mckimmeadwhite

The Chambers and Madison Streets streetcar line (aka Madison Street line) of the New York Railways was discontinued on Sept. 21, 1919. Cars on this line were battery powered. metro.wikia.com/wiki/List_of_streetcar_lines_in_Manhattan. This line ran east to west from the Grand St. Ferry on the East River to the Chambers St. Ferry on the Hudson, roughly on the route of the present day M22 bus line. books.google.com/books?id=2DA05tBefEsC&pg=PA888&l... metro.wikia.com/wiki/List_of_streetcar_lines_in_Manhattan It's possible this photo was taken to illustrate a story about the last day of the line's service. The streetcar is pictured traveling through the archway in Manhattan's Municipal Building on Centre Street and Chambers. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manhattan_Municipal_Building Street view (east through arch), June 1916: www.google.com/maps/place/Avenue+of+the+Finest,+New+York,... account of controversial closing of east side lines, NYT 9/19/19: query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9A04E6D9153AE0...

for info on these battery powered streetcars, see comments under

www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q114705441

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knickerbocker_Trust_Company
"The Knickerbocker Trust was a bank based in New York City that was, at one time, among the largest banks in the United States. It was a central player in the Panic of 1907."
"The New York City bank was housed in a Roman-style temple designed by McKim, Mead, and White and erected between 1902 and 1904 at the northwest corner of 34th Street and Fifth Avenue. Stanford White's design allowed for the possibility of adding nine stories of offices upon the structure."
"The Stanford White building was enlarged by ten stories in 1921, and the façade completely redesigned in 1958, with its signature pilasters covered over; it still remains, its original form unrecognizable."

See: www.flickr.com/photos/library_of_congress/43767862305/