Dances and skating were held at city hall
Hannah Gross
NLJ Correspondent
With Leonard Cash
Local historian Leonard Cash continues to share his records on city hall to paint a picture of Newcastle in the early years. According to local papers from Jan. 2, 1891, all the brick work on the building was completed, except for
the tower.
“The city hall is a monument to the enterprise of Newcastle and a credit to the architect and contractor,” a March 20, 1891, newspaper article says, crediting the design to a certain M. Alber.
“This elegant structure was commenced in the midsummer of 1890 and was turned over to the mayor and council, Tuesday evening, March 17th, by the contractor, F.A. Buse,” the article says. Buse was “hampered” because the city bonds “with the proceeds of which the building was paid for” were delayed in their delivery, and an act of the state Legislature was required to legalize the bonds.
“The delay was only temporary and has long since been overcome,” the article says.
The town of Newcastle had high hopes of growing in size, and city hall was large enough to accommodate the expected growth, according to the article.
“(It is) two stories in height surmounted by a tower on the north east corner and will afford ample accommodation for a city of ten thousand people which Newcastle expects to be at a not far distant date,” it says. Even though the hopes were there, Cash said, Newcastle never reached that size, not even during the oil boom.
The article reported that Newcastle brick composed the building, with Wyoming white sandstone forming the trimmings. Almost all the lumber came from the local area.
The first floor was composed of the firemen’s parlors, the council chamber, the marshal’s room, the “city lock-up” (or jail), the hose room, and the hook and ladder truck. Cash recalled the time that someone had climbed the ladder during a drill, but unfortunately for him, the ladder broke midway, breaking both his arms.
A “broad staircase” led up to the second floor and opened into a large hall and dressing rooms, taking up the entire floor. This floor was to be used by the Newcastle Dramatic Co., and on Mar. 16, 1891, it was open to the public with a program for them to enjoy. An orchestra began playing at 8 p.m.
“The auditorium at the City Hall, which covers the entire second floor of the structure, which is 36x60 feet, and an addition of two dressing rooms 10x12, was filled in point of space by an audience that might have numbered 150 persons,” the article says.
Moving a few years ahead in Cash’s records to Nov. 8, 1895, we find that an animal pound was going to be built behind city hall and “all stock running at large contrary to the ordinance will be shut up. Look out,” the article warned. Marshal McLaughlin completed the pound, according to Nov. 15, 1895, newspapers, so all loose livestock would now “be taken care of.”
On Jan 10, 1896, the News Letter Journal reported that an addition to the second floor of city hall was being planned, with “scenery” arriving soon, so the stage would be positioned shortly. The City Council approved the actions for placing a new furnace, painting the interior and making “some much needed repairs” to the exterior of city hall in its meeting the previous Monday.
The Weston County Leader reported on Feb. 18, 1899, that the flag was put at half-mast at city hall on Wednesday morning to commemorate the loss of the “gallant ship Maine.” The USS Maine was sunk in Havana Harbor, Cuba, on Feb. 15, 1898.
Moving through Cash’s records a few months, we discover that more work was “rapidly” being made on city hall again — this time on the new auditorium — in hopes of bringing about its completion in time for the meeting of the Grand Lodge Knights of Pythias on the 20th, according to articles from Sept. 15, 1899. However, the news did not include very high hopes for its completion.
On Oct. 6, 1899, C.W. Dow and B.F. Hilton were reportedly renting the hall from the city for three months, at a rate of “16 2/3” dollars. Cash said he wasn’t sure why they rented the hall, but they did.
Cash said he doesn’t have enough papers to fill in what happened between of 1899 and 1901.
The hall ceiling was being repaired, according to articles from Oct. 18, 1901. Cash said that it was a steel ceiling, similar to the one in Antler’s building.
“That’s a very popular ceiling back then,” Cash said.
News reports from Nov. 27, 1903, said that a fire, caused by an overheated pipe from the furnace, was discovered in city hall on Wednesday afternoon. Fortunately, it didn’t take long for it to be put out.
“It apparently started in the floor of the room immediately in the rear of the fire apparatus room,” the article says. The damage was minimal.
Next in line for city hall’s versatile use of its rooms was a roller skating rink. The Newcastle News Journal reported on Feb. 10, 1905, that Jane Hart rented city hall to convert some of it into a rink, which was to be opened as soon as possible.
The paper reported again on Sept. 22, 1905, that a certain carpenter named Richard performed a “great and much needed improvement” by repairing the cupola.
“I haven’t heard of him. Maybe he was one of those ‘fly-by-nights,’” Cash said.
Contractor Purvis reinstalled a “heating plant” (which is another name for a furnace, according to Cash) at the hall, according to news reports from Feb. 8, 1907. Other improvements were also planned, and city Councilman Putnam made a motion, which was seconded by Mayor Randall, for the city to take up the matter of installing a new furnace and fixing the staircase, dressing room and the room adjacent to jail.
According to articles from Sept. 13, 1907, Jesse Scott resigned as city marshal, effective immediately, and Rasmun Andersen took his place.
“He (Andersen) was quite a guy here in town. I think he was from Sweden,” Cash said.
The Newcastle News Journal, from Jan. 17, 1908, reported that the rink was moved to the armory. The article said that the rink was a “bowling success,” but the reason for its short reign was due to the hall floor being repaired. A new floor was being installed because, according to Cash, the roller-skate wheels were made of steel and not rubber. As a result, skating had torn up the first floor. Other changes, such as removing the present stairway and putting one on the west side, were considered but nothing had been permanently decided.
According to news reports from Jan. 31, 1908, the repairs were being “pushed along by Contractor Dow” and his assistants.
The new maple floor was expected to be finished by the 12th because the Pythian Sisters were dancing there, reported news articles from Feb. 7, 1908.
“Be one of those that take(s) the first whirl,” the article says.
New locks were installed at city hall, reported the newspapers from May 8, 1908, and instructions were given to the council from the marshal to arrest and prosecute anybody who tampers with the locks or enters the building in an “unlawful manner.”
The News Letter Journal/Leonard Cash history series continues in next week’s issue.