Chronicles of the Weston County Library Part II
By Bri Brasher
with Leonard Cash
NLJ Reporter
In last week’s installment of the History on Main series, historian Leonard Cash explained how Weston County got a library. Starting with a call to start a library, funds began to accumulate in the 1890s. A traveling library was established before a library room and public library came to Newcastle. Last week’s News Letter Journal story ended with a report from Feb. 24, 1911, of a promise of funds from Andrew Carnegie for a public library building in Weston County.
Also on Feb. 24, 1911, the News Letter Journal reported that “it seems that some people outside of Newcastle do not understand that the public library and its books are at the service of all the people of the county.” The article went on to explain that Weston County residents outside of Newcastle paid one dollar for an annual borrowers card and 10 cents for each additional card. Those outside of city limits could keep their books for four weeks, while those in Newcastle could keep their books for two weeks at a charge of $1.50 per year and the same 10 cents for each additional borrower. To end the article, the News Letter Journal opined, “The library holds an extremely good line of books and will be of great pleasure and benefit to the people of the county, if they will take advantage of the opportunity.”
Next, on March 3, 1911, the News Letter Journal reported that a lack of information regarding the Carnegie Library was due to a “delay in receiving mail matter containing detailed information.” The article ensured that the library project was still in the works for the present year, ending with these words: “We want to see this building so constructed that it will be of especial convenience and utility to the people living in the country in addition to the value to be derived from the library itself.”
The next month, the News Letter Journal announced that plans for the library building would “soon be ready to submit to Mr. Carnegie and in a short time it is hoped that work will begin.” Additionally, the paper said that F. Horton, M.J. Coyle and Mrs. J.C. Baird were elected directors of the library.
A library club meeting was hosted by Mrs. Horton at the end of April 1911, and a local news source reported that entertainment was provided, followed by plans for both a cantata given by the school children and plans for a 10 cent tea. Furthermore, it was reported that Mrs. Garhardt was elected secretary in place of Miss Wilson.
The next report on the building was published in the local news on July 21, 1911: “Word was received by Dr. Horton yesterday from Mr. Carnegie’s agent containing the information that the plans for the public library building to be erected in Newcastle were quite satisfactory and that the money was now ready to be drawn on contractor’s orders, providing said building was constructed within the stipulated amount, $12,500. Bids will be called for as soon as the architect can complete the specifications.”
According to a News Letter Journal article from Sept. 22, 1911, the library contract was set after plans by architect Randall were approved by Mr. Carnegie and the construction bid went to Sailivan and Spielman of Gillette for $11,000. As the new building plans continued, so did happenings at the then-present library. On Sept. 29, 1911, the News Letter Journal released a schedule of the ladies in charge of the library during the evening hours for the following two months.
Then, on Oct. 6, 1911, the local news reported that the excavation work on the new building was underway. However, toward the end of the month, it was reported that the weather interfered with the work on the library’s basement. A few weeks later, work resumed and the foundation walls were completed, according to Cash’s records.
The local news then released a letter dated Dec. 7, 1911, from Rep. Frank Mondell in Washington, D.C., to Newcastle’s librarian. The letter was published the following week, according to Cash’s records. In the letter, Mondell said that “I have taken pleasure in direction the Superintendent of Public Documents to place the name of your library on the list for all publications of the Geological Survey. Many of these contain much of value to the people of Wyoming and I feel sure will be a proven addition to your reference work. From 50 to 75 of these publications are issued yearly and I trust your patrons will find them both interesting and instructive.”
Also on Dec. 14, 1911, Cash’s records indicate that the library building’s brick work was completed the previous week. A local news source reported that “it certainly is going to be a beautiful structure when completed and one that any town many the size of Newcastle could be proud of.”
A new list of ladies in charge of the library in the evenings was printed in the Jan. 18, 1912, issue of the News Letter Journal. Cash’s records then skip to April 25, 1912, when the library club purchased a piano for the new library’s assembly room. It was also reported that the library social was held at the opera house in Newcastle, and a large crowd was present for a “fine luncheon.” The next social was planned to be held in the new library building, with the hope that the structure would be ready for occupancy by that time.
The library’s story with Cash will continue next week.