The life of the Weston County Courthouse: Part III
By Bri Brasher
with Leonard Cash
NLJ Reporter
Part II of “The Life of the Weston County Courthouse” story ended with an article published in the News Letter Journal on Oct. 22, 1909 in which M.J. Williams, the contractor for the courthouse, returned to his home in Crawford, Nebraska for a funeral. The same article also reported on another incident: “While working on the court house Monday, W.R. Bateman fell from a scaffold about twelve feet to the ground below and struck a stake but fortunately was not seriously injured.”
On Nov. 5, 1909, the News Letter Journal reported that “the large kiln of brick at the brick yard is burned, and Contractor Williams informs us that he will begin hauling some to the court house the first of next week.
The brick is of a splendid quality.” As of Jan. 10, 1910, the paper said that despite weather, work on the courthouse building “is going right along.”
The book “A Survey of Wyoming County Courthouses: Their history, architecture, documents, proceedings, and personnel,” published in 1972, noted early 1910 happenings too: “The laying of the cornerstone of the present courthouse took place on Feb. 10, 1910. It was a cold day, traveling was hard, and there was not a large crowd of out-of-town people in attendance, although there were a number of representatives from every part of the country.” The program included speeches, music and a lunch prepared by Mr. Pete Kinney.
According to the book, “a strong box containing copies of all records pertaining to the court house and various other documents, newspapers, etc. were deposited in a receptacle provided in the cornerstone … The spirit of the cornerstone laying is strongly manifested when conversing with an old-timer who was present at the colorful ceremony. Each and every citizen of the county at that time is entitled to feel that he helped build that courthouse, and as many say: ‘We built it, we paid for it, it is ours.’”
“The eagle that sat on top of a pole on the courthouse was put up there, I think, when they built it,” said Cash, who was recalling the cornerstone celebration. “I believe it came down when strong winds even fell through to the basement, I think. My stepdad and another carpenter had to go in there and make the repairs, sometime in the late ’40s.”
Reports then jump to April 1, 1910, when it was said the Mr. A. Jones was employed by contractor Williams as the foreman of the stonecutters, and A.D. Searl had the contract for the finishing work on the courthouse and the Nichols block. Searl was said to have opened headquarters “in the building opposite the site of the latter block and will soon open a full stock of wall paper, paints, etc.” Not long after, Williams was said to have been called to Casper to look over a building he was overseeing there.
On July 9, 1910, the News Letter Journal published an article calling for bids on courthouse furniture. Around this same time, the press reported that “the cornice is being put on the new courthouse. The dome is ready for covering and the building begins now to show something of how it will appear when completed. It will be a handsome structure and a good one.” Then, on July 15, 1910, contractor Williams welcomed visits from his son C.J. and his daughter Miss Lena May. M.L. Thomas informed the News Letter Journal on Aug. 12, 1910, the he, the manager of the electric light company, expected to complete the wiring of the new courthouse building within the next several days.
Also on Aug. 12, 1910, conflict ensued. The News Letter Journal published a legal notice, which included the following: “Notice to M.J. Williams, Newcastle, Wyoming. You are hereby notified by the board of county commissioners in and for the Weston County in accordance with the provisions of Paragraph VI of a certain building contract dated Aug. 5, 1909, by and between John Nolan, John Blakeley and Matt Hill constituting the Board of county commissioners of the Weston County Wyoming, owner, and MJ Williams of Crawford, Neb., contractor and builder, that on C A Randall, the superintending architect of the said court house on this 3rd day of Aug A D 1910 certified to the board of county commissioners aforesaid that you have neglected to supply a sufficiency of material and properly skilled workmen and have failed to prosecute the erection and building of said court house with promptness and dispatch and diligence and the said C A Randall further certified in according with paragraph VI of said agreement that such neglect to so furnish with promptness dispatch and diligence said material and workmen is sufficient grounds for this board to terminate the employment of the said contractor, the said M J Williams and that this board is entitled to take possession of all material, tools, appliances on the said court house building and site and to employ any other person or persons to finish the work and to provide the material therefor.
You are hereby notified that this board the said Board of county commissioners of Weston County will for the purpose of completing the erection and building of said court house take possession on the 6th day of Aug A D 1910 of all materials, tools and appliances on the said court house building and sire and will employ workmen to finish the said work and provide the material therefore. Witness our hands and seals this 3rd day of August. Board of County Commissioners for Weston County: John Blakeley, Chairman; John Nolan; Matt Hill; Attest James W Howell, County Clerk.”