The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1917-01-19
HANDSOME new
BANK BUILDING
THE FARMERS AND MECHANICS NAT
IONAL BANK OF WESTMINSTER.

We take pleasure in presenting to
our readers a picture OF the new
building erected by the Farmers and
Mechanics National Bank, of this city.
The old house, occupied by the cashier
for many years, was taken down to
make room for the present structure,
which has a greater width, and a con-
siderably greater depth, the dimen-
sions being 34x5O feet.
The building is of Vermont marble,
with large columns of the same ma
terial with windows and doors OF
metal, with bronze letters over the
entire front of the building Farmers
and Mechanics National Bank" The
building is 26 feet high with marble
couplings, and is greatly beautifed by
the Grecian Doric columns and two
pilasters.
The interior of the first floor is in
Cippolino marble with mahogany
wood work. 1t contains cashier S
room, stenographer's room, private
coupon room, cloak closet and two
vaults, made doubly secure, fire and
burglar proof. Safe deposit boxes for
the use of the public. The vault door
weighs three and one-half tons and is
of a handsome design of polished
steel and gun metal.
The second floor has the director S
room, cloak room and balcony over
looking the first floor with lavatories.
The ceiling is panneled with artistic
stained glass skylight. The front of
the balcony is finished with colon
ade and Grecian balustrade.
A quite noticeable and interesting
fact in connection with this building
is that from beginning to end it is the
production of local skill. The build
ing was designed and erected by Mr..
N. C. Erb, contractor and builder, of
this city, and reflects great credit up
on him and his force of workmen. Mr..
Joseph l.. Matthias was the contractor
for the marble work. Mr. VIM. Man
ming did the brick work, Gross Bros,
of Manchester, plasterers, Meade
Ohler, painter.
What is now the Farmers and Me-
chanics National Bank of Westmins-
ter was originally the Farmers and
Mechanics Bank of Carroll County and
was chartered by the Legislature of
Maryland, February q, 1850. The
originators of the bank were Jacob
Of whom became its first president
and the latter it's first cashier. Among
the prominent men named in the act
of incorporation were Joshua Smith,
VIM Bachman, David Cassell, John
Roop, David H. Shriver, John Smith,
of Wakefield; Sterling Gait, John
Roberts, John Swope, Joshua c. Gist
and John 3. Boyle. Immediately after
the organization was completed the
directors appointed a committee to Sc
cure an eligible location for the erec-
ton of banking house. This COM
mittee reported on the 25th of Octo-
ber, 1850, that they had purchased for
$4,000 the house and lot Of ground
then occupied by Capt. John McCol-
lum, on Main street near Court. Work
was at once begun on a bank building,
which was to be connected with the
McCollum house and to have a front
age of IS feet and a depth of 80 feet
In January, 1851, the building was
completed by the contractors, Wamp-
Ter & Evans, and occupied by the
bank until August, 1900, when it was
demolished and the building just va
Gated erected on it's site
The institution, with no change in
its officers or management was con-
verted, June 20, 1865, under the Ma
tional Banking Act, into the Farmers
and Mechanics National Bank Of
Westminster, the name it now bears.
During it's existence of half a century,
the office of president has been filled
by Jacob Matthias, John Smith, of
Wakefeld; DR.. J. L. Warfeld, Joseph
Shaeffer, H. Writ Shriver, William B.
Thomas and Frank C. Sharrer. The
cashiers have been Jacob Reese, A. D.
Schaeffer, VIM. A Cunningham and
John H. Cunningham.
The capital of the bank is $4,000,
with surplus fund Of SGT 900 and in
dividual deposits $430,000. The Off
GERS are president, vice-president and
cashier. The board of directors are
J. Wesley Biggs, Andrew P. Frizzell,