Page:Architectural Review and American Builders' Journal, Volume 1, 1869.djvu/356

 296 Sloan's Architectural Review and Builders' Journal. pSov., DESCRIPTIONS. METROPOLITAN SAVINGS BANK. THE wonderful advance of this great Nation, in wealth and taste, is no- where more evident, than in the con- stantly improving appearance of the street architecture of our cities ; and this growing desire for embellishment is so evidently popular, that those keen- sighted men, who have the handling of our monetary affairs, deem it a safe in- vestment to build up palatial structures, which, while they tend to give character to the institution, likewise add a mate- rial grace to the architectural appear- ance of our public highways. Of late, we have had several highly creditable specimens of the taste of our professional brethren in this line, the chief of which we will review from time to time. In our present number, we give an illustration of one, recently com- pleted, from the designs, and under the superintendence, of our friend and for- mer pupil, Carl Pfeiffer, Esq., Archi- tect, New York city. At a glance, this elegant design can be recognized, as emanating from the great Metropolis of the Union, where wealth stimulates enterprise ; and suc- cessful enterprise, again, begets wealth, which is not slow to display its presence, in the ornate beauties of architecture, which everywhere delight the eye. And not alone is the effect of admira- tion produced by these beautiful archi- tectural features. It is, also, called forth, by that natural pride, which eveiy true American takes in the unmistake- able progressiveness of his country, here presenting itself in the accumulating gains of even the humblest class of society, to whom, conjointly, these Savings Banks may be truthfully said to belong. That such an investment of savings is judicious, there cannot be a doubt, when we look at the simple fact that city real estate is rendered valuable, in proportion to the amount of improve- ment put upon it ; and, that the im- provement is to be valued, in a great measure, by the appearance it is made to present. Hence the necessity, for, not alone, an outlay of capital, but for the production of taste, in securing, for the real estate in question, the value desired, through the instrumentality of just such designs as that which Mr. Pfeiffer has so ably conceived, and so thoroughly constructed. The architectural grandeur of her edifices is truly a just motive of pride in our great sister city of New York ; and a pride that will not fail ; for, as edifice after edifice rises in her midst, its presence suggests still more improve- ment, prompting the growth of taste, and stimulating the desire to push on the banner of empire, ever to the front, that the eyes of all may continue to see, and to acknowledge, the fame-embla- zoned title "Excelsior." In the other cities of our Nation, as in New York, this embellishment of wealth must become an imperative duty ; and the talents of our countrymen be quite profitably employed in archi- tecture. The constantly presented les- sons of design will then arouse the still more active attention and sympathy of our people, until every eye is keenly educated, and every designer must run the gauntlet of public opinion.