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THE OREGON SUNDAY JOURNAL, PORTLAND, SUNDAY MORNING, JULY 29, 1917.
NEW BUILDING OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL AT SIXTH AND STARK
United States National
Bank Occupies New Home
Handsome Structure -Just Completed at Northwest Cor
ner of Sixth and Stark Streets Will Be Opened
For Banking Business Tomorrow,
The United States National bank
building at the northwest corner of
Sixth and Stark streets is a striking
addition to the many beautiful ar
chitectural types to be seen in the
cities of the Pacific coast.
The bank will be open for business
In the new building tomorrow morn
ing, and -tho public will be given its
first opportunity to .inspect the quar
ters then. TheYe will be nothing In
'the way of a dedication or formal
opening, but hundreds of Invitations
have been sent out by J. C. Ains
worth, president of the bank, welcom
ing inspection.
In tho construction of the building,
first consideration was given in every
instance to making it an ideal home
for a large bank. Provision is made
for three floors of offices upstairs,
but everything else in the structure
has been subordinated to the conven
ience of the bank.
The harmonious architectural treat
ment is the first thing that Impresses
the visitor. The Interior decoration is
exceedingly beautiful and the whole
building has a surpassing dignity.
No especial effort was made to
hurry construction of the building, at
tention rather being given to excellent
craftsmanship and completeness. The
bank officials were not anxious to
move from Third and Oak streets,
save for business reasons, and It was,
therefore, stipulated with the architect
that every detail should be completely
finished before the transfer was made.
There will be no hammering or ad
justing after tomorrow, for the build
log has been completely "tuned up"
for its owner tenants.
Four Stories High
The bank building la four stories
high and occupies a quarter block, 100
by 100 feet In area. The general ex
terior Is of light pinkish gray terra
. cotta on a base of pink granite.
The Sixth street facade Is a colon
nade of six free standing Corinthian
columns, each 48 feet high, sur
mounted by capitals and an elaborate
ly ornamental Roman frieze, cornice
and balustrade.
The main entrance to the building Is
In the center on Sixth street At the
extreme left on Sixth street, as one
faces the structure. Is the elevator
and stair lobby for the offices above.
The outer entrance doors and all ex
terior windows are of ornamental cast
iron, which bear replicas of early
Grecian, Roman and American coins.
Other decorative features are the
United States eagle, scales of lustlc.
vpthe owl and the beehive, symbols of
i ; XTOWjioiism, saving, tnrirt and frugal-
nthlan pilasters are used
between windows in place of col-
floor two and. one half feet In thick
ness. The latest electrical protection
has been furnished. No valuables will
be stored on the first floor, save a
few records in small vaults. When
the day's banking business is con
cluded, the money will be taken to
the basement on an elevator.
The bank Is equipped ' with the lat
est approved ideas in devices for con
venient operation. Careful considera
tion was given the lighting, both nat
ural and artificial. The rear portion
of the banking room has large Bky
lights, and the windows on the street
front give an exceptionally well
lighted interior.
The removal of the United States
National bank to this location makes
Stark street more of a financial center
than ever before. Already the First
National, the Lumbermens National,
the Bank of California and the Hart
man & Thompson's bank adjoin this
street. The Lumbermens Trust com
pany is only a few feet from Stark,
and the Hibernia and Ladd & Tilton's
banks are a block away on Washing
ton street. Ashley & Rumelin's ban'.c
Is at Second and Stark Btreets, and
the Canadian Bank of Commerce, now
at Second and Stark streets, will be
removed, ir: 'lie course of a couple of
weeks, to i ourth and Stark streets,
in the Chamber of Commerce build
ing. Many railroad offices, trust
companies and
this side, at the extreme west end,
there is another entrance to the build
ing, but this is not a public entrance,
being only for employes of the bank.
The entrance and vestibule doors
are of bronze and plate glass, giving
the maximum amount of light.
The main banking room is 30 feet
high. A mezzanine balcony surrounds
it on three sides, for use by the ac
counting divisions. The telephone ex
change has been placed in the center
of the rear balcony, giving the opera
tor view of practically every portion
of i..e banking room.
The ceiling of this large room Is of
decorative plaster. The public space,
or lobby, la 42 by 66 feet in dimen
sions, and is unbroken by pillars. The
banking fixtures extend about three
sides. Officers of the bank will have
their desks at the southeast corner of
the room. The fixtures are of Haute
ville marble, bronze and plate glass.
Considerable color was used in decorat
ing the walls and ceilings, harmoniz
ing well with the yellow marble floors
and banking screen. The cin and
symbolical motives are alsc used In
the plaster and marble decorations of
the Interior.
Exceptionally large working quar
ters for the men and women behind
the screens are afforded. There is a
private Hevator for officials of the
bank frv , the first floor to the base
ment. ..cie the directors" room is lo
cated, other elevators between the
two floors are provided for employes.
Recreation and locker rooms for the
men employes are In the basement,
and this Includes a gymnasium. The
women employes have a rest room on
the mezzanine floor.
Vaults in Basement
The vaults are located In the base
ment. They occupy an extensive area
In the center of the basement, being
constructed in the form of an island,
with a surrounding areaway so the
vaults can be easily patrolled by the
watchman TVi i a ,
reinforced concrete and steel, with a VSnV. "rtlr..
'-''lrS0 it rT,"- v y ? -go: tte'H : gs a vS U' .?. . . I
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Left to right Exterior view of United States National bank building at the northwest corner of Sixth and Stark streets; detailed view of main entrance on Sixth street
done In bronze; general view of main banking room.
Three Banking Concerns
AreMergedin U. S. National
Present Banking House Includes Ainsworth National, Old
United States National And Wells Fargo Bank
Which Absorbed the Commercial National,
Thirty-two years of upbuilding and
three powerful banking forces are
welded Into the United States Nation
al bank which Is to occupy Its new
building at Sixth and Stark streets,
when it Is opened for business .Mon
day morning.
The United States National bank as
it Is today is the amalgamation .of
the Ainsworth National, the Wells
financial brokerage ! Fargo bank and the old United States
umni on th?Hark street side.
On
f ;
i ,.
r
!'
houses have offices In buildings on
Stark street.
Directors of Work
The new bank building was planned
by Architect A. E. Doyle. The various
building contracts were sublet to a
number of constructors. The steel
work was done by M. V. Sutherland.
The Kendall Heating company had the
heating and ventilation contract. Glad
ding, McBean & Co. of San Francisco
had the terra cotta work in charge,
and the grante and marble construc
tion was by Oliver Lutz. The sheet
metal work was by Gunther & King,
painting by Williamsen & Bleld, the
tiling by Fred W. Wagner, tile parti
tions by Thomas Mulr, the vault work
by the Mosler Safe company, lighting
fixtures by J. C. English, plastering
by John O'Hare & Son, miscellaneous
iron work by the Wetern Sheet Metal
works, ornamental iron by the Colum
bia Wire & Iron works, linoleum by
Olds, Wortman A King and the cork
floor and tile work by the Cork Floor
Floor Product company. The site was
prepared by the O. K. and Rom City
Wrecking company, blu prints sup
plied by Sevendor Blue Print company.
and builders hardware furnished by
tne Moneyman Hardware company.
National. Indirectly It includes the
Commercial National, which was ab-
orbed almost 20 years ago by the
Wells, Fargo before the latter in turn
was taken over by the United States
National.
Thirty-two years ago next October
the Ainsworth National bank was or
ganized by Captain J. C. Ainsworth,
pioneer rlverman of the Columbia and
the Willamette.
Almost Immediately the bank was
sold to L. U Hawkins, Captain Ains
worth going to California, and the
names of the Alnsworths. do not ap
pear In tha early directorates of this
institution. The bank was opened for
business in the Ainsworth building.
Third and Oak streets, November 19
1885, and the same quarters have been
occupied by the bank and ts succes
sors until noon yesterday, a period of
31 years and nine months.
The original banking room, however.
was ony one fourth as large as the
final quarters in the old building. The
entrance was the same as at present.
KXIITXOX.T WTT.T.TiwffirT
Bts. Fhoa SUwood 2130.
7. BIEZZ).
Bs. Fhons East 4968.
PBOin: SCAJtSSAU. 1031
BEOF 93 EUrVX3TTH STREET, HXaB BTABX
Phone Kast.lW...
Copper and Galvan
ized Iron Work
on the
U. S. National Bank
The
Gunther-King
Company
Inc.
Architectural Metal Work
Roofing and Specialties
144-148 Vara St., Portland, Or. '"
PO&TXain, OBBQOH
OLIVER E. LUTZ
FkARBLE AND GRANITE
t so4 Oregon building
See the mafcvand granite work in the NEW UNITED
STATES NATlVAL BANK BUILDING, and call Broad
way 3732 fd'farble and Granite estimates.
-
TILE WORK
DONE BT
Fred W. Wagner
Display Boomi 363 Btarx Street
-sr: :
Phones
East 702
B-2027
Oak streets, but the room was a long,
narrow one, extending straight back
about 100 feet and less than 40 feet
wide.
By units the space was doubled.
When the Ainsworth bank ourchased
the United States National In 1902.
the first expansion was made, and
later, when the Wells, Fargo bank was
absorbed in 1905, the room was en
larged to its present size.
Careers of Absorbed Banks
to move to the fourth floor of the
Oregonian building. but no other
chances were made until the merger
in 1902.
The Commercial National was estab
lished in 18S6 in the Commercial block
at Second and Washington streets.
The Dank temained intact until 189S.
when Well's. Fargo & Co. entered the
local banking field, taking over the
Commercial. The Wells. Fargo bank
continued at this location until the
United Stales National purchased it
June 3. 1905.
To recapitulate, the Ainsworth Na
tional was established October -7.
18S5, and the United States National
February 4. 1891. The Commercial
National, established in 1886, was pur
chased by the Wells, Fargo in f98.
The United States National was pur
chased by the Ainsworth National No
vember 1, 1902, the former name be
ing assumed, and the United States
National then absorbed the Wells
Fargo bank June 3, 1905.
Personnel of TJ. S. Satlonal
Employes and officers of all these
institutions are now represented in
the present bank. J. C. Ainsworth, the
president, after finishing at the Unl
In the meantime, the other banks verslty 0'f California in 1891 and fol
that were later to unite into one had
made flourishing starts. The United
States National was organized Febru
ary 4, 1891, with a capital stock of
$250,000 and opened three days later.
Its quarters were at First and Pine
streets. Its organizer and first pres
ident was Donald Macleay, prominent
pioneer merchant and exporter. James
E. Hazeltine was vice president, F. C.
Miller cashier, and Oeorge W. Hazen
assistant cashier. Macleay remained
president for several years, steering
the bank through the disastrous panic
of 1893. Tyler Woodward was the
second president and Jacob Kamm was
vice president at the same time.
The bank was located between the
branch of the London & San Francisco
bask and the Northern PciMfic Ex
press office. In October, 1891, fire
gutted the bank quarters an J It moved
to Second and Stark streets in the
Concord building. In 1894, when the
high water inundated the lower areas
lowing banking for a while in that
state, came to Tortland In 1894, and
at the northwest corner of Third and of the west side, the bank wa forced
""Government Standard
Battleship Linoleum
For the U.S. National Bank and
many other Portland buildings
Furnished Through
Contract Department of
Olds, Wortman & King
.The Standard of tho Northwest.
i
purchased I. I Hawkins" Interest In
the Ainsworth National. Mr. Ains
worth remained president of that in
stitution, later heading the United
States during its two reorganizations.
R. Lea Barnes, first vice president,
came to the Pacific coast from Eng
land In 1S3 as an employe of the
London & San Francisco bank, later
Joining the staff of the Bank of Brit
ish Columbia and for nearly 17 years
working in its branches on the coast.
Coming to Portland In 1899. he
changed to the Wells-Fargo bank In
1900 and was cashier, occupying that
position at the time of the merger in
1005. At first Mr. Barnes was second
vice president, W, B. Ayer being first
vice president.
R. W. Schmeer was an employe of
the Ainsworth National from the be
ginning and continued with it through
all the changes. He is now cashier.
W. A. Holt entered the old Com
mercial National as a boy, in 1890. He
went with it to the Wells-Fargo In
1898, and after Mr. Barnes was mi-le
cashier of that concern, he was as
sistant cashier. That position he held
when the change was made and still
retains It.
A. M. Wright, assistant cashier, be
gan with the old United States Na
tional 25 years ago and continued
with the organization ti ro'i rhout
PaJl S. Dick, who was iiih1- assistant
cashier January 14. 1313. Ian at the
very first with the Alnnwerth Na
tional, entering its emil"'-' 88 n f
flee boy in 1 S5.
Harrison B. Ainsworth, s'onJ vice
president, became an officer of the
bank In 1916. He -.as in charge of
the Ainsworth lnter-nts at Kedondo
Beach, Cal , for many years, an l was
formerly in a bank there.
Directorate of XT. S. national
Directors of the 1'nited States Na
tional, since the founding of the hank
of that name in lS'Jl. have bcn Don
ald Macleay. James E. Hnzfltlne. Ja
cob Kamm, Kufus Malloty, Tyler
Woodward. Kenneth Maclray, O. W.
E. Griffith. V. C .Miller, V M. Wade.
E. S Kearney. H. C Leonard. H K1I
lln, Charles H.-SH-. E. A King, D. W.
Wakefield. nod-rlci r,. Macleay. J. C.
Ainsworth. W. B. Ayer, i. W HHlman.
Percy T. Morgan. George E. Chamber
lain. H. L. Pittock. H Lea Barnes. EJ
ward Ehrman and H. B. Ainsworth.
The present directors aie I) W.
Wakefield. Edward Ehrman. t'nlte.l
States Senator George E. Chamberlain.
Roderick L. Macleay, H. B. Ainu
worth. R Lea Barnes and J C Ainsworth.
CORK FLOORS MAKE
LIFE'S WALK EASY!
Cork Tile Cork Linotile Cork Carpet
Cork Inlaid and Plain Linoleums.
The
modern floors for your home or
place of business.
Your Inspection Invited
Cork Floor Products Co.
y 305 btarlc tt- firtocir biock rnone $ roadway a
fir
Phones Main 185, A-7722
The Swender Blue Print Company
Successors to THE BARTHOLD BARG COMPANY
Blue Printing and Maps
308 STARK STREET
PORTLAND, OREGON
Mill Work
Tile Partitions
Sidewalk
installed for the United
States National Bank
Building by
THOMAS MUIR
GENERAL CONTRACTS
821 Chamber of Commerce
Phone Main 4216
Vault Work
FURNISHED BY
PHILIP F. BUEBKE,
PROPRIETOR
Your In
spection Invited.
BOYD M. HAMILTON, Mrr.
Mosler Safe Co.
262 Stark St. Portland, Oregon
Structural Steel
Furnished by
WESTERN SHEET
METAL WORKS,
Inc.
STRUCTURAL STEEL
TANK WORK
Trasses, Oirder and Column
Tank o all Seaerlptiom
13th and PettygTove Sta.,
Portland. Oref on
Main 4438
John O'Hare & Son
PLAIN AND
ORNAMENTAL
PLASTERERS
368 Sixteenth Street. Portland, Oregon.
Fabrication and Installation of Reinfrocing Steel
M. V. SUTHERLAND
Architectural and Enflneerinf Construction. McKay BMj. Portland, Or.
Equipment for Banks
BUSHONG & CO.
Manufacturing Stationers
Desks, Chairs, Tables, Special
Steel Cabinets and Counters
for Public Buildings, Banks
and Offices.
Park and Stark Sts., Portland
THE HOME OF
CORBIN'S
FINE BUILDERS' HARDWARE
Honeyman Hardware Co.
Fourth at Alder
Portland's Largest Hardware Store
fr
O. K. & Rose City Wrecking Co.
LUMBEK, BRICK, DOORS, WINDOWS AND WOOD FOR SALE
. L. D. KNIGHT
11 NORTH NINTH STREET Phonm Broadway 3232