Volume 2 - ElectricCanadian.com

492 HISTORY OF THE BANKmatters as the relation of the area covered by the buildingto the accommodation afforded at the counter, and that ofthe space allotted to the public to the extent of the counterfront, have been calculated with great precision. This isnotably the case in a numerous group of small buildings,such as Ayer's Cliff and Briercrest. 1 The simple red brickexteriors of many of the bank's permanent buildings, suchas Blenheim and Moose Jaw 2 among the earlier examples,and Transcona and Fairview among the later ones, provethat costly materials are not necessary to give grace anddignity. When the surroundings rendered the use of brickinadvisable, the desired result has been obtained by meansof inexpensive materials, such as artificial stone or unglazedterra cotta. The Spadina and College building in Toronto, 3the London, Ont., office and other buildings of the sametype are notable examples of the former material; whileFort William, Kingston and Belleville illustrate the use ofterra cotta. 4No one can travel to any extent over the prairie provinceswithout becoming familiar with the typical frame buildingserected by The Canadian Bank of Commerce, such as those atElbow, Canora, Humboldt and Radville. 5During the earlyyears of this century, when the settlement of the prairies wasactively under way, the bank was forced to erect numbers ofthese buildings every year. This was accomplished by theadoption of a type of sectional construction, the parts of thebuilding being prepared and fitted together at mills on thePacific Coast, and shipped complete to their destination, wherethe building could then be erected with a maximum of speedand a minimum of labour on a masonry foundation preparedbeforehand for its reception. There was much planning to be1See plate 61, facing page 418. The Souris building is of the same type as Briercrest.'See plates 60 and 54, facing pages 402 and 338.'See plate 67, facing page 483.4See plates 42 and 43, facing pages 258 and 262.See plates 65 and 11, facing pages 470 and 86. The Humboldt building is ofthe same type as that at Cobalt.