The Jefferson National Bank.
A secure place in which to put money
is generally the first thought of the
man of means, and no investment or
place offers surer or safer protection
than a bank, which, while affording
this pays a liberal interest on its
deposits. Of the banks in this city
none is more prominent or safer than
the Jefferson National, and, although
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a newcomer, it has forged its way
steadily to the front, until today it is
recognized as a leader. The building,
one of the handsomest in the city, is
located in East Main street, and its
interior fittings are quite elaborate.
This building is fronted with gray
brick, trimmed with terra cotta, with
sanded cornices to match. The entire
front is purely Greek in every particular.
At the entrance are five Ionic
columns of gray brick with terra cotta
capitals and bases trimmed with Ohio
sandstone. The two front entrance
doors, made by the Van Kannel Revolving
Door Company of New York,
and put up by the local contractors,
are provided with strong locks and
bolts, and are made of quartered whiteoak.
Above these doors is a handsome
wrought-iron gallery running the
length of the building. The tympanum
above is composed of gray brick and of
cornices to match the sandstone trimmings.
The ceiling of the portico is
decorated with the Greek key. In this
building the first story West is occupied
by the Jefferson National Bank
proper, by the vaults, and the directors'
and customers' rooms. The front
room on the East side is occupied by
the Postal Telegraph-Cable Company.
The entire second story is given to
private office rooms. The entire building
is wired for electric lights and is
supplied with gas throughout. Steam
heat is used. Electric wires also connect
bells all over the building, the
annunciator being located in the main
hall. Every modern convenience is
installed. In the bank proper, the
first door to the right leads to the
cashier's private office, the public entrance
hall being fitted with the desks
for the bank's patrons. Next to the
cashier's office is the "work room" of
the bank, as it is called, and immedidiately
in the rear of this and near the
vault is the customer's room for the
private use of any patron. Behind
this room is that of the board of directors.
The vault to the west of the
customer's room, and in view of the
general public, immediately on entering
the door, is steel, burglar-proof,
and embodies all modern improvements.
It is as handsome a piece of
work as can be found in the State.
The double vault (the fire-proof or
storage vault) has one of Diebold's
best fire-proof doors. The burglarproof
vaults have a very heavy channel
steel lining, one and one-half inches
thick and absolutely drill and fire
proof. The vestibule and inside doors
are of the same material with bankers'
combination lock subject to five millions
of changes, it is said, and with
cut-off spindle going only half way
through the door and worked off with
cog wheels and an automatic "anti-dynamite"
trigger. The outer door to
this vault is about five inches thick,
made solid with no spindles for combination
locks, which give the burglar
a weak place to attack and break
through the door without having to
soften and drill. The bolts are controlled
automatically and locked by
the Diebold triple time lock with
Howard movement. The deposit
boxes are of the latest improved double-nose
master key locks, with Japanned
boxes inside. Just outside the vault is
the "clipping room" for patrons. The
bank building was designed by Mr.
W. T. Vandegrift, architect, of this
city, who had charge of the place
until its completion. The contractors
were the King Lumber Company
the heating, plumbing and metal work
was done by R. L. Thomas, and the
electrical work was done by the local
Electric Company, thus giving nearly
all the work to home workmen. The
interior decorations were executed by
Mr. Jacob Draper, of Culpeper, the
vault was put in by the Barnes Lock
and Safe Company, of Richmond, and
the furniture was installed by the
Grand Rapids Furniture Company, of
Michigan. The Bank was organized
1901, and a National charter issued a
few weeks later. November the second
of that year the concern opened for
business, and since then its list of
depositors has steadily increased, and
its business expanded, until today it
ranks with any similar institution in
the State from a point of stability.
The officers of the bank are C. J.
Rixey, president, G. B. Sinclair, vice
president, and Thomas P. Peyton,
cashier. All of the gentlemen are
thoroughly versed in matters pertaining
to finances, and their investments
are conservative and only in the
highest and most giltedged securities.
The board of directors is composed of
C. J. Rixey, S. C. Chancellor, J. T.
Jones, G. B. Sinclair, H. C. Michie, R.
F. Marshall, C. M. Bolton, C. H.
Walker, H. M. Lewis, E. P. Duncan,
and Bartlett Bolling. They are all
prominently identified with the business
interests of our thriving little
community, and stand high in the
esteem and confidence of the public.
Mr. C. J. Rixey, president of the bank,
has been engaged in banking and
financial affairs all his life, and is one
of the best known financiers in the
State. Mr. Sinclair, the vice president,
is a native of this city, and was reared
and educated here. He is a graduate
of law, with the degree of B. L. He
has been practicing law here for a
number of years, and is one of the leading
members of the bar. He takes an
active interest in local and financial
enterprises. Mr. Peyton, the cashier,
was born in Albemarle County, and
has lived here for a number of years.
For sixteen years, prior to accepting
his present place, he held a responsible
position in the local postoffice, and
was one of the Government's most
trusted employes.
