New building, new company

Hannah Gross
NLJ Correspondent 
With Leonard Cash
 
In last week’s installment of “History on Main,” historian Leonard Cash went through his records on the fire that destroyed the old A.M. Nichols Supply Co., located on lots 4 through 6 on block 10, and the process to construct a new building, which is the modern-day Perkins Tavern building. Along with a new structure, a new business was taking over as well, and that’s where Cash picks up this week. 
“The A.M. Nichols Supply Co. has made a contract of sale to a stock company to be known as the Weston County Supply Co., which is now being formed for the purpose of succeeding to the business on December 12,” said the Dec. 2, 1910, issue of the
News Journal. 
Under a five-year lease, the new company would occupy the first floor, the basement, the frame building on the corner and the warehouse under. C.S. Manahan was to be the manager of the new supply company, which would have other departments soon. 
According to the Dec. 16 and 23, 1910, papers, the meat department was “comfortably installed,” and manager Edward Gue was “busily engaged in getting everything in ship shape.” It was said to be “the prettiest and neatest meat market in the state.”
The “formal transfer” of Nichols to Weston County Supply Co. took place on a Monday, and the new company would be in two of the store rooms in the “new Nichols block,” and the third room would be “occupied with a new department as soon as it can be made ready.” S.V. Washburn would continue manning the grocery department as he did for Nichols. 
Another article from the same December issues reported that the Weston County Supply Co., which was nicknamed “The Big Store,” was incorporated by the Secretary of State at 2 p.m. on Dec. 14. The board of directors that would manage the affairs of the business had to be comprised of three stockholders, so C.S. Manahan served as president, S.V. Washburn served as the vice president, and A.E. Manahan was the secretary-treasurer.
On Dec. 30, 1910, the paper reported that the Weston County Supply Co. had officially moved from its old room on the Kilpatrick Block to its new quarters in the Nichols building. Additionally, the Newcastle Masonic Lodge moved out of its old building into the upstairs of the Nichols building, so the armory moved into the old lodge hall. 
“When completely settled, this will be one of the prettiest lodge rooms of the state,” the article says. 
The store was continuing to get settled in, and an article from Jan. 13, 1911, announced that the supply company was using its space “to call
attention to the various lines they intend handling.” 
“At present our grocery and market affords the best. We thank you for your patronage and will have more to tell you next week,” the article says. 
Another business relocated to the brand new Nichols building because according to the Jan. 27, 1911, paper, Charles R. Yeoman, moved his fixtures and office furniture from the “old quarters over the post office” to an office on the Nichols block. The article also mentioned that Ed Gue was thinking about opening up his own meat shop. 
On Feb. 3, 1911, a news report announced that “Bud” Goulette, who was the former chauffeur “on the Big Store freight wagon,” was promoted to the meat cutting department, so Karl Svanberg took his place as chauffeur.
Additionally, merchandise was also coming in for the hardware section of the store, and soon it was to include furniture, farm machinery, wagons, buggies, and a complete line of undertaking. 
According to an article from Feb. 17, 1911, Nichols and his wife were selling their furniture because they were moving to Omaha. Mr. Willard was swapping places with the Nichols because the following issue reported that this “all-around butcher” was moving to Newcastle from Omaha to take charge of the meat market. The article also noted that Oscar Svanberg became the company’s
new bookkeeper. 
The March 10, 1911, paper announced that the employees unloaded two more cars of furniture to add to the large stock of goods. 
The undertaking department was also nearly complete, with the exception of heat which would be installed by the end of the week, according to the March 31, 1911, paper. Charles Manahan was in charge, and he claimed the title of embalmer, funeral director and undertaker. 
The April 21, 1911, issue announced that the supply company had a new sign advertising the store. 
“A large, neat and very attractive sign now graces the front of the Weston County Supply Co. store which was put in place last Tuesday,” the article says. 
Articles from July 14 and 21, 1911, said that Dr. Horton moved into an upstairs office at the Nichols block, so a new window was put in the east wall for his room. Charles Yeoman, the “wide awake manager” at Reed Land Co. was moving out of his original five-suite room to the east side of the building to make room for Master & Unger to
move in. 
The meat department was awaiting the arrival of a butcher from Denver, according to the Oct. 20, 1911, edition of the paper, so A.E. Goulette was assisting the meat department until then. 
County attorney J.O. Martz previously had his office in the Nichols building until he moved to the courthouse around Oct. 27, 1911.
A new cash carrier system was installed at the supply company, according to the Jan. 4, 1912, issue and it aided
in the work at the store’s various departments.
“The work at the Weston County Supply Co, has greatly facilitated by the installation of a cash carrier system connecting the various departments with the cashier desk, which has been shifted to the grocery department,” the article says. 
The paper from Jan. 25, 1912, reported that Nichols started a real estate business in Omaha, and he’s was going to be in Newcastle for the first three days of February for business purposes. 
A few weeks later, the Feb. 8, 1912, issue announced that J.A. Riley Faulkner and P.S. Jackson were occupying a suite of rooms upstairs. The article also noted that A.M. Nichols returned to Omaha, worn out from taking care of business in this area. 
“All is the same kind of a hurtle as of yore and will no doubt attain success in his business in Omaha,” the article says. 
According to a report from the Feb. 29, 1912, the Mozart Musical and Dramatic Co. rented a suite of three rooms for its club room. 
The next article in Cash’s records is from July 25, 1912, in which it is said that County Attorney Martin purchased Nichols home on the east side of town.
Bud Goulette became employed at the meat cutting department in the store a month later around Aug. 15, 1912, and Buelah Thomas became the new “cash girl,” according to the Sept. 5,
1912, paper. 
Next week, Cash will continue his discussion on the Weston County Supply Co.