Evening journal., 1915-07-31
QU|CKSAND delays
NEW BANK WORK
Contractors Have Trouble
Finding Solid Foundation
For Vault

construction of the addition and alter
alton TO the Second street Office Of
the Wilmington Trust Company, have
met with an unexpected and unusual
obstacle in the erection of the founda-
tions Tor the new 6S-ton steel vault,
which is to be installed in the re-
modelled bank building. This obstacle
is quicksand. Just how deep il eX
tends has not been ascertained. AS
the digging progressed the excavation
filled with water and a pump was in
stalled and kept in use.
Il is a rush job. the idea being to get
the work completed as soon as pos
sible as the enlarged bank is to also
care for the Fifth street office, now
located in the Clayton House building
and which must vacate because that
structure is to be converted into a
theatre. For this reason Architects
Brown and Whiteside had to devise
some means of quickly overcoming
the obstacle The plan adopted by
them is as follows: After some fur
ther excavating has been done sheet
piling consisting of two and one-half
inch planks, will be driven down the
four sides of the excavation after
which what is known as a mattress
of reinforced concrete will be laid.
This mattress" will be II by IL
feet and eighteen inches thick and on
this will be laid the heavy founda-
tions for the mammoth steel vault
But for the striking of the quick
sand the vault would probably be al
ready in place. Il has arrived in this
city and is lying on two specially
constructed freights at Front and Jus
tison streets and is attracting much
attention.
The vault will be taken on these
cars to Front and Shipley streets and
unloaded there. Il is expected that
the foundations for the vault will be
finished by next Wednesday and that
the work of moving the vault from
Front and Shipley streets to the bank
building will then be started. The
vault will be moved on rollers and
heavy planks will first belaid in the
street. Architect Brown and White
side have already secured permission
from the Street and Sewer Depart
ment to lay the planks in the street.
The new vault is of the most ap-
proved pattern. Il is constructed of
Harveyized armor proof steel and
was made at the Bethlehem Steel
plant. Before II was formally ac-
cepted by the Wilmington Trust Com
pany it was inspected by Walter
Stewart Brown, of architects Brown
and Whiteside at the Bethlehem. plant
IL was pronounced 20 K" by him
The walls Of the vault are made OF
4 l-2 inch armor plate steel and are
dovetailed and grooved. II is practi-
cally a mammoth. steel box and bur
glar proof. IT has a door of the dis
appearing sliding type The old vault
will be moved back and lowered into
the basement and used for fling books
and cancelled checks. The new one
will be for money and safe deposit
boxes only
The entire building Is being mod
ernized, The two buildings in the
rear have been torn down and the
bank building will be extended n
Shipley street. The front second
story of the bank building is being
removed The iron balcony has al.
ready been taken down as well as the
stairway on the west wall. The main
banking room is being greatly en-.
larged and new screen placed in
position. The presidents room
and the coupon room will be in tb,
rear of the banking room. A terrazzr
floor will be laid in the main bankins
room. In the basement there will h.
a rest room for the employees and ,
Nomen's retiring room.
There will be new steel partition,
and furniture installed in the msiI
banking room.
Forty eight days have been allow
ed Contractor John E. Healy & Son
IN which to complete the additio,
and the alterations and the firm ex
poets to finish the work on time
Record time was made in tearin,
down the two buildings in the rea'
which had been occupied by Rosiu
tones & Hollett
There is to be a hydraulic elevato
Installed in the remodelled building
Architects Brown and W-hitesid
have awarded the contract for lis in
stallation TO the Green Elevator Com
pany of this city.
Architects Brown and Whitesid
are asking for estimates for the con
structlon of a double garage for c
- ward at Greenville avenue an
Willard street
10 Enlarge Carpenter Home.
Architect Leon Wilde Crawford ba
=, N'N' hiahH lOI an ADDITION 4
me nome of R. r. NJ. Carpenter. a
Montchanin, which will be nearl
double the size of the present struc
ture and will cost about $4,000 Tn
plans went out yesterday for esti
mates. The bids are to be in b
next Friday.
The addition will be constructed q
interlocking tile and he tborouehI
modern IN every respect. The inter
ior decorations viii be on an elabor
ate scale. The addition will be :
feet ? inches by 3S feet exclusive r
the sun parlor
In the basement there will he
locker room, gymnasium. play roor
for children. fuel room and boile
-oom. The playroom will have
wood floor and cement incline lead
ing from the driveway On the frs
floor will be located a sun parlol
large ball room. retiring room. der
library and hall. There will be hv
bedrooms, bath rooms and a sleer
ing porch on the second floor.
balcony will be located over the su
parlor
The ball room will present a yer
handsome appearance II will b
finished in ,rly red birch veneere,
There will be beautifully carve
pilasters. the carving Of which vii
be done under the personal super
vision Of the architect There vii
be elaoorately designed cornices.