The New York herald., 1922-09-17
HOW HORSE POWER
Is AID TO BANKING
Well Kept and Efficiently.
Managed Quarters Most
Important Factor.
FRESH AIR rs ESSENTIAL
Quality Of Service Is Greatly
Influenced by Physical
Equipment at Hand.
~ FRAxC1s II. sussox.

NJ FRANCIS III. sISS0W,
Vscs-Preotdsnt Guaranty Trssss Cow,pomy
Of Ne1o York.
w TML kept and efficiently managed
w one OF the most important of
tho many factors which make Tor a
smooth running organisation In any tns
perhaps In the banking business more
than In any other. Tho quality OF SER
vice rendered by any banking institu-
tion ie influenced In no small degree by
the physical equipment It has at hand
with which to carry on it's businesa
Power driven machinery, such az that
which runs tho elevators. ventilates the
building. cools the water and operates
the signal system ID one kind OF phyvi-
cal equipment In tho main office OF the
Guaranty Trust Company Of New York
this equipment includes nearly 100 cleo
trio and steam machines and consumes
thousands Of dollars worth Of power
monthly 1t is the purpose OF this ar
ticle to tell a few things about the back
stage equipment which IS Of such great
Importance In any modern banking
house
Wherever large numbers OF employees
are working together. good ventilation
Is OF primary Importance. The system
used by the Guaranty Trust Company is
adequate to supply fresh air to q build
ing of much greater door space than It
- called on to serve. Dotting the ceil-
ings and sidewalks throughout the build
ing are numerous registers. Through
some of them there is constant flow
or pure. fresh air. while through the
others the spent air Is removed from the
building. That system insures q oon-
tinuous changing of air.
The air which Is delivered by the reg
isters Is not simply air taken from the
outside and forced through tho build
ing. 1t Is first screened OF an Of its
dust and then actually washed with
water. Next the humidity Is corrected
and. II necessary. the air heated before
being dispatched through the building
Frequently samples of air are taken
from some OF tho moro congested de-
partments. Those samples are analysed
and so far every specimen tested has
proved to be pure.
100 Signal Buttons.
To maintain such fine ventilation
plant of considerable size Is needed. In
the main office building there are four
teen ventilating fans, ranging from
four to five feet In diameter, driven by
individual motors of twelve to twenty
horsepower. For maintaining the spray
80 lilo uh WdclliIiS CHhlHDeIS L1Tef
pumps, driven by seven and half
horsepower motors, are used. There
are also more than $50 small fans dis
tributed around the building.
Placed conveniently throughout the
building are numerous small supersen-
sitive thermostats. which automatically
turn steam on and off in their respective
locations, thereby maintaining a pre-
determined temperature. A largo but
equally sensitive thermostat regulates
the temperature Of the hot water. Con-
nected with the heating equipment are
four steam pumps, which relieve the
system Of all condensation.
Tho building contains about 200 wall
cabinets which house the terminal strips
for the signal system. From these cab
inets many miles OF wires radiate in all
directions. The insulation on these
wires Is OF different colors. color de-
noting the particular use of the signal.
such as for riot calls. messenger service.
telephone or page service.
At the present time the signal system
has about 700 push buttons. which
operate about 100 annunciators, sixteen
bells. more than 100 buzzers and eleven
door openers. In addition, the com
pany's twenty-seven telautographs oper-
ate on the service.
Tho power for the signal service Is
furnished by a twelve-celi storage bat
terry plant. which, is q complete unit IN
itself. There are two motor generators
for charging the batteries. These gen
orators have their necessary field rileo-
stats. starting rheostats, measuring In
struments and switches, all mounted on
the main switchboard. The storage bat
terry also furnishes current for the
operation of the clock system. A large
master clock in the building department.
operates a train Of relays, which, IN turn.
synchronize sixty clocks distributed
throughout the building.
Tho pneumatic tube system has a
unique control arrangement. whereby
the speed OF the fifteen horsepower
motor which operates II Is governed by
the demand for air at the central tube
room. 1t is interesting to watch the
speed control arm dancing over the COM
facts.
Every Floor n Unit.
In the Guaranty's restaurant there are
several very useful power driven
machines. One may see there a
machine peeling potatoes, another mash
ing them. one cutting meats and one
slicing meats. one cutting bread, four
machines washing dishes, one machine
polishing the silverware and another
Sharpening the knives A small but
unique machine opens cans. A peek into
any OF the eleven refrigerators shows
why 1t Is more advisable to make Ice
than buy II. The refrigerator plant Is
capable Of producing q chilling effect
equal to a daily supply of twenty tons
OF Ice. In addition TO keeping the stores
in condition. II chills all drinking water
of the stationary system and makes all
ice necessary for the portable water
coolers.
The building has elaborate fire fight
ing equipment. Every floor Is practically
a complete unit In itself. On every floor
are at least two hose connections sup
piled by a roof tank The tank has n.
capacity of 10000 gallons OF water.
water can be supplied to the tank by
three pumps at the ratio OF 600 gallons
n minute. There are also two stand
pipes In the street to which the Fire De-
partment can connect its hose lines ana
pump water directly into the hose con-
nections. Every floor has at least three
chemical fire extinguishers and fire
alarm box which is connected directly
with the Fire Department.
Where there arc possibilities OF cleo
trical fires special fire extinguishers are
provided. In the paint shop. printing de-
partment and kitchen. in which grease
ana oil arc used. large cans OF fine sand
ara kept. Should fire threaten the am
monia tanks OF tho refrigerating plant.
there is a special street connection where
by the Fire Department can pump all OF
| tha ammonia out OF the building. The