The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-05-08

tremely convenient one, as 1t pro- vides separate quarters for the saw ings departme and will enable its operation at times when other de- partments of the bank are through for the day, without passing through the main portion of the bank. The trust department Is located on the second floor or gallery. This has become one of the banks large and important functions and ample quar- ters have been provided for 1t in the enlarged building.
 On the third floor is the directors room. Here also there is the same simplicity as characterizes the rest of the bank. The mahogany table and wainscotiing are elegant. but the effect is of solidity and thoughtful ness.
 Rooms For the Women
 On this floor are large and airy rooms for the women employees of the bank. There is a rest room and there arc mirrors for the <retty young ones. There is a gas range on which to warm lunches If one wishes so to do. A counterpart of the guar ters for the women are rooms equip ped for the male employees in the basement. Y edluTS OI lnG are individual lockers for the differ ent employees. The house telephone desk is also on the third floor.
 What one might term the real works of the bank are located in the basement The basement as well as the upper floors is reached both by steps and by elevators. one in front and one at the rear.
 The most interesting thing in the basement is the safety deposit vault with it's steel door, which. with frame, weighs 36 tons and yet can be moved by the hand of child. The safety deposit vault has a capacity of 10000 boxes. In addition there are vaults for the banks money sep arate and entered only by bank offi- cials. There is ample storage room in the vaults for silver and other heavy articles of value.
 Pleasing Feature
 Very pleasing feature of the safety deposit arrangements are IA small rooms into which the safety box renter may take his box, spread out the contents and go over the same at ample leisure. The door to the room automatically closes and locks, and it automatically locks again when one leaves the booth to re- deposit his box. This avoids The pos sibility of another person coming in behind the box holder and becoming possessed of a paper that one might absent -mindedly leave out of box when returning it for redeposit.
 Alarm system
 Inside the safety deposit vault which. by the way, is 70 by 40 feet. are sensitized cones attached to the ,sl Ns1,, f,. side the vault or near 1t will cause this cone to register itself in the nearby office of the American District Telegraph company, which is under contract, in case the alarm is given. to imme ediately send armed men to the bank to find cut what the matter might be. Just before the bank re- entered The enlarged quarters the ln- terior door of the vault swung out one night and made a slight noise.
 In a few seconds armed men from the American District Telegraph of flee were on hand. In a few more seconds, police, notified by the tele- graph company, were there. In a few minutes several bank officials were on the spot. There was neth- ing In the vault at the time, but the contract was in force and the meat of the contract Is that action must be immediate and automatic. ques- tions to be asked and answered after wards. In like manner the American District Telegraph company must inn rnediately send armed men in case the bank vault should register being open at a time when it should be shut: if it fails to show open at the hour set for 1t to open; if the night watchman fails to punch the clock assigned to him to punch every hour Men are on duty day and night in the telegraph company's office for these purposes.
 z Perfect Ventilation
 One is struck with the sweetness of the air In this spacious building. The ventilating system is, perfect. The air in the building is exhausted every 10 seconds by means of the ar arrangements of the fan system and the enormous openings through which the air may be pumped out as pure air is brought in.
 A pleasing and delft detail that strikes one at once is a system of lights between the lower pane of glass in the skylight and the arch glass just above. These jets may be turned on if the day Is dark and will shed a plentiful, but subdued flood