General store offering low prices — no sham

Hannah Gross
NLJ Correspondent 
With Leonard Cash, historian 
 
In this week’s installment of “History on Main,” Leonard Cash begins a new series on the Weston County Bank, located on lot 1 of block 11, which started out as a clothing and drug store, according to files from the Sanborn Map Co. The building became a bank in 1903 until a big fire broke out in 1912, destroying the building. 
An April 11, 1890, article from the local newspaper notes that I.H. Chase of Deadwood purchased this corner lot for $2,000, which at the time was home to D.G. Davidson’s saloon. Chase planned to build a two-story brick building with a basement that measured 25 feet by 70 feet. Jake Lang was going to use the building for his general store. 
Work was progressing along, reported the May 2, 1890, paper, and both the interior and exterior were to be finished “in an expensive manner.” Once the store was stocked and “the business boom commences, he will as he deserves do a great deal more than hold his own.” 
According to the May 12, 1890, edition of the Weston County Democrat, Davidson relocated his saloon to
Railroad Street.
The June 25, 1890, issue of the Democrat announced that the excavation for Chase’s building was complete and the foundation was nearly finished. An architect named Mr. Burnham from Deadwood was awarded a contract for
the work. 
By Aug. 7, 1890, the brick work was completed, and it was expected that in the following month, Newcastle would see “a brand-new stock of goods in one of if not the finest store rooms in Newcastle.” According to the July 3, 1890, issue of Newcastle News, the brick came from Nebraska. 
The store was finally complete, according to an announcement in the Oct. 9, 1890, Newcastle News. Recapping the original purchase, the article said that Chase, the “Deadwood millionaire clothing king,” bought this lot for $2,200 from the Bank of Hemingford, which originally purchased it
for $1,850. 
“Jake Lang the local managing partner of Mr. Chase had long coveted this prize and before anyone knew what the witty Jake was doing, he had secured it by telegraph, the lot no sooner was secured than a force of workmen were upon it, and the foundation fairly grew out of the ground until it is now occupied by Jake Lang as the palace clothing house,” the article says. 
The “elegant” show front was furnished with heavy French plate glass, and a vast selection of rubber goods, shoes and more was stored in the basement. The completed building had an estimated worth of $8,000, with $20,000 worth in goods.  
According to a different article from the same time, Dr. Horton had his office in a room on the second floor, along with Jake’s personal office, which he went to “considerable expense in the furnishing.” 
“We marveled a little at the reason of it, but Jake shook his head and said our suspicions were wrong. What did he mean?” the article asks. 
Lang carried the finest and most complete stock “found west of the Great Muddy” (which is the Missouri River, Cash said), according to the Dec. 12, 1890, newspapers, and “all who would be saved from the ghost dance should see him before
buying elsewhere.” 
The following issue of the Newcastle News reported that Burnham installed cathedral glass doors to the fronts of the “palace block,” where Lang’s general store was located. This added “a fine appearance” to the block. 
By Jan. 2, 1891, Chase was moving his stock of goods from Deadwood to his
Newcastle store. 
On Jan. 30, 1891, the paper announced that Chase was moving to San Jose, California, but before taking off, he stopped in Newcastle to look after his business interests, which were going successfully. 
“Chase is really selling many goods for fifty cents on the dollar. No sham — he means business,” the article says. 
The bankrupt stock was selling like “hot cakes,” according to the April 3, 1891, paper. However, there were complaints from other businesses that the products were too cheap, so around April 10, 1891, the district judge sentenced Lang to “one year’s good trade” for selling his goods at too low prices. 
“The grand jury found I.H. Chase dealer in bargains in clothing, dry goods, boots and shoes guilty of selling as advertised,” the article says. 
Not only did the store contain inexpensive products, but it also sold popular ones too. The March 3, 1893, paper said that the Stetson hat, which was a favorite in the Black Hills area, was available at Lang’s store. 
After several years of managing a successful business, Jake Lang decided to retire on Jan. 1, 1895, according to the Oct. 21, 1894, paper. He was closing out the shop “regardless of profit cost or anything else in cash,” so the community could save money by shopping there. 
Chase was still the owner, so around Jan. 5, 1895, he closed the store for the purpose of taking inventory of his large stock. D.W. Tillotson from Hot Springs was replacing Lang
as manager. 
Along with taking inventory, the following issue reported, Chase was making some updates by having the exterior of the store papered, painted and “generally fixed up preparatory to opening under
new management.” 
“Mr. Chase promises some bargains which will attract favorable attention from customers,” the article says. 
By Jan. 18, 1895, the improvements were complete, and the store was reopened for business. In all the years Lang, a “pioneer businessman,” managed the entire stock of the store, only $13 was found missing after the recent inventory. This loss was accounted for by an overcoat that had been stolen from the front, along with a few other small articles. The article wished it was possible “for every young man to obtain such a record for honesty and for stock for such attention to the detail.” 
However, his replacement was announced to be a “capable manager,” in a news report from Feb. 22, 1895, and the community welcomed him as a valuable addition to
the community.
Lang didn’t stay in retirement very long because, according to an article from April 5, 1895, he returned from his travels east, where he bought a selection of dry goods to open up another general store in the Ost building next to the Baird Drug store. Lang and J.P. Ost were going into a partnership in conjunction with Ost’s furniture store. 
Cash will continue discussion on the partnership in next week’s installment of “History on Main.”