII be resumed as soon as the weather It is fhe intention of the directors of Inc FIrst-Bridgeport National bank to erect on this site a handsome pank and office building Although plans are not vet complete the building will hrobab1y be ten stories in height the street floor, and possibly. the ncor kbove being used exclusively for bank fnf< purposes.
 The tenative plans provide for count fnE rooms. etc. on the grouna lloor' ea hrffh offices for the president, vice. tice-prekidehts. directors and other of heers on the floor above.E The other. hoors will be rented as offices
 The building will be of marble or granite. All offices will have W1de k-indows ar,dF the most modern e1eva- tor. heating, lighting and ventilation kysfeus will be installed. The build- hes on state street which are being torn down were occupied by Joe CfsLr- he. 1aunderef, Wheeler & Cook, plumb krs. David GinanHs cut1eT- store and Daniel Keanes aslotieneer.a The hrosnstas.e bank building used by the Peouounock National bank before that Institution merged with the First Bridgeport National bank, will also be fernoIisheds
 The new building will have a front- nre on state street of 173 feet and of k5 feet on Main street. On the latter horoughfare 1t will extend to the store Aow occupied by Edward sSceli, the lafIor taking in the store form er1y hsed bv Nathan Schwarz, dealer k leather findings This property was purchased from DeVer H. Warner kho owns from there to the corner of Union street It is said the price was kbout s15.o0o- For the property dn State street it is said the bank paid ls0. 00o-
 Jaeob B. Klein and Ellie Lesser, for nerly owned this property They bought it from John P. Dunn about a hozen years ago The price then was fafd to be Saz.00o MT Dunn was a prominent wholesale deal in cigars kere. and is now in Los Angeles
 The demolition of the buildings in State street and the PeQuonnock bank tupdlding will remove old land marks h-orn this site. The brownstone build hF at the corner formerly used by he Pequonnock bank was built in 1884 Ind renode1ed about ten years ago.
 The buildings inz State street were built in 1S72-- For years the late Will karm Bishop conducted an undertak- hx parI0r in one portion of it. Next hoor was Coles ParEor Opera house, where the famous "Ghost Show was kiven- This. was one of the most widely known pantomine illusions ever taown in this country and it's fame attended to all parts of the coun- with but little variation the per kormance was repeated for months in he little theater., Bridgeporters went lo see it time after time and in fact beopIe came from New York and all jver New England to witness the ber- sornanceS-
 Later when interest in the ssGhost khoz's paIed, Charlie Mott, former prominent Bridgeporter, now deceased. bought the illusion and took it to Danbury-
 The Par1or Opera house was then Even over to variety shows.'' the iOrerunners of the present day Yau- keviIle- Such famous players as Susie ind May Irwin appeared there They Eere billed as the Irwin Sisters, terio-comfcs'' and they did song and lance number in abbreviated skirts. kusie Kirwin, afterward the prima- tonna of the Wilbur Opera Co.,, sang here and Edward C. Smith who af-
 
 he Park theater, appeared there with tIs wife, in a musical act. The team bas known as Smith and Carl.
 It is said the directors of the bank believe that some day the proposed btate street bridge must be built and ] big pivotal building at the corner FfH be a paying investment.
 Property owners on the other cor Der. Henry J. SeeIey, F Lyman and George Robertson have long been anx- bus to tear down the old buildings which they are doing business and build on the site from the present Peoples Savings bank building through Into the Robertson property on State tfreet, a handsome business and office block The property on the very iorner now occupied by the Traveller bhoe Co is owned by Mrs. Wilbur ; Smith of New York who refuses to te1I or to enter the arrangement with he other property owners to build he new building
 When the new home of the First Bridgeport National bank is finished will be one of the handsomest build hgs in the state
 William Hood Dunwoody, Minneap-