Newcastle’s largest fire destroys bank

Hannah Gross
NLJ Correspondent
With Leonard Cash, historian 
 
In this week’s installment of “History on Main,” Leonard Cash continues his series on the Weston County Bank building, located on lot 1 of block 11, but first he wanted to discuss the life of Jake Lang, who was the manager of the general store that was there before it became a bank. 
In 1900, Lang was no longer manager of the store (which had become Evans Pharmacy in 1897) but had moved to Clearmont (where he is now buried, Cash said) to start his own business. Unfortunately, the papers from Sept. 21, 1900, reported that he and his new bride had a funeral for their infant son, Jonnie, who had passed away. 
The next article in Cash’s records comes from Dec. 14, 1900, where it was announced that Lang was visiting Newcastle from Clearmont, and he told the townsfolk that he was well pleased with his new location.
On top of being a businessman, Lang became the Clearmont postmaster, according to a news report from March 21, 1902. Two years later, someone attempted to hold up and rob Postmaster Lang around Dec. 16, 1904. 
But other than that mishap, Lang was leading a successful life because the Nov. 17, 1905, edition of the News Journal said that Lang “is doing well and we’re glad
of it.” 
Heading back to history in Newcastle, Cash wanted to include an article from the April 6, 1906, issue about John Brosius, who eventually opened up a bakery in the bank building. This article reported that this “pioneer of Canyon Springs prairie” was tired of farming and decided to auction. 
By Sept. 14, 1906, his family had moved to town from their ranch and purchased a cottage on the north side of Newcastle. 
“We are glad to see Mr. Brosius make this purchase and thus become thoroughly identified with this town,” the article says. 
According to the Oct. 12, 1906, issue of the local paper, Evans Pharmacy moved out of I.H. Chase’s building (which is the store Lang managed) to relocate in the Big Horn Basin. Albert Evans packed his pharmacy gear around Oct. 19, 1906, and wanted to reopen as soon as possible after the move. Around 1903, the Stock Growers and Merchants Bank moved in, but we will go more in depth on that next week.  
Meanwhile, a few doors down the street on lot 11 block 11, Brosius was busy painting and remodeling a building on Warren Avenue to open it as a first-class bakery, announced the Aug. 23, 1907, paper. This expert baker had “mastered the art” guaranteed to make it his “chief aim” to carry a stock
of pastries.
“Newcastle people have long felt the need of such an establishment and will be pleased to learn that such a man as Mr. Brosius will conduct the business as they will feel assured of only the best in caters line,” the article says. 
By Sept. 6, 1907, Brosius officially opened his bakery lunchroom and restaurant. A few months later, Brosius was already planning to move his business to the basement of the Weston County Bank (on lot 1 of block 11, also known as the Faehndrich building), announced an article from Jan. 31, 1908, so the stairway leading to the basement was being “turned about” for a new entryway. Brosius moved in a few weeks later. 
However, by the end of the year, Brosius moved his bakery to the Haines building, reported the Nov. 13, 1908, paper. But that didn’t last long either because he was planning to move to Sheridan, according to the April 2, 1909, issue, to start a bakery there. And that was the end of the bakery in the bank. 
The Nov. 29, 1907, edition of the paper announced the friendly visit of Evans from the Basin and “will join the depot force at this point,” the article says. 
Shortly after, the druggist passed away, and his obituary appeared in the Dec. 6, 1907, News Journal. He spent several years in Newcastle before moving to the Big Horns, “having become greatly impressed with the future possibilities of the Basin country.” He moved his stock there and eventually became the clerk of the school district, in addition to running his own business. Evan’s son was in Newcastle to accept a job position when he was notified of his father’s death. 
“The many Newcastle friends extend their heartfelt sympathy to the bereaved family,” the article says. 
J. Henderson received an order from the Evans family to erect a $300 monument for the family lot in a Rapid City cemetery, according to an article from July 31, 1908.  
The next article that appears in Cash’s records is an obituary from Sept. 19, 1912, announcing the death of Lang after an extended illness. Lang was born in Ohio on Aug. 26, 1863, but he moved to Wyoming from South Dakota. He lived in Newcastle for 12 years before moving to Clearmont, which was his final resting place.
As if that wasn’t enough bad news, one of the largest fires in the history of Newcastle was reported in an article from the Nov. 7, 1912, News Journal, titled “Disastrous Conflagration.” This fire, which broke out at 1 a.m., destroyed “one of the finest business blocks in the city.” The community “awakened to the fact that one of the greatest fires in the history of the town was raging,” and despite the low water pressure, the firefighters responded valiantly, the article reported.
The fire was first discovered in the back of the Thoeming Mercantile Co. lumber yard before quickly spreading to the other buildings. This “deadly fire demon” consumed Ost’s hardware store, Edison Electric, Weston County Bank, and the Wegher Bros. saloon. The estimated combined loss was around $175,000 and only part of it was insured.
“Too much praise cannot be given to the many willing volunteers by whose efforts the block next adjoining saved from destruction. Great sympathy is felt for those sustaining this heavy loss. It is hoped that the people of Newcastle will now realize the necessity of constructing on a hill a reservoir or standpipe with a water main therefrom for emergency requirements,” the article says. 
The following issue released an article on the aftermath of the fire, giving a breakdown of the loss for each building. Mrs. Faehndrich lost an estimated $16,000, with about half of it insured, and she planned to erect two new buildings on the same lots where she was previously located, which is where the bank sat. J. Ost (who once was in a partnership with Lang) lost $12,000, with insurance covering $5,000. He planned on erecting an ironclad warehouse in the same location until he could build a new store. The bank was more fortunate out of the two and only lost $800, all of which was fully insured. They moved into the First National Bank building on the opposite corner of the street until the Faehndrich building could be reconstructed. There were several other businesses in the article that experienced loss, and everyone who suffered wanted to “extend their sincere thanks to the many willing workers by whose efforts the fire was kept in control, and much stock and other
property saved.”
That wraps up this week’s installment of “History on Main,” and next week, Cash will continue this series with the history of the bank building by backtracking to a more in-depth history of the Stock Growers and Weston
County banks.