The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1920-04-14
Masonic Exercises
Mark Federal Bank
Cornerstone Laying

In the presence OF some FIVE hun
dred or more, Richmond citizens, who
had gathered To witness the ceremony,
the cornerstone of'ihe new federal re-
serve bank building. at the corner OF
Ninth and Franklin streets was laid
Yesterday evening with Masonic exeF-
cisses The ceremony was eonducte5
bv Richmond Lodge No. 10, Arthur l..
Matterr, master The lodge was
escorted from the Masonic Temple to
the bank site by ST. Andrews Com
mandery, No. 10, Knights Templars,
under the command Of w :. Petit.
the John Marshall high school band
leading the procession.
The address was delivered by DR..
Douglas :. Freeman. who briefffiy re-
cited the history of the lot on which
the building is to be erected. and
called attention TO the memories dear
10 Richmonders, attached to the To-
cation which is to be the future home
Of this important financial institution.
incidentally he mentioned that Edgar
Allen Poe was accustomed to play in
the ward of the old home that once oc-
.eupied the bank site. DIR. Freeman
also gave an account of the growth Of
the Federal f eserve bank of Richmond
and the important part 1t has filled in
the financial affairs of the city and dis
trict
The lot on which the building is be-
ing erecte dis % by 12o feet. on 4
corner. fronting the Capitol square.
The building will be 81 by 20 feet
up To the height OF the main banking
room: that is, about thirty feet from
the ground. Above that point. the
building will be so by 100 feet, every
point within it being about twenty five
feet from exterior light The building
will comprise eight stories. having A
finished banking room in the basement
and a sub basement with mechanical
equipment The main banking room
will be a few steps up from the street
level and will be about so by 10 feet.
The building committee that Is su-
pervising the construction of the new
building is composed OF George J.
Seay. governor of the Federal Reserve
bank. Caldwell Hardy. John F. Bru-
ton. Chas. A. Peple, and Geo. II.
Keesee, secretary. The bank at the
ings. with a. working force of 31S per-
sons in Richmond, and 1875 in the Bal.
timore branch. The architects OF the
new building are Sill, Buckler and
Fenhaden, of Baltimore.
Sealed in a square copper box which
was deposited in the corner stone, are
the following articles deposited by the
Federal Reserve bank of Richmond
Copy of Federal Reserve act: Circular
No. 4. containing announcement of
the Secretary of the Treasury VIM. G..
McAdoo. under date Of November Is.
1914. that the Federal Reserve bank
of Richmond had been esta hlished and
was ready for business: circular No.
II. containing statement of conditions
or the bank at close of the first calan-
dar yea rof operation: Circular No. 81,
dated December 81, 1915. containing
first annual report of operation; last
published annual report-year 1915:
preliminary annual report FOR tie
year 1919 Federal. Reserve bank
notes, one dollar bill No. f. l4I-
27sS3A; two dollar bin No.
E1190501A: five dollar bill No.
E1t43705A: architect'c drawing of
cornerstone. picture of building in
course of erection: list of members of
federal reserve board; list of directors
Of federal reserve bank of Richmond;
Impressions of seal of federal reserve
bank of Richmond; copies Of daily
newspapers: program OF exercises:
assistant annual. reports: brief pre-
sented entitled Richmond as the loca-
ton of a federal reserve bank; 100
views of the city of Richmond
There was Also deposited rAy Rich
mond Lodge. No. 10, the following ar
ticles: Virginia treasury note. dated
July 21, 1852 current notice and bull
letins of Richmond Lodge No. 10; Feb
ruary 1920 issue Masonic Journal; last
published report of proceedings OF
Grand Lodge OF Virginia, 1919: report
of the Grand Commandery. knights
Tcmplar- Of Virginia. 19l8-1910. re-