Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-09-19
WALL STREET IS DESIGNATING
A FINANCIAL IMPROVEMENT
Believes the Money Strain Is Nearly Over
Railroads Position Greatly Bettered.
General Trade Admittedly Sluggish.

vance meets heavy Selling. while any
weakness in the general stock market
IS quickly reflected in this stock. It
is several points above the low. but
the recovery is the slowest and most
gradual of almost any Wall street
stock.
A $4,000 Banking House.
Some local interest has asked the
Journal of the American Bankers As
ISOLATION for information regarding a
$4,000 banking house planned for
this city. Here is the query:
From Washington. D. C.-We have
corner lot 40 by 80 feet, fronting
on two streets, rear on alley and side
on party wall. We desire an entrance
on both streets and provision made
for safe-deposit booths; one vault
will suffice.
Three plans have been suggested
for the interior, namely, the horse
shoe, oblong and rectangular, but
none OF them seems to shape up eX-
actiy to the possibilities Of the lot;
by That we mean to avoid waste space
and to utilize the shape to the best
advantage.
Our idea is to erect a one-story
building and have the walls thick
enough to carry extra floors if we
want them later. At the same time
we WANT 10 pFoFlue lot the future
as much as possible by arranging
the banking quarters on a permanent
basis. We are at present doing bust
ness in ? by and have got to
build.
I'VE appreciate and are particu-
your reference in the journal as to
material We do not propose to keep
up with the Joneses and hope to get
what we seek inside of $4,000. Bank
ers are not architects and the ma
jority of directors have only hazy
notion of what is desirable; and every
point you make on page $50 bears
out our contention"
And the Answer by A. C. blossom.
LAS general principle, the reason
for bank having two entrances is
the opportunity of getting more busi-
ness by making it easier for GUS
toners to come in. For that reason
/ think you are entirely justified in
having entrances on both streets. For
your forty feet of width there is not
enough room to have a center lobby
and II you have central working
space, with lobby around the perime-
ter, you will make your building
look SO small and congested that /
do not feel you would be getting the
full advantage out Of your site. In
my judgment, you should have an L.
shaped working space following along
the lines of the party wall and the
alley and having a separate or corner
space in between the two doors, which
could be used with advantage as a
waiting space with settees and desks
comfortably arranged.
Il would consider it a wise precau-
ton to make your wall heavy enough
to carry at least two or three more
floors, which, as time develops, could
be used for future working space, rest
rooms. officers rooms. etc, when the
ground floor space would be needed
for the lobby by the public.
your general card reference sys-
tenn could be worked out in racks
along the party wall with narrow
aisle next to the wall and a compar-
atively wider aisle, about four feet,
between the ends of the rack and
the counter at which the people
would have to hand in their books
This plan would give ready means
of supervision and convenient ar
rangement with the vault and safe
deposit, department on the street side
of the alley front of the building.
ITO obtain your. new home for the
you will have to adopt the most
economical methods. such as
brick exterior enriched with lime
stone. terra-cotta or marble: the in
terror could have the counter screen
of wood with a marble base eight or
ten inches high, with dreadnought
or ceramic tile floor in the public
space: the vault would have its
greatest feature Of protection in
substantial door affixed to a thin
lining inside concrete wall about
eighteen inches thick. If the plans
are carried out carefully you should
be able to construct your building
for the price. but you will have no
money to waste, though it could be
arranged in. a perfectly up-to-date
manner in every detail"