The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1923-11-16
OPENING OF BANK
THIS AUSPICIO US OCCA-
SION; NORTH MANKATO
New Financial Institution Received
Visitors During Today; Con-
tinues This Evening y

LinueS MS evening
Formal opening of the Farmers
and Merchants State Bank of North
Mankato took place today when
hundreds of visitors visited the new
banking institution and inspected
the building. This bank which is
located on the first floor of the w
z. Stewart building on the corner OF
Range street and Belgrade avenue
Is capitalized at $4,000 and has a
surplus of $4,000.
Officers of the institution are: C.
e. Ball, president; Eric A. Carl
strom, vice president: K. r. Jones
cashier: directors, w. r. Spornitz
D. Donahue and P. D. Kelley.
President G. e. Ball, in a state
ment to the Free Press, said that
It is the endeavor Ct the officers
and directors of the bank to make
1t strictly community institution
With this idea in mind sixty stock
holders In both city and country
have been secured.
The general appearance OF the
banking department could not well
be improved upon. The furniture
and the bank ratings are Of solid
mahogany, and the interior wood
work Is also finished in mahogany
There are steel ceilings and the
latest designed electric lights for
lighting the rooms at night. In the
day time there is abundant light re.
ceived through the. large front and
have been installed in the business
part of the front Of the building.
A feature of the new bank which
will be greatly appreciated by the
ladies is a neat little rest room,
with modern conveniences. This
room is neatly furnished and light
Two private rooms for the con-
venience of those who wish to look
over the contents Of their safety
deposit boxes in private are also
provided in addition to a public
desk for that purpose. Then there
is the directors room with the nee
essary tables chairs and other con-
veniences.
Safety deposit boxes in this bank
are inside the fire proof vault, and
will be as safe from fire etc as the
other valuables stored in the bank
The construction Of the bank vault
consists of steel rails placed in
concrete two inches apart and
crossways of this steel rods every
four inches apart all imbeded in
cement. Two thick steel doors
with combination locks have to be
opened before the vault can be en-
tered.
A-burglar proof Ely Norris special
manard manganese steel double
compound door bank safe, which Is
considered the strongest bank SAG
in the world today has been install
led in the fire proof vault just de-
scribed. The body Of the safe has
massive jamb locking Jugs. Tn:
casting of special steel. The dool
has an explosive chamber, which
renders absolutely useless the or
binary explosives used by yeggmer
in blocking strong boxes in banks
1t is also furnished with time locks
and all of the up to date appliance:
for safety.
From 1880 this afternoon to ASK
a musical program which was II
charge of Miss Helen Black was
carried out. This consisted of must
cal numbers on the piano by Miss
Black, violin solos by Mrs. M. j
Coughlan, and vocal solos by Mrs
NJ. J. Jacobson and Harley Brand
rup.
These same musicians will appear
again this evening from 1880, to 9:3t
and will furnish music. Each lady
who visits the bank tonight will be
presented with a souvenir in the
form of a carnation, and each gen
tleman a cigar and other souvenirs
The kids will also be remembered
with suitable presents. The general
public is invited to attend the formal
opening.
The w. E. Stewart building in
which the hank is located is the first
three story building in the city 81
North Mankato. A detailed descrjp-
ton of this fine brick structure was
recently published in The Free Press
7 Those who took prominent part
in the construction Of the building
were as follows: The Neubert Lum
Der company furnished the lumber;
J, A. Carlson & Sons installed the
fixtures; Wilson & MCGUIRE the
C Eberlein, the concrete and tile;
Samuel X. Fowler, the tile flooring
and marble work. Those taking part
in the general construction work
were J. B. Nielsen Construction
company; Eric A. Carlstrom; Lex
and Matt Ulmen, Eli Klvgherz, Glen
Fleckenstein, John Williams. The
plumbing and heating was installed
by R. F. ALI and E. E. Enfield. G.. W.
Eichsteadt installed the wiring and
electric fixtures. Landkamer Broth.
ers special curtains and drapes, and
Francis Madigan the artistic signs.
G. /. Kern, manager Of the w. H
Atom electric pianos who just re-
Gently established a branch of that
company In the rear OF the bank
building, kindly donated the use oil
a piano for today's opening.