Natrona County, Wyoming - The whole text, 1923 (part 4 of 15)

On March 9, 1892, John Weir, C. B. Waite, and W. Trainer, of New York, Chester B. Bradley of Chicago, and Charles H. Kelsey of Denver arrived in Casper and the next day started for the soda lakes to confer with Negus, who was on the grounds with a crew of workmen putting the machinery in place for the soda works. Chester B. Bradley was attorney for the syndicate and located in Casper permanently. The other gentlemen were stockholders in the syndicate.

The work of installing the machinery continued during the summer. A great many people were employed at the works, a post office was established, and the town of Johnstown was born to "cast its sweetness on the desert air." A number of houses were built there and Johnstown had hopes and prospects of becoming one of the leading centers of Central Wyoming. Shafts were sunk and timbered and tons upon tons of soda were taken out. Strings of freight teams were on the road hauling out supplies and bringing in the soda for shipment, but in time the railroads raised the freight rate on the product, and this, together with the mining and hauling of it to Casper by freight teams, put the cost up to more than the market price for it. Work was soon suspended and the property abandoned.

On April 20, 1894, after the syndicate had practically abandoned its works at Johnstown, a correspondent from Independence Rock said, "Johnstown has lost nearly all its inhabitants, there being only two families there now, and they are thinking of going away soon." At the term of the district court held in Casper in May, 1895, Chester B. Bradley secured a judgment against the Syndicate Improvement company for ^3,741.54 and costs, amounting in all to $4,125.29, and the property of the company was sold under attachment for the amount. This ended the operations of the company and at the same time took Johnstown off the map and put her in the same class with Bothwell, Bessemer, and Eadsville.

There are three small soda lakes several miles north from Casper covering about forty acres, which are owned by John D. McGill. Mr. McGill has owned this property since 1895 and has built a refinery nearby and the product is being disposed of as rapidly as it can be refined. It is hauled to Casper by truck and shipped to market from here by railroad. On account of the fact that the entire output always finds a ready market and that the property is not for sale the enterprise receives but little attention from the public.

Central Wyoming's greatest mining swindle was perpetrated by Tom Wagner in 1897 and 1898. There have been many disappointments in mines in the state and much time and money have been lost in various enterprises, but, in nearly all cases those concerned were

Wagner was a cowpuncher who had ridden the range around the Point of Rocks and the Pedro mountains in 1885. He left the country but returned in June, 1897, and, after being up in the Point of Rocks neighborhood a few months, came down with a wagonload of ore which he hauled to Deadwood. The ore showed a run of $1,000.50 net, and there was a gold rush precipitated immediately. Some experienced miners returned to the Point of Rocks with Wagner and forty-three claims w^ere staked off for Wagner, and he sold claims to others for $50 or $100, which sums he said were to be used to pay for the assessment work. Wagner bought the Indian Grove ranch, and stocked it with horses and cattle and he and his miners lived there during their operations. He did not pay for the ranch or the stock, however.

The Wyoming Derrick of January 13, 1898, said that "after his first forty-three claims were legally staked and the discovery and assessment work all done in compliance with the laws, he (Wagner) came to Casper after three four-horse-team loads of mining tools and camp supplies and provisions. This was six or seven w^eeks ago, and Mr. Wagner freely told of his w^onderfully rich strike. A week or so previous to that time Professor A. W. S. Rothermel, of New York City and the Black Hills, who is associated with the F. E. & M. V. Railway company, and other mining experts, visited the Indian Grove ranch, and carried back with them some of the quartz broken from the ledge, which has caused a manifest interest in the Pedro gold discovery, upon the part of those high in financial and mining circles of surrounding and eastern and southern states.

"Since the first of December a number of old-time and experienced miners, friends, and acquaintances of Mr. Wagner, have come from the Black Hills, gone to Pedro mountains, and become infatuated with the gold-bearing rock, while capitalist friends of Mr. Wagner in Deadwood, Montana, Texas, Kansas City, Omaha, Chicago, and Pennsylvania have urged upon him their claims to invest unlimited money in developing the property, and erecting stamp mills and smelters.

"The entire discovery is in Carbon county, about three miles south of the Natrona county line, across the south and middle fork of Canyon creek. The principal lead is on an average of sixteen feet wide, and the quartz is said by the miners working it, to be a facsimile of the Cripple creek quartz. It is a refractory ore, yet it contains carbonates, some of which were scraped from the ore dump at the Mena mine and the dirt containing the carbonates assayed $117.50."

Tom Wagner S Fake Mine Io7

Every time Wagner came to Casper, he was surrounded by excited citizens who were anxious to know the latest developments. Wagner, in a friendly, artless manner would tell of the latest wonders unearthed in his "El Dorado." Claims were staked ofF by some Casper men, who made many trips over the long, rough road back and forth from the place where their millions were lying waiting to be blasted from the rock.

Tom Wagner's mines were not his only assets. His qualities were thus disclosed by the Wyoviing Derrick: "One of the commendable traits of Mr. Wagner is shown in his staking off three claims of placer ground in one branch of Canyon creek for some orphan children in a distant state. It has been more than twenty years since he left home, and at that time he was asked by his mother to promise her that he would never drink intoxicating liquors. He granted the request and made a further voluntary promise that he would not return home till he had acquired a fortune. Both pledges he has kept, never touching liquor to his lips, or returning to his parental home which he longs to visit and will visit within a few months now."

The bubble grew and grew and plans were made for stage coaches, post office and mail service, smelters, beautiful homes, and all the comforts to be secured by great wealth. In February, F. K. Guston of Chicago, L. W. Cummings of Fort Worth, and L. S. Sanderson, a mining man from Denver, went out to the "mines," and describing what they found, the Razvlins Republican of February 17 said: "All the parties returned at noon Tuesday completely disgusted and highly indignant at the deception that had been practiced upon them. They said that about two years ago Thomas Wagner was serving a term in the Montana penitentiary for some offense, understood to be cattle rustling. Previous to his advent into Montana, Wagner was a cowpuncher in Texas and enjoyed the acquaintance of Captain W. H. Kingsbury of San Antonio, Texas, a prominent cattleman of that section. It was stated that it was through Captain Kingsbury's influence that Wagner secured a pardon. A few months ago Captain Kingsbury received a letter from Wagner giving a glowing account of the alleged rich discoveries of gold and copper in the Ferris mountains and stating that out of consideration for Mr. Kingsbury's kindness to him, the latter had located one claim in his name. Wagner continued to write of the exceedingly bright outlook for the camp until Kingsbury was fully convinced that a great bonanza had been discovered. Messrs. Evans and Guston, auditor and treasurer, respectively, of the Seattle and Yukon Steamship company, operating extensively in Alaska and Mexico, are friends of Kingsbury. As they were going through to Seattle, he advised them to stop off here and visit the new 'El Dorado,' which out of consideration for the old gentleman, who is now in feeble health, they promised to do. Mr. Sanderson is a son-in-law of Captain Kingsbury and he intended to accompany Messrs. Guston and Evans from Denver, but missed the train and was compelled to follow the next day. Mr. Guston said that upon their arrival at the Indian Grove ranch, which Wagner claims to have bought from S. B. Parkins some time ago, they discovered that the alleged rich mines are a myth. No assessment had ever been attempted upon any of the forty-three claims located, except the one called the Mena, and that has a hole lo or 12 feet deep, and it is alleged that the rock taken from this so-called shaft does not contain a bit more mineral than the surrounding country rock."

When the party arrived, Wagner was not at home. He had been accused of dishonesty the day before by Dr. Pringle, whom he had tricked along with the rest, and he had also heard that a mining expert was on his way from Deadwood to investigate the mines. The man who had loaned him some of the money he had been using in his scheme was sending the expert before advancing any more. In the face of the imminent exposure, Wagner took his best horse, his rifle, and all the cash he had and departed. He had not paid his miners a cent of wages and they were stranded in Casper until advanced money to proceed to Deadwood.

The ore that had been taken to Deadw^ood for an assay was genuine rich ore and the assay was honest. It had not been mined from the Wagner claims, however, but had been brought over from the Ferris mines. The rich ore lying about the Mena mine was from the same place. Wagner had practiced the old "salting" trick, but he did not even take the trouble to do it carefully. The people were ripe and ready to be picked and he found the picking good. The ore inside the shaft was worthless, and did not show even a trace of gold.

Wagner left with several thousand dollars, but he did not reap the enormous sums he hoped for. However, if he had not been interrupted for a few more months, he no doubt would have made a much richer haul.

Mining fakes were not the only means of extracting the coin of the realm from the innocent and unsuspecting public thirty years ago any more than today, but there are now new modes of procedure. In those days, we had the rainmaker faker.

On August 6, 1891, Frank Melbourn of Canton, Ohio, the worldrenowned and original rainmaker, arrived in Casper under contract to produce numerous showers. He claimed to produce rain by means of a mechanical device which he had invented and which the pubHc was not permitted to see. He set up his apparatus Saturday night and Sunday there was a rainfall of only a few minutes. The dust was not settled by the "downpour," but Melbourn and his friends were highly elated over his success. He announced that the following Sunday he would have it rain a-plenty, but again only a few drops fell. When asked the cause of the light rain, Melbourn said he did not desire to make it rain very hard as he wanted to see the base ball game, and a heavy rain would, of course, prevent the game. Melbourn was a great lover of all kinds of sports and said he did not want to interfere with them. He turned on the machine Friday evening and kept it running until early Saturday evening when, by the condition of the atmosphere, he saw that the operations had been successful and that rain was coming. He then turned off the machine and relied on the work already performed to bring the desired result. But the rain failed to come and Melbourn left town.

From Casper he went to Cheyenne, where he set up his machine in a barn loft. Several days after the mysterious machine was in operation there was a light shower, which lasted about fifteen minutes, but an hour later the heavens were suddenly overcast with clouds and the windows of heaven were opened and the waters of the flood were upon the earth and the fountains of the great deep came forth and the parched earth was soaked. Some people in Cheyenne were still skeptical and after a week's rest Melbourn again turned on his machine and again there was a heavy fall of moisture.

The next summer was an unusually dry one in Wyoming and some of the people sent for Melbourn. He took his machine to the dome of the capitol building and two days after it had been put in operation there was a heavy rain on Horse creek, a light rain in Rawlins, and a fairly good downpour near Uva, but none in Cheyenne. Melbourn claimed the credit for the rain at these points, but the people refused to pay him for his efforts and he packed up his machine and went to Kansas where the people were in great distress on account of the lack of moisture. Melbourn reaped a rich harvest there, but the farmers failed in their crops because of the failure of Melbourn's rainmaking machine to make good.

Richard, a French-Canadian. The structure was built of logs, and it was located about three miles east from where Casper now is situated, being a short distance east from the W. T. Evans ranch. Reshaw's little cabin, blacksmith shop and a few other buildings were located on the south side of the river and he did a thriving business in the spring and summer when the water in the river was high. For crossing the bridge he made his own price, which the emigrants were compelled to pay. He usually charged ^5.00 for a team and wagon to go over his bridge. If the water in the stream was so low that the emigrants would take a chance in swimming their animals across, Reshaw would reduce the price to $3.00 and sometimes he would charge only $2 . 00. From fifty cents to one dollar was charged for each person to go across, and for each animal that crossed over the bridge not included with the team hitched to the wagon, the same charge was made as for a person. Reshaw generally received gold as his toll. He had no difficulty in securing all the furniture and other household necessities he required from the emigrants, who generally overloaded their wagons when they started from the east, and if they had not discarded it along the trail before they reached the Reshaw bridge, they willingly gave him the luggage that was proving a burden and would necessarily have to be discarded before they crossed the mountains.

Reshaw was married to a squaw, and five or six children were born, several of whom are yet living (1922). Mrs. Bateese Pourrier, whose home is at Manderson, S. D., is one of the daughters of the Reshaws, and she returned to Casper in 191 8, and in company with James H. Bury, made a visit to the spot where the bridge spanned the river, and pointed out to him where their little home, the blacksmith shop and a number of other small buildings were located. Mrs. Pourrier was also familiar with the location of the buildings, the bridge, etc., located at Fort Caspar, having lived in this part of the country until 1867.

The Reshaw bridge was burned by the Indians in 1867, and a short time after its destruction Reshaw and his family moved to what was then known as the Red Cloud agency on the White river, east from Fort Laramie. In 1875 Reshaw and Al Palladie were shot and killed at Running Water Crossing, which was between the Red Cloud Agency and Fort Laramie. Reshaw was supposed to have had a considerable amount of money with him. Suspicion pointed toward a man who was known by the name of "California Joe," as the murderer, and the Indians were not long in avenging the death of the two men by killing Joe.

Bridges Across The Platte River Iii

bridge, to the effect that the owner, after having accumulated considerable wealth, became mentally unbalanced, and one moonlight night filled his pockets with gold dust, went out on the bridge and exclaimed: "You have given me all my wealth; I now give back to you a tithe!" And then he cast handfuls of gold into the water.

Mrs. Pourrier says her father never did anything like that, therefore it must have been Louis Guinard of the Platte bridge. The story has been often told, and it being too good to be declared a canard, and there being no one to deny that Guinard did it, the legend must stand, and Mr. Louis Guinard, who built the Platte bridge, directly north of Fort Caspar, shall have the credit for having thus disposed of a tenth of his wealth which he gained by overcharging the poor emigrants for crossing his bridge, which, in this age, would be termed profiteering. Therefore it would seem that in those days human nature was just about the same as it is in this year of our Lord, one thousand nine hundred and twenty-three, in regard to charging excessive prices. But, withal, it must be noted that there has been some change, for there is no record of the profiteers nowadays returning a tithe of their wealth from whence it came, or even casting bread upon the water, as they should have been taught to do.

The Platte bridge, built by Louis Guinard during the fall and winter of 1858-9, which was located about one and one-half miles west from Casper, is said to have cost $60,000 in its building. Concerning this bridge and others in this part of the country we quote from Coutant's History of Wyoming:

" Early in the fifties Louis Guinard built a toll bridge on the Sweetwater river, a short distance below Independence Rock, and during the seasons of high water he did a paying business. He had a sort of sliding scale of prices, intended to be adjusted to the flood in the river. If the stream was running very high he charged $10.00 for a wagon and its teams. If the water was lower the charge was $5.00, and he also had a $3.00 rate. Guinard was a French Canadian and had a squaw for a wife, with whom he lived until the time of his death. He had two nephews, half-breeds, who lived with him. As has been related, the Mormons, in 1847, established a ferry for their own convenience on the North Platte, where Fort Caspar was afterwards built. This ferry was kept up for a number of years, but there was always difficulty in keeping track of the boat. Mormon emigrants were instructed before leaving the east to build a raft at this ferry in the event of their being unable to find the regular boat. About the time the bridge on the Sweetwater was built, John Reshaw, or Richard, bridged the North Platte at a point several miles below the Mormon ferry. He did a good business there, but was much annoyed because people refused to pay his prices and went up to the ferry and crossed somehow, either in a boat or on a raft. In those days the horses were driven across the ford, but the wagons were carried over on the improvised ferry boat, also the people and their eflPects. At last some one put in a good boat and stretched a rope across the stream, establishing a regular boat and ferry. This was too much for Reshaw. He stormed, roared, and finally gave the parties running the ferry $300 to stop business. He did not, however, purchase the ferry boat and rope, but he had secured the traffic for his bridge. W. H. Carmichael, who now resides at Wheatland, passed over the Overland trail in 1859, being one of the company going to California. The train was a large one, and when it reached Reshaw's bridge, the leader entered into negotiations with Reshaw for crossing. The price was fixed at $2.50 per wagon and the emigrants made up their minds they could do better by going to the ferry. Reshaw informed them that the ferry was a thing of the past and no longer existed, but the leader of the train did not choose to believe a statement that was made so clearly in the interest of the toll-bridge keeper, and consequently he proposed to go on up to the ferry. Reshaw then notified him that if he persisted in going on, he would be obliged to come back and cross the bridge at last, and if he did return, double price would be charged, that is, ^5.00 a wagon. On went the train toward the ferry, and on arriving there they found the rope down and the ferry boat moored on the opposite side. The water was high, but a man was placed on a horse and took a rope across. After considerable delay and no little hard work, the ferry was re-established and the families, teams and goods were rapidly transferred to the north bank of the river. All but four teams had been taken over when Reshaw, accompanied by three men, all heavily armed, put in an appearance, and seeing the situation, his indignation knew no bounds. He abused and threatened those on shore, remarking that he had influence with the Indians and would see to it that they followed the train and despoiled the emigrants of all they possessed. George Morris, one of the emigrants, refused to be bulldozed, and drawing a revolver, covered Reshaw with it and ordered him to get in the boat and accompany a load that was going across, informing him at the same time that he would stand no more of his abuse, but that he might make his complaint to the leader of the train, who was on the other side of the river. Reshaw went over, and when he reached the other side of the river he burst out anew and fairly astonished the people of the train with his violent language. It so happened that the parties to the dispute were standing near a wagon which was occupied by a sick man. Reshaw heard the click of the rifle as it was cocked, and looking around to see where it came from, discovered that the invalid had him covered with his rifle and seemed to be fully determined to hold his advantage. This brought an end to the scene and Reshaw and his armed ruffians started back down the river, but with a parting malediction on the heads of the emigrants, threatening them with 500 savages, who at his bidding would capture the train, scalp the people and run off their stock. He then left, amid the jeers of the party. As soon as he had departed, a subscription was taken up and $25.00 raised and paid to the owner of the boat for its use. The train now proceeded on to the west. Reshaw's threat was not carried out, as no Indians followed or disturbed the emigrants.

"The Platte bridge was the most notable structure of its kind in this part of the country in early times. It was finished, it was said, at a cost of $60,000. It was of cedar logs, built on cribs filled with stone and made to resist the current of the river and time. Martin Oliver of Casper, who, when he first came to the country, worked on the bridge, says that it was commonly reported that Guinard came from the Sweetwater with $30,000 in cash, and this sum he put in the new bridge before it was completed, and that he spent every year large sums in building new piers and structural work. This, then, is the $60,000 which the bridge is said to have cost."

The Indians set fire to this bridge and it was entirely destroyed shortly after the fort was abandoned, in 1867. Evidence of this old bridge is yet very plain on either side of the river, where, on the south side, there are seventeen stone piers, which were used to fill the log cribs that were built to support the structure and resist the current of the river. On the north bank of the stream, about two hundred yards west from the town of Mills, there is one stone pier, or pile of rock, which is visible only when the water is low.

A man named Guinard worked on a ranch in Bates Park during the summer of 191 1, and he said that Louis Guinard was his uncle. "My uncle and my father went out on the bridge one night to have a talk," he said, "and my uncle 'fell' over into the water and was drowned. My father then took charge of the store at the trading post nearby the fort, which was owned by uncle, and he also took all of his other property. My father was not married at that time, but a few years later he married a squaw, and a number of children were born." The man who told the story was one of the offspring of this marriage, and judging from the acts of lawlessness he committed, the disregard of the rights of others was handed down from sire to son, and the father was no doubt capable of causing his brother to "fall" over the bridge and drown in the river. The story of the "accident" which occurred on this bridge has been confirmed by men who were in this part of the country at the time, but as there were no courts of law here at the time, and as there was no way of proving that Louis Guinard did not fall off the bridge, nothing was ever done about the matter, except to make a search for the body, which was never found, but after several months one of the high-top leather boots he wore was found and part of the man's leg and foot were in it. These were given to his squaw wife who hung up the boot and its contents in one of the rooms of her cabin and for many months mourned over it in the regular Indian fashion.

The fact that Guinard's squaw wife did not take possession of her husband's property after his death may seem strange, but in those days the squaw wife had very few rights and privileges even while her husband was living, and none at all after his death.

During the winter of 1888-9 the Northwestern Railway company built a wagon bridge across the Platte river about a mile west from Casper, for the convenience of the stockmen and ranchmen in this part of the country who shipped their stock to market from this point. This bridge was built of piling and plank, and after it was completed was turned over to the county free of charge, with the provision that the county should keep it in repair. Every year a considerable amount of money was expended for repairs on this bridge, and in 1919 the necessity for a new bridge was realized, when on February 12 a count of the vehicles and horses was made that crossed the structure in eight hours and it was found that ninety-one auto trucks, seventy-five wagons, 230 head of horses and 121 passenger automobiles passed over. The new concrete bridge, immediately west from the old bridge built by the railroad company, was commenced in the fall of 1919 and was completed in August, 1920. The concrete bridge across Casper creek, only a short distance west from the river bridge, was built at the same time, the cost of the two bridges being ^90,000, the expense being divided between Natrona county, the Wyoming State Highway association and the Midwest Refining company. The river bridge consists of ten forty-four foot spans and

During the summer of 1922 a plan was devised by the Casper Chamber of Commerce whereby the new bridge should be lighted during the night time, by eleven pedestal or standard lamps on each side of the bridge, the current for which is furnished by the Standard Oil company and the civic organizations of Casper. Each furnished one standard with a name plate on each pedestal. The organizations which furnished the pedestals are the Natrona County Pioneer association, St. Mark's Episcopal guild, Casper Lodge No. 15, A. F. & A. M., Casper Volunteer Fire department. City of Casper, Natrona County Woolgrowers' association, Casper Civic club, I. O. O. F. lodge, Spanish War Veterans, Chamber of Commerce, Redmen lodge. Knights of Columbus, Boy Scouts, American Legion, Elks' lodge. Rotary club, Daughters of American Revolution, Kiwanis club. Lions club, Casper Women's club, Order of Eastern Star, and the Business and Professional Women's Club of Casper.

The Bessemer bridge across the Platte river was built in 1889 by the Wyoming Improvement company. The bridge across the river at Alcova was built in 1894, and the government bridge across the Platte was built in 1905 when the Pathfinder dam was being built. Several bridges have been built across the Sweetwater, one in 1894 by C. R. Countryman and the latest one being built immediately west from Independence Rock in 1920. The Chicago & Northwestern Railway company and the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railway company each have bridges across the river at Casper, and the Midwest Refining company and the Standard Oil company have bridged the river a number of places immediately west from Casper, until now bridges across the river are not given a thought, but in the early days, even since Natrona county was organized, the river bridges at Alcova, Bessemer and Casper were considered of vast and vital importance.

THE first buildings to be erected in Casper were put up during the month of June, 1888. They were located on a strip of ground about three-fourths of a mile east from where the Natrona county court house now stands, the exact locality being between First and A streets, and between McKinley and Jefferson. There were not more than a dozen business buildings on this spot, half of which were facing south and the other half looking to the north.

The main street, running east and west, was less than 500 feet in length. This was the business section of the town, the residence portion being composed of a few tents that were put up in the immediate rear of the business houses. All these buildings were but temporary structures, being erected in which to transact business only until the permanent site for the town could be surveyed and platted by the Pioneer Townsite company, this company being virtually the land department of the Fremont, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley Railway company.

The material used in the construction of most of the buildings was rough boards, hauled down from the saw mill, which was located on Casper mountain, the roofs of the buildings were corrugated iron and the flooring of most of them was just plain gumbo with the sagebrush and cactus cleared oflF. There were a few who carried on their business in tents. Although the population of the village was less than one hundred, it contained several general merchandise stores, a drug store, hotels, restaurants, and saloons. The old-time residents refer to this as "tent town," or "old town."

Cowboys and Indians were Casper's most numerous and frequent visitors in those days. When the cowboys came in there was always a lively time. They spent their money freely at the stores and over the bar, and when their systems became sufficiently saturated with "forty-rod" whiskey, they were allowed to whoop and yell, howl and fight and shoot, and no one would say them nay. They came to town to have a time; they paid for it, and everybody felt they were entitled to all the pleasure they could get out of it. Two or three days was about as long as any of the cowboys remained in town, for at the end of that time their money was gone and they were probably in debt; they had been sufficiently entertained, and their physical condition craved the open range and pure, fresh air.

Among the people who were in business in the "old town" and who are yet residents of the city of Casper are P. C. Nicolaysen and A. J. Cunningham. Mrs. E. C. Jameson, who is living on her ranch in the Ervay country, was also one of the first settlers in the old town. Many of the cowboys who were in this part of the country at that time have since become residents of the town.

The first railway train arrived in Casper on June 15, 1888, and this event was the occasion for a celebration by the residents and visitors long to be remembered and never to be regretted. The present town site had not yet been surveyed when the railroad was built in, and it was in the late fall of 1888 before any of the lots were sold, and none of the business houses were moved from the "old town" to their permanent location until about the middle of November of that year. The land department of the Fremont, Elkhorn, and Missouri Valley Railway company had entered into an agreement with J. M. Carey & Brother to the effect that the Pioneer Townsite company and the Carey company were to own every alternate lot in the town, and instead of advertising Casper extensively in the east, and running excursion trains to this point and selling the lots at auction, as had been the custom of the railway company in all the new towns along the line, the lots in Casper were sold at private sale, and at a very reasonable price, and for this, as well as several other reasons, it was expected that the road would be extended at once to a point west from here. The town of Bessemer, fifteen miles northwest, on the opposite side of the river, had been assured that the road would be extended to that point, but it was not extended and Casper was the terminus from 1888 until 1905, when work was commenced to extend the road to Lander, the present terminus.

The prospects for Casper in the early days to grow beyond a shambling, temporary frontier village were anything but inviting. Nearly all that portion of land north from the Northwestern railway, between Midwest avenue and A street, north and south, and Ash and Beech streets, east and west, was but sand and sagebrush, and this was the spot selected for the townsite. A part of this sand and sagebrush flat is where the largest buildings in the city are now located, and some of the vacant lots are now being sold as high as ^1,000 per front foot, while others, in the heart of the business section, could not be bought for twice that amount.

The first business lot to be sold in Casper was lot 13, in block 8, which is on the northwest corner of Second avenue and Center street, where the Stockmen's National bank is located. Nathan S. Bristol was the purchaser, and on this lot he put up a frame building 25x50 ieet, in which he carried a stock of groceries and a line of grain and stock feed. The employees of the store slept in this building, and for the first year or more their bed was surrounded with sacks of grain and flour to protect them from the bullets which were fired in the night time by some of the cowboys who often came in from the range to celebrate.

The first building to be moved from the old town to the platted town was Robert White's saloon, which was located on the first lot south of the Grand Central hotel building. When the town was three months old, the followmg-named firms were engaged in business here: C. H. King & Co., general merchandise, A. J. Cunningham, manager; N. S. Bristol & Co., general merchandise, W. A. Denecke, manager; A. McKinney, groceries, Peter O'M alley, manager; Wyoming Lumber company, George Mitchell, manager; Metcalf & Williams, clothing and men's furnishings, J. E. (Humpy) Evans, manager; Bank of Casper, George Weber, cashier; Pioneer Drug Store, owned by C. F. G. Bostleman; M. D. Clark's candy store, harness shop and restaurant combined; Casper Weekly Mail, Lombard and Casebeer, publishers; C. K. Bucknum, livery stable; Jameson & Eads, livery; Adams & Williams, livery; O'Neall & Co., hardware; Graham House, David Graham, proprietor; Wentworth House, R. A. Parks, proprietor; Mrs. P. A. Demorest, restaurant; John Hogadone, restaurant; Mrs. Hanagan, restaurant; Mrs. Belle Clark, restaurant; C. C. Wright, attorney; B. F. Emery, attorney and justice of peace; J. W. Van Leer and Dr. J. Benson, jewelers, doctor and barbers; Matt Campfield, barber; Robinson & Osborne, carpenters; E. Erben, carpenter; John Merritt and J. W. Spragur, dealers in oil land; Joe Dolis, shoe repair shop; Dan Howe, painter; McNair & Co., meat market; P. Hanahan, dray; the Stock Exchange, P. C. Nicolaysen, proprietor; Robert White's saloon. There were four saloons in the town, but the names of all the proprietors are not obtainable. John Merritt was the first peace officer, being deputy sheriff of Carbon county, Natrona county not yet having been segregated from Carbon. James A. Hartman was the first postmaster.

There were no buildings erected on the south side of the Northwestern railway tracks for nearly ten years after the town lots were first platted, except Oscar Hiestand's residence, which was constructed in 1896. This is the residence on south Center street, two lots north from the Catholic church. A great many people who contracted for lots on that side of the track, in the belief and hope that the town would grow and expand very rapidly, in a few years turned them back to the original owners, before they were fully paid for. In the summer of 1898, however, there were a few dwellings built on the south side, and in '99 there were more. Since that time there has been an increased demand for the lots, and today it is the most desirable residence section of the city with its several thousand beautiful and costly homes.

"Notice Is hereby given that I will make application for the incorporation of the Town of Casper, before the board of county commissioners of Carbon county, at their regular May meeting, to be held at Rawlins, on the 6th day of May, A.D. 1889, or as soon thereafter as I can be heard. The said incorporation of the Town of Casper shall comprise two square miles, being bounded on the north by the line running east and west through the center of sections three, four and five; on the south by the line running east and west through the center of sections eight, nine and ten; and on the west by the line running north and south through the center of sections nine and ten; all in township thirty-three, north of range seventy-nine, west, comprising the following legal subdivisions, to-wit:

"The southwest quarter of section three, and the south half of section four, and the southeast quarter of section five, and the northeast quarter of section eight, and the north half of section nine, and the northwest quarter of section ten; all in township thirty-three, north of range seventy-nine, west of the sixth parallel meridian.

That the application of Mr. Merritt was favorably acted upon by the board of county commissioners of Carbon county is evident from the order made by that body which is as follows:

"The law having been fully complied with, governing the incorporation of towns, it is hereby ordered and declared that the following lands shall be incorporated as the town of Casper:

"All in township thirty-three, north of range seventy-nine, west of the sixth parallel meridian. Carbon county, Wyoming Territory, and it is further ordered an election shall be held in and for the purpose of electing a town council and other officers as provided by law, and said election shall take place on the second Monday of Julv, A.D. 1889, viz., July 8th.

As soon as the above order was received a meeting of a number of influential citizens was held, and a call for a mass meeting was made, which read:

Casper Village, Town And City Ii9

The election being held as per the above date, the following named citizens were elected: George Mitchell, mayor; Robert White, P. A. Demorest, A. McKinney and John Adam, councilmen.

The first official act of the village board was the appointment of Joseph T. Graham, clerk; A. J. Cunningham, treasurer; Phil Watson, marshal; R. H. Wilbur, police judge; all of whom took the oath of office on Thursday evening, July 11, 1889. The town clerk was also the ex-officio assessor and his salary was fixed at $50 per annum. The town marshal was also the fire warden and street commissioner and his salary was placed at $75 per month. The town attorney's salary was $125 per annum, and the town treasurer received two and one-half per cent of all the moneys covered into the treasury. The salary of the mayor was fixed at ^50 per annum and the members of the town council received $40 per annum.

It was resolved that the regular meetings of the council should be held the first Monday of each month at 7 o'clock p. m. during the months of October, November, December, January, February, and March, and at 8 o'clock p. m. the other months in the year, and until otherwise directed the meetings of the council should be held in the office of the Wyoming Lumber company, "but if inconvenient, the meeting of the town council may be held at any other place in the town of Casper upon twelve hours' notice being given to each of the members of the council."

The first meeting of the village board was held in the office of the Wyoming Lumber company on Wednesday, July 10, at eight o'clock in the evening, and after the officers above named were appointed, resolutions were adopted as follows:

"Resolved, That inasmuch as the citizens of the town have seen fit to place us in the honorable and responsible position of the village board, for the now thriving village of Casper, we extend to them a vote of thanks."

The first offender to violate and feel the effects of the village ordinance entitled "An ordinance concerning the discharge of fire arms, bearing deadly weapons," etc., was arrested on Wednesday, July 17, 1889. The offender's name is of no importance, but he fired off a pistol, and before the smoke had cleared away, Marshal Watson arrested him, took him before Police Judge R. H. Wilbur, and a fine of nine dollars and costs was imposed.

At a special meeting held July 30, 1889, Councilmen White and Adam were appointed a special committee to select a location for a jail building for the town of Casper, and after due deliberation the committee decided that the first public building for Casper should be located on the west end of lot 15 in block 8, and a contract was awarded to Robinson & Osborne to construct the jail building at a cost not to exceed $313.95.

The street and alley committee at this same meeting was authorized to expend not to exceed $200 for the improvement of streets and cross walks.

The annual appropriation for the year ending May i, 1890, was for salaries of town officers, $1,600; streets and alleys and cross walks, $200; incidental expenses, $200; and for a town hall, $2,000; making the total annual appropriation $4,000.

Chris Baysel was ordered to draw plans and specifications for a town hall and the specifications for the second and most important public building in the city were as follows: "Building to be 25 feet wide by 74 feet long, 12 inch wall, 16 foot ceiling, tin roof, galvanized iron cornice, four windows on each side, two large arch windows in front, double doors, arch transom over doors, wainscoting four feet high. Building to be plastered and painted in good workmanlike manner and not to cost more than two thousand dollars."

These specifications were not as specific as the contractors and architects now require, especially in the construction of a public building, and at a subsequent meeting of the town council, when the contractor presented a bill for extras, it will be seen that either the contractor or the town council did not get all that was coming to them. On April 21, 1890, Emanuel Erben was awarded the contract for the construction of the town hall at a cost of $1,985. Brenning & McFarland were the next lowest bidders, their price being $1,998.

The second election for town officers occurred on May 13, 1890. It was a bitter contest and W. E. Hawley received 72 votes for mayor and J. J. Hurt received 66. P. A. Demorest and O. K. Garvey were elected councilmen. The first meeting of the second council was a special which was held at 10:00 a. m. May 23, 1890. W. E. Hawley, mayor, and Robert White, P. A. Demorest, O. K. Garvey and A. McKinney, councilmen, were present. At this meeting P. A. Demorest was appointed to act as chairman of the council for the ensuing year in the absence of the mayor. Mayor Hawley was present at very few of the meetings of the council during the year.

Casper Village, Town And City 121

At the first regular meeting of the second council, which was held at 7:30 in the evening of June 2, 1890, W. A. Denecke was appointed town treasurer; A. T. Butler, town attorney; R. H. Wilbur, police justice; Charles Crow, town marshal, and H. A. Lilly, town clerk. The first special and the first regular meetings of this council were held in the rooms of the Natrona county board of commissioners, which were located in the building over White & Company's saloon, but the third meeting, which was held on July 7, 1890, was in the new town hall, this being the first meeting held in the new public building. At this meeting the contractor put in a bill amounting to $49.50 for extra labor and material on the town hall, but the claim was disputed. Two of the councilmen favored the payment of $24.75, which was half the amount claimed for extras, but the other two councilmen were in favor of allowing the contractor nothing. The $24.75 was finally allowed.

At the meeting held on October 8, 1890, it was decided by resolution to rent the town hall for dances and theaters, the fee to be $7.00 per night during the months of October, November, December, January, February, and March, and $5 .00 per night during the other months of the year. Religious organizations were given the use of the hall free on Sundays. At an adjourned meeting held on October 9, an ordinance was enacted providing for a fine of $100 for any person convicted of gambling. There were numerous open gambling houses in the town then, and the $100 paid each month was considered the same as a license. The gambling houses were never disturbed so long as they paid their fines each month.

Mayor Hawley was present at a special meeting held on October 17, 1890, this being the second meeting at which the mayor was present since his induction into office on May 23. Because of his continuous absence an ordinance was adopted on November 3, which provided "that if any member of the town council be absent from three consecutive regular meetings without a reasonable excuse his office shall be declared vacant." In commenting upon the continuous absence of the mayor which by this time had become a standing joke, one ot the local newspapers said: "Casper enjoys the distinction of being a regularly organized and incorporated town - yet a town without a head. We've had no mayor during the past nine months; for, although a gentleman was elected to that position in the spring of 1890, he has ever since been a non-resident of the city and state, notwithstanding that in order to secure his election he pledged himself to invest in a house and maintain a residence in our midst."

At this same meeting it was recorded in the minutes that hereafter when reference was made to the county in which the town of Casper was located, the name of "Carbon" should be changed to "Natrona," and the name, "Territory of Wyoming" should be changed to the "State of Wyoming. "

The appropriation bill passed April 17, 1891, for the maintenance of the town government for the coming year amounted to $1,500. Thirteen hundred dollars was for officers' salaries, $100 for streets and alleys, and $100 for cemetery purposes.

The third town election occurred in May, 1891, and as before, there was a bitter contest between the republican and democratic nominees. Alexander McKinney was the republican nominee for mayor and he received 69 votes, while Peter C. Nicolaysen was the democratic aspirant, and he received 64 votes. The vote on councilmen was: George Mitchell, ']']; R. A. Parks, 38; H. L. Patton, 70; E. N. Winslow, 68. At this election the vote on bonds to provide Casper with a system of water works was 51 for the bonds and 34 against.

The third council was Alexander McKinney, mayor; George Mitchell, Hugh L. Patton, O. K. Garvey and Peter A. Demorest, councilmen. At the first meeting of this council, held June i, 1891, Lew Seely was appointed marshal; W. A. Denecke, treasurer; E. J. Carpenter, clerk; A. T. Butler, town attorney; and R. H. Wilbur, police justice. At the meeting held August 6, Wilbur resigned as police justice, and Granville E. Butler was appointed to fill the unexpired term.

Nothing of importance except routine business was transacted in the council meetings, although the council met regularly each month. At the meeting held on November 4, Councilmen Patton and Mitchell were appointed a committee to select a jail and make a contract for the care and keep of town prisoners.^ There being no funds with which to build a jail, the committee recommended that the town prisoners be taken to the Converse county jail in Douglas for their care and keep, and the council at a subsequent meeting concurred in the recommendation and all town prisoners were taken to Douglas to serve their sentences or await trial.

Lew Seely resigned the position of town marshal on June 10, 1 891, and Tom McGrath was appointed to fill the office during the unexpired term. At this same meeting a wooden pump was ordered to be placed in the town well. The town well was about mid-way on Center street between Second street and Midwest avenue, on the west side of the street. The water from this well was used by the general public and for domestic purposes. Water was also hauled from the Platte river and Garden creek in barrels and sold to the saloons for "chasers." Some people also used it to drink.

An ordinance was enacted on March 27, 1892, placing the license to sell liquor at ^200 per annum. There were from six to eight saloons in the town those days, and the town received a revenue of from twelve to sixteen hundred dollars per annum, which went a long ways toward the maintenance of the town government.

Tom McGrath resigned as town marshal on April 8, 1892, and H. A. Bell was appointed to fill the vacancy for the unexpired term. The position of town marshal, together with its multitudinous duties, consisting of water and street commissioner and fire warden, and the small amount of salary attached to the offices, did not appeal to men after the novelty of wearing a large silver star had worn off.

At the last meeting of this council the appropriation for the ensuing year was made, which allowed $1,800 for the salaries of town officers; $250 for cemetery; $500 for the maintenance of streets and crossings, and $1,000 for fire protection, making a total of $3,500.

Credit must be given the men who had charge of the town affairs in the early days for at least being economical. Three thousand five hundred dollars to pay the expense of a town of 400 population for one year would seem almost impossible in this day of liberality in the expenditure of public funds.

Party lines were closely drawn in the early days of Casper in the school, town and county elections, and in 1892 republican and democratic tickets were again placed in the field for town officers, which resulted in the election of Charles K. Bucknum as mayor. He received 71 votes. His opponent, Peter A. Demorest, received 52 votes. John McClure and John McGrath defeated J. P. Smith and W. A. Denecke for the council. This was the fourth town council, which consisted of C. K. Bucknum, mayor; H. L. Patton, George Mitchell, John McGrath and John McClure, councilmen.

At a meeting of this council held on August i, 1892, W, T. Evans was awarded the contract for the building of the union town and county jail. The price to be paid for the erection of the building, not including the vault and foundation, was $2,335.18. The building was constructed in the middle of the block on the west side of David street, between Second street and Midwest avenue. It stood immediately in the rear of the new fire hall and municipal garage, but was torn down late in the year 1921. At the same meeting H. A. Bell resigned as marshal and Frank Berg was appointed. Andrew J. Irwin was appointed justice of the peace at a meeting held January 4, 1893.

At the meeting of the council held on April 13, 1892, it was ordered that the water bonds of ^5,000 be sold. These were the bonds for the construction of a water system for the town which were voted at the election held in May, 1891, and which were carried by a vote of 51 to 34.

On March 8, 1893, the town council ordered one more well dug to supply the residents with water. This well was to be five feet square inside, curbed with two-inch lumber to the water. Below the water the well was to be curbed with brick. The well was to have four feet of water in it the year 'round. John Irwin was awarded the contract for digging the well and he was to receive ^4.00 per foot for his work.

Election time rolled around once more and the usual political contest was waged. The republican party was slightly in the majority and C. K. Bucknum was elected mayor, his vote being 92. J. J. Hurt received 59 votes. For councilmen, H. A. Lilly received 89 votes; Peter O'Malley, 93; Robert White, 48; and P. C. Nicolaysen, 69. The fifth town council was composed of C. K. Bucknum, mayor, and H. A. Lilly, John McClure, John McGrath and Peter O'Malley, councilmen. John Merritt was appomted marshal; W. A. Denecke, treasurer; A. T. Butler, attorney; E. J. Carpenter, Jr., clerk; W. S. Irwin, sexton; E. J. Carpenter, Sr., police magistrate.

An ordinance was passed June 10, 1893, providing for the purchase of land for cemetery and park purposes, and ^250 was appropriated for the payment of final proof on the north half of the southwest quarter, south half of the northeast quarter of section 10, township 33 north, range 79 west. The north ten acres was surveyed and platted, and the bodies which had been interred in the temporary cemetery were disinterred and moved to the new cemetery. The temporary cemetery was northwest of where the Chicago & Northwestern Railway stockyards are now located.

The name of Grover Cleveland, as president of the United States, signed by his secretary, is on the patent issued to the town of Casper for the land described above.

The budget for 1893-4 provided $1,600 for officers' salaries; $400 for cemetery fund; $500 for streets and crossings; making a sum total of $2,500 with which to carry on the business of the town.

The $5,000 bonds with which to provide a water system for the town were deemed inadequate and as there were irregularities at the election all former action in the matter was rescinded on September 24, 1893, and a special election was called for October 10, 1893, to vote for $30,000 bonds with which to provide a water system. The subject is fully covered in this volume under the heading of " Casper's Water Supply."

The appropriation made on April 2, 1894, for current expenses was: Officers' salaries, $1,800; streets and crossings, $500; fire protection, $1,000; general fund, $3,500, and a general tax for the year was made of $1,000. The assessed valuation of the town at this time was $214,909. 26.

The next election occurred on May 8, 1894. Joel J. Hurt was elected mayor by a vote of 138, against C. K. Bucknum, who received 95 votes. P. C. Nicolaysen and John McGrath were elected councilmen over Lew Seely and J. S. Warner by about the same vote as was cast for mayor. H. A. Lilly and Peter O'Malley were the hold-over councilmen. At the first meeting of the new council W. S. Kimball was appointed treasurer; W. S. Irwin, clerk; Frank Berg, marshal; J. K. Calkins, police magistrate; John Cosgrove, sexton; George Walker, attorney.

J. K. Calkins resigned as police magistrate December 3, and E. A. Johnson and Joseph Ford were nominated to fill the position. Each of the candidates received two votes and as the mayor was not present there was a deadlock and the town was without a police judge until February 4, when Ford was appointed.

George B. McCalmont was elected mayor on May 9, 1895, without opposition. John S. Warner and W. A. Denecke were elected councilmen over W. D. Rhoades and James A. Bailey. P. C. Nicolaysen and John McGrath were the hold-overs. The new council appointed F. W. Okie, clerk; George Walker, attorney; Walter B. Nichols, marshal; R. F. Milford, sexton; Oscar Hiestand, treasurer, and Joseph Ford, police justice.

The mayor and councilmen at a regular meeting on September 2, 1895, appropriated their salary as town officers for the remainder of their term into the water works fund. F. W. Okie resigned as town clerk November 18, and Lee Culver was appointed to fill out the term, but Culver resigned on December 14 and M. P. Wheeler was appointed to fill the vacancy.

Many children in Casper died during the months of December, 1895, and January, 1896, from diphtheria and on January 30 the board of directors of school district Number 2 closed the public schools to prevent the spread of the disease, and to co-operate with the school board, the town council ordered that all public gatherings be prohibited until permission was granted by the council. All the children in the town were ordered to be kept at home and the town marshal was ordered to notify the ministers and other persons at the head of the various societies to hold no meetings. The fathers and mothers and all citizens were requested to co-operate with the town council in keeping the disease from spreading. The town was rigidly quarantined. Panic prevailed in nearly every family in the town and all the mothers who could, left town with their children, hoping to avoid the dreaded disease.

Dr. J. F. Leeper, the town physician, who was appointed by the town council to check the spread of the disease, caused the arrest of Dr. J. L. Garner on the grounds that Garner was attending a case of diphtheria and claimed that it was some other disease. Town attorney George Walker prosecuted the case and Chester B. Bradley was attorney for the defense. A jury brought in a verdict of acquittal for the defendant.

The disease was finally stamped out and on March 2 the quarantine was raised and annulled. School was resumed, the churches held their regular meetings and public gatherings were held as usual. The mothers who had left town with their children returned one by one, but It was early summer before the scare was entirely over.

The annual appropriation bill was considerably increased this year on account of the building of the water works. Two thousand dollars was appropriated for salaries of the town officers; ^500 for streets and alleys; $1,500 for general fund purposes; and $7,500 for water works debt and interest on bonds.

There was no contest in the town election in May, 1896, this being the first time there was but one ticket in the field since the town was incorporated. George B. McCalmont, republican, was re-elected mayor, and John McGrath and P. C. Nicolaysen, democratic, were re-elected on the council. John S. Warner and W. A. Denecke, republicans, were the hold-overs. The same officers were appointed as in 1895. The leaders of the two political parties had gotten together and agreed that on account of the water works system being put in there should be no contest. But little business was transacted this year except to install the water works system and adopt ordinances concerning it.

In May, 1897, occurred one of the most closely contested town elections that had yet been held. Patrick Sullivan, republican, received 131 votes for mayor against James P. Smith whose vote was 122; for the council Dave Graham, republican, received 130 votes, and Robert White, democratic, received 133; J. J. Svendsen, democratic, 105, and S. W. Conwell, republican, 128. John McGrath and P. C. Nicolaysen were the hold-overs. The officers appointed were A. E. Case, clerk; Oscar Hiestand, treasurer; J. C. Randall, sexton; H. A. Lilly, police judge; J. L. Garner, physician; J. L. Barnett,

Casper Village, Town And City 12J

In 1898 there was no contest in the town election and Patrick Sullivan was re-elected mayor with the same councilmen as the previous year. The same officers were appointed except that Dr. Leeper was made town physician, F. H. Sawyer, police judge, and Charles Atmore, oil inspector.

In 1899 W. S. Kimball was elected mayor over Frank Wood by a vote of 143 to 134; for the council J. V. Cantlin and J. W. Bowie were elected over P. C. Hays and J. J. Svendsen. P. C. Nicolaysen and John McGrath were the hold-overs. The same officers were appointed except that Frank Jameson was appointed police magistrate.

In 1900, P. C. Nicolaysen was elected mayor and C. K. Bucknum and Frank Wood were the new councilmen. J. V. Cantlin was the hold-over, and C. H. Townsend was appointed in the place of J. H. Bowie, who resigned. Alex T. Butler was appointed attorney; J. A. ShelFner, marshal; E. P. Rohrbaugh, physician; J. M. Hammon, sexton. The other officers were the same as the previous year.

James V. Cantlin was elected mayor in 1901 and J. E. Schulte and J. S. Van Doren were elected to the council. Frank Wood and C. K. Bucknum were the hold-overs. Percy Shallenberger was the new clerk; John McGrath, treasurer; W. S. Kimball, oil inspector; Robert McAdam, marshal; F. D. Hammond, attorney. Percy Shallenberger resigned as clerk August 7 and P. C. Hays was appointed to serve the unexpired term. At this same meeting it was deemed necessary to have a night marshal and J. A. Gumming was appointed.

In 1902 C. K. Bucknum was elected mayor, and L. C. Seely and C. C. P. Webel were the new councilmen. J, S. Van Doren and J. E. Schulte were the hold-overs. E. D. Norton was appointed attorney; A. T. Philips, clerk; J. A. Shelfner, marshal, and the other officers were the same as the previous year.

W. S. Kimball was elected mayor in 1903, with W. W. Wilson and John Curran as councilmen. C. C. P. Webel and L. C. Seely were the hold-overs. The appointive officers were the same as the previous year, except that F. Salathe was the oil inspector. At this election, which was held on May 12, an issue of sewer bonds amounting to ^14,500 was voted upon. The establishment of a sewer system for the town had been proposed and advocated by the Casper Chamber of Commerce, but at the election there was a very active opposition to the proposition and the result was 104 votes for and 94 votes against the bonds.

councilman for one year. Mr. Webel's name was on two tickets and he received 210 votes. When the canvassing board canvassed the returns, it was declared that D. A. Robertson, who received 138 votes, should receive the certificate of election because the law provided that one name should appear on no more than one ticket. But the action of the canvassing board was revoked by Judge Charles E. Carpenter, who issued a peremptory writ of mandamus against the mayor and members of the town council and ordered the council to assemble before 5 o'clock on June 13, 1904, and set aside the decision of the canvassing board and declare the men elected who received the highest number of votes.

The table on the opposite page contains a list of the elective and appointive officers for the town (now city) of Casper during the year 1904 and each succeeding year up to and includmg 1923.

Upon an affidavit from the mayor to the effect that the town of Casper contained a population of more than 4,000, the governor of the state by proclamation on January 9, 1917, declared Casper to be a city of the first class. The elections for mayor and councilmen thereafter were held in November instead of being held in May, as heretofore, and the mayor and councilmen were elected for two years, instead of the councilmen being elected for four years, as heretofore. The mayor and councilmen that year, whose terms of office should have expired in June, 1917, held office until the first of January, 1918, by reason of the change being made from a city of the second class to first class.

Rev. Bross of Chadron, Nebraska, was the first ordained minister who conducted religious services in the town of Casper, and the date of the first service was Tuesday evening, March 3, 1889. The "meeting" was held in the office of the Graham house, then located on the southwest corner of Center street and First street (now Midwest avenue). Services were conducted in the office of this hotel during the summer of '89 as often as any minister of any denomination could spare the time and undergo the inconvenience of coming to this frontier town. The congregation was made up of business men, professional men, saloon keepers, bartenders, gamblers, cowboys, mining men, and the few women and children who lived here at the time. That the services were highly appreciated may be judged from the newspaper notice of the first meeting which was published in the Casper Weekly Mail, of which the following is a copy:

"Rev. Bross of Chadron preached at the Graham house last Tuesday evening according to appointment. Quite a large crowd was in attendance and listened to a very interesting and instructive sermon. Mr. Bross will preach again in four weeks, and

' Resigned; C. M. Bryan appointed. - Resigned June 6; C. M. Bryan appointed. ' Resigned; E. W. Davis appointed. 'Resigned December 31; John McGrath appointed. ^Resigned May i; Asa F. Sloane appointed. "Resigned July i; Fred E. Place appointed; resigned July 9th; Frank K. Webb appointed. 'Resigned; J. E. Lynch appointed, s Resigned; J. A. Sheffner appointed. * Mayor assumed office on June i, 1911, for two years; counciimen for four years, t City made first-class by proclamation of governor on January 9, 1917; mayor elected for two years, counciimen for two years; elections in Novemljer. S. Wiley served as park commissioner in 1909; Frank Julian was appointed in 1921 and 1922. 9 Resigned October, 1913; M. N. Wheeler appointed. M. N. Wheeler served as city engineer from January, 191 1, until June, 1913. C. R. Bodenbach served as dairy and food inspector during 1921 and until August, 1922; resigned, and G. R. Dafoe was appointed. '"Resigned June, 1922; John A. Murray appointed. "Resigned September 15, 1922; W. H.Johnson appointed. '-Resigned October 15; R. N. Ogden appointed December 4th.

talks strongly of building a church. That we are in need of a neat and suitable edifice of this kind seems a fact too evident to be questioned. It would add to the value of all property in the village. Every new building put up, every improvement made in the town raises the value of our own property; hence anyone is always welcomed to the town who will build him a house and otherwise improve and beautify his grounds. He not only increases his own comfort but is a public benefactor, for in doing thus he increases the value of all property in his locality. If this is true of private and personal property, how much more so is it of a public building like a church, in which the whole town having contributed toward, are interested. Again, it would be the means of calling into our town a good class of citizens. Nothing has so much weight in attracting the desirable class of people to a place as its public institutions. Without them the air of solidity is entirely lost. A large per cent of the money used would naturally be expended here. It is understood that the church at large is willing to give some assistance, providing the community subscribe enough to warrant bestowment of such a gift. This amount would also be expended in our midst. There are also many other reasons why we should go forward with this work. While there are but a few of our male adult population that are ordinarily supposed to have souls (worth speaking of) to save, there are women and children about us to whom this spiritual privilege should be freely extended, and it will simply prove a criticism upon the enterprising and progressive spirit of the citizens of Casper if the matter of building a suitable place in which to hold divine service shall be overlooked during spring improvement."

It is evident that the above editorial brought forth fruit, for the Congregational Tabernacle was built in the early summer of 1889. This was the first church building to be erected in the town of Casper. Rev. H, G. Russell arrived in Casper on May 10 of that year, and after assisting in the building of the Tabernacle, he was minister in charge for several months. Rev. H. A. Macomber succeeded Rev. Russell. The building was located on the southeast corner of Wolcott street and Third (now First street) on the lot where the New York Oil company's main offices are located. The building was also used for a school house. It was not a very pretentious structure, as may be judged from the photograph herewith reproduced. The people of the town were ambitious, however, and on June 15, 1890, Rev. G. I. Powell of Chadron and the citizens of Casper made an agreement to the effect that the Congregational society would contribute $500 and lend the local church society another $500, while the people in general of the town were requested to donate any amount they felt disposed for the purpose of building a church that would be a credit to the society as well as the town. A supper and dance were given on the 4th of July by the ladies, and ninety-one dollars and eighty cents was cleared, which was to be placed to the credit of the new church fund. The church was not built, however, on account of insufficient funds, and we find the Congregationalists and the other denominations holding their services in the new town hall in the fall of 1890. The building and the lot owned by the Congregational society was sold to private parties who used it for a residence.

Churches Of Casper I3I

church in Casper and he offered to donate $500 in cash, and lend the organization another ^500 at six per cent interest, if the citizens of the town would subscribe an additional ^500 within ten days. A subscription paper was circulated, but the entire amount was not raised in the time specified and the matter dragged along for several months. It was November before the ^500 was raised by the citizens which was to be added to the $1,000 donated by the Episcopalians for the building of the church for that denomination. Archdeacon John E. Sulger of Laramie, who made a special trip to Casper, succeeded in arousing enough interest in the matter to have the required amount subscribed. When this amount was raised by the Episcopalians, interest in the Congregational church waned and finally died. Work was commenced on the new Episcopal church the first of January, 1891, and the building was finished during the summer of that year. The church was erected on the northeast corner of Wolcott and Second streets, where the Midwest Refining company building is now situated. Rev. F. H. Argo was the first minister, and he remained until 1894. On Friday, April 27, 1894, ^ev. and Mrs. John Wilson, with their three children arrived in Casper from Portadown, Armagh county, Ireland, and the following Sunday Rev. Wilson preached his initial sermon. Rev. Wilson and his family remained in Casper until July, 1897, when they returned to Ireland. Rev. Wilson was a man of most excellent qualities, and was admired by all the citizens of Casper, which was then what was termed a wild, typical frontier town. The membership of his church was very small and the salary the minister received was scarcely enough to sustain one person, and it is said that had it not been for some very good friends, but who were not members of the church, who knew of his condition and had sent to him trout and sage chickens in the summer time and antelope and deer during the winter months that he and his family, no doubt would many times have found their cupboard bare. He accepted the conditions without a complaint or murmer; and worked for the upbuilding of the church and the uplifting of the people in the community with the same energy and same spirit as though he was receiving a princely salary. Rev. James L. Craig succeeded Rev. Wilson, coming to Casper early in the year of 1898. Rev. Craig remained for ten years, and in 1908 resigned and went to Anaconda, Montana. Rev. McCullogh succeeded Rev. Craig, but he remained only a short time. Rev. J. C. Villiers succeeded Rev. McCullogh, and he remained until October, 1913, when he responded to a call in Honolulu, in the Hawaiian Islands. Rev. R. B. W. Hutt succeeded Rev. Villiers and he was in charge from early in the year 1914 until the summer of 1918, when he enlisted in the world war as a soldier. Under Rev. Hurt's administration the mission became a self-supporting parish. No regular servies were held for several months after Rev. Hurt's departure, but on February i6, 1919, Rev. Philip K. Edwards of McAlester, Oklahoma, became the rector in charge. The little frame church building, constructed in 1891, was moved to the rear of the lot in 1906, and a new brick church building was erected on the site, the brick building being finished in the late summer of 1907, the dedication services being held on Thanksgiving day, November 27, 1907, Rev. G. C. Rafter of Cheyenne occupying the pulpit at the morning service, and Rev. S. Coolidge of Denver preached at the evening service. Services were held in this building until June, 1920, but on account of the four lots owned by the church organization having been sold for $75,000, the church building was torn down, and the original frame structure was moved to the corner of Seventh and Wolcott streets, where it was remodelled and is being used for services until a new and commodious building is erected. Among the original members of this church were A. J. Cunningham, P. C. Nicolaysen, W. T. Evans and W. S. Kimball, all of whom are now vestrymen of the church organization. In connection with this church it is of interest to note that in 191 8 Miss Josephine Collins, a sister of Lieutenant Caspar W. Collins, who was killed by the Indians at Platte Bridge station on July 26, 1865, left a legacy of $100 which she requested to be used for the purchase of a permanent memorial in her brother's memory, and the vestrymen very wisely decided upon the purchase of a handsome gold and silver communion set, a chalice and paten, which is now the highly-prized property of the church organization.

In the early spring of 1893, sufficient money was raised for the building of the First Methodist Episcopal church in the town of Casper, on the northeast corner of Durbin and Second streets. The building was completed about the middle of August that year. Rev. R. J. Devenport, who was located in Douglas, was appointed minister in charge in June and assisted in the construction of the building. The church was dedicated in November by Rev. N. A. Chamberlain, D. D. The first board of trustees consisted of Messrs. A. J. Irwin, Marvin L. Bishop, John S. Burley, Louis Lindberg, and R. A. Ball. The pioneer stewards were John S. Burley, Mrs. Zenetta Ball, Mrs. Viola Irwin, and Mrs. S. A. Irwin. The first class leader was R. A. Ball, who was appointed December 26, 1893. Robert F. Milford was the first Sunday school superintendent, the election being January 3, 1894. The first president of the Ladies' Aid society was Mrs. S. A. Irwin. The Ladies' Dorcas society, the successor of the Aid society, chose and elected Mrs. Maggie S. Devenport its first president.

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Rev. R. J. Devenport was granted leave in December, 1893, to relinquish his pastoral charge and went to take charge of a church enterprise in Manville. He was succeeded by Rev. William E. Ferguson, of Brooklyn, New York. On the first of April, 1894, Rev. Ferguson died of pneumonia and Rev. R. A. Ball took charge until the annual conference, when he was succeeded by Rev. H. A. Toland, in September, 1894. He remained for two years and three months, and in December, 1896, was succeeded by Rev. Clinton D. Day. At this time there were twenty-two members of the church. Rev. J. H. Gillespie of Newcastle succeeded Rev. Day in September, 1897. He remained in charge until April, 1901, when Rev. Josiah Martin of Kansas came to take charge and remained until June, 1903. Rev. E. J. Robinson was appointed pastor in August, 1903, and remained one year. In August, 1904, Rev. L. C. Thompson became the pastor and remained until August 31, 1908. During his pastorate the present church building was erected. It was started in 1906 but was not dedicated until the fall of 1907, when the annual conference was held at Casper. Bishop H. W. Warren dedicated the new building. The next pastor was Rev. J. J. Hicks, who took up his duties in September, 1908, and remained until September, 1910. He was succeeded by the Rev. Ira W. Kingsley, who had a successful pastorate for three years, when he was transferred to a larger field at Sheridan. About this time Casper began to grow, and naturally the churches took on new life and larger membership. Rev. J. M. Dickey became pastor on September 6, 1913, and remained two years, when he was succeeded by Rev. John J. Giblin. In the fall of 191 8, Mr. Giblin volunteered for Y. M. C. A. work in the war and in September, 1918, Rev. Walter L. French from the South Kansas conference w^as appointed pastor of the church and under his pastorate of three years the membership of the church grew to about 500. During his pastorate a new parsonage was bought at the corner of Lincoln avenue and Devine streets and a new church site was bought in July, 192 1, at the corner of South Center and Eighth streets, where a new church building is to be erected. In September, 1921, Rev. Lewis E. Carter, formerly of Troy conference, New York state, was transferred from Laramie and took up his duties. The First Methodist Episcopal is the second oldest church organization in Casper and the ministers in charge and the membership experienced about the same vicissitudes as well as the splendid success as were experienced by those connected with St. Mark's Episcopal church.

Father Nugent of Cheyenne was the first priest to come to Casper to hold Catholic services. He visited here in 1890 and remained but one day. While here, Father Nugent baptized Eugene Dunn, who was the first Catholic child baptized in Casper. During the years 1895-6 Father Brofie of Chadron, Nebraska, made occasional visits here, and in 1897 Father Ahern, also of Chadron, made regular visits to the town. Mass was celebrated at different places, sometimes in private homes, occasionally in the town hall, and once in the Episcopal church. During the year of 1897 subscriptions were taken up from the Catholic members which were applied to the building fund and in the late fall a bazaar was given at which a handsome amount of money was raised which was also applied to the fund for the new church building. The committee who solicited the funds and aroused interest in the bazaar were Mrs. John Trevett, Mrs. J. P. Smith, Mrs. W. F. Dunn, Mrs. Jeremiah Mahoney, and Mrs. Oscar Hiestand. Bishop Lenahan visited Casper at that time, and approved the plan of a permanent church and appointed a building committee. Father James A. Keating was the first resident pastor of the Catholic church to be located in Casper. He came in 1898, and shortly after his arrival a contract was made with John M. Trevett for the erection of a church building to cost $1,650. The new church was built on the southeast corner of First and Center streets, opposite where the Henning hotel now stands. Regarding this new church, one of the local newspapers said: "On Tuesday, March 15, Father Keating raised the first spade of dirt for the foundation of the new St. Anthony's Catholic church on the southeast corner of Center and Third (now First) streets. The site is one of the best in the city, and now since the church is to be there, this part of Casper will certainly build up, for when finished St. Anthony's church will be the finest in Central Wyoming. It will be a frame building, 30x46 feet in the body of the church, with a sanctuary 10x12 feet, a sacristy or vestry room adjacent. A tower will be added later on, elegant windows will be put in, beautiful altars erected and equipped with handsome pews. The plans for the edifice are rich in design, artistic and substantial. It has been the dream of Father Keating since he came among us to see a handsome church in Casper. Now that his wishes are being realized he is certainly happy. He entered upon his duties with enthusiasm and deserves great credit for the efforts manifested. The new church becomes a subject of interest for all the citizens of Casper, both Protestants as well as Catholics, and when completed will reflect praise for the push, energy, and progressive spirit shown by the citizens of the town." Father Keating left Casper in 1900, and Father Bryant was appointed in 1901 as the resident pastorwith Douglas, Wheatland, Glendo, Glenrock and Sunrise as his missions. During Father Bryant's stay here, he succeeded in having a pastoral residence built on the same lot with the church which at that time was one of the

Casper Chlrches in the Early Days Lrit: First Methodist Episcopal, Erected in 1893 and Rebuilt in 1906. Righl: St. Mark's Episcopal, Built in 1890. Center: St. Anthony's Catholic, Built in 1898 nicest homes in the town. In August, 191 5, Father Bryant was succeeded by Father James McGee. Father McGee died in November of the same year, and Father Isidore of Douglas was appointed temporary pastor and remained until December 18, when Rev. John H. Mullen was transferred from Newcastle to take charge of the church. Father Mullen recognized the growing demand for a new and more commodious church building and in December, 1916, the lot on the corner of Center and First streets and the parsonage were sold for $22,500. The old church building was moved to the corner of Wolcott and Seventh streets, where services were held until the splendid new church building was finished. The new church, which cost about $100,000, is located on the northwest corner of Center and Seventh streets, and is one of the nicest church buildings in the state. It was dedicated August 15, 1920, the ceremonies being attended by many Catholic priests and high officials of the Catholic church.

On April 28, 1909, Rev. George L. White, then Baptist missionary for Utah and Wyoming, organized the Baptist society of Casper, with a total membership of eight. On the 9th of September, 1909, Mr. W. R. Howell came to Casper to look after the Baptist work until a permanent pastor could be secured. He remained in the city until November i, 1909. November 28, 1909, Rev. E. P. Hoyt of Manhattan, Montana, took up the work of the church, but remained as pastor for only a short time. One February 25, 1910, Mr. Hoyt died in a hospital in Omaha. July 6, 1910, Rev. R. R. Hopton of Danville, Iowa, accepted the call and under his ministry a neat little frame building on the corner of Fifth and Beech streets was put up. November 20, 1910, the first services were held in the first building the Baptists in Casper owned. Rev. Hopton closed his work with the Casper church September 20, 1914. January 3, 1915, Rev. Arthur J. Hanson assumed the duties as pastor of the church and remained until February 18, 1918. He gave up his work with the church to enter war service with the Y. M. C. A., and afterwards became a chaplain in the army. Rev. R. H. Moorman came as pastor July, 1918. He closed his work with the church September I, 1919. During his pastorate plans for securing a more adequate building began to take a definite shape. October i, 1919, R. L. Lemons, D. D., of Charleston, Missouri, became pastor. After a pastorate of not quite nine months he resigned June 6, 1920. September i, 1920, Rev. C. M. Thompson, Jr., came to the pastorate of the church. Since his coming the commodious front basement has been completed, and a modern building with full sized gymnasium, up-to-date building for religious education, social rooms and lounging rooms and an auditorium will be completed on the corner of Fifth and Beech in the not distant future. The cost of this building will be about ^100,000. The church has grown rapidly within the past few years, as have all the churches in Casper.

The First Presbyterian church of Casper was organized in the Natrona county court house March 16, 1913, with a charter membership of sixty-six. Services were held for a few Sundays in the court house and afterwards for several months in the Odd Fellows hall. A lot was purchased at the corner of Sixth and Durbin streets and a church building was erected in the fall of 1913. The first pulpit supply was Rev. Robertson McFadyen, who was succeeded by Rev. W. B. Fawcett, who continued as pastor for two and a half years. Rev. Walter H. Bradley, D. D., was called as pastor June 13, 1915, and served until September, 1920. Rev. Charles A. Wilson, whose previous pastorates were in Bethany church, Chicago, and the First Presbyterian church at Chanute, Kansas, received a call October 24, 1920, and entered at once upon the work. To meet the immediate needs of the congregation which outgrew the church building, the tabernacle on the corner of Sixth and Durbin streets was erected in the last week of January, 1921. During the year 1921, 230 new members were received into the church, and the Sunday school enrollment reached 600, requiring the use of both the church building and tabernacle for Sunday school purposes. This church organization purchased two residence lots on the southeast corner of Eighth and Wolcott streets on May 3, 1917, which are occupied by the Presbyterian manse. It is proposed by the Presbyterians to erect a new church during 1923, to cost about $100,000.

The First Christian church of Casper is located on the corner of Grant street and Lind avenue. On the evening of October 7, 1920, Rev. Charles G. Stout, the state evangelistic pastor for Wyoming, under the direction of the United Christian Missionary society of St. Louis, Missouri, came to Casper and commenced the task of gathering the scattered members of the Christian church with the expectation of organizing them into a working force. Meetings were held on Sundays in the Odd Fellows building and for a short time in November of 1920 evening meetings were held in the city hall. A Sunday school was started a few weeks before the arrival of Mr. Stout in Casper under the superintendency of Mrs. C. D. Murane. An organization which was known as "The Sisterhood," which was made up of a group of women, most of whom had been members of the Christian church before coming to Casper, was in working order for several months prior to the coming of the evangelistic pastor. This organization met in the homes of the various members usually every two weeks. On Sunday, February 13, 1921, the members assembled for the first time in the church home which was in process of construction and was simply enclosed and had the heat and lights installed only the day before. The minister called for ^6,000 with which to pay the deficit for the home, and in a few minutes the entire amount was subscribed on a half cash basis and the rest in six months pledge. Not only was the amount subscribed but it was more than a thousand dollars oversubscribed. In the building there is a splendid kitchen with modern equipment. The seating capacity of the building is 650 and there is a choir platform for more than eighty people. All this work was accomplished without soliciting anything from the public at large. Rev. Stout resigned as minister the first part of August, 1922, and he was succeeded by Rev. R. B. Hildebrand, who came from Billings, Oklahoma.

Under the auspices of the First Presbyterian church of Casper, the North Casper Community church was established in the fall of 1919, and on May 15, 1921, it was formally organized, with Rev. C. A. Marshall, formerly minister of Lingle, Wyoming, as the first pastor. A chapel was built in the fall of 1919 at 1009 North Durbin street and services were held irregularly until the church was regularly organized on the date stated above. Shortly after Rev. Marshall came to take charge of the church the membership was increased from about forty to more than 200 and the Sunday school attendance was increased from sixty to more than 160. This increased membership demanded more spacious quarters, and a large tabernacle was erected on the lot in the rear of the chapel. This church had its beginnmg in the work of Rev. Robert Marquis, a Presbyterian Sunday school missionary of Wyoming, and the first Sunday school services were held in a small tar-paper shack located at 130 East J street, the Sunday school being under Mrs. W. F. Hamilton. Rev. Benjamin B. Wmter succeeded Rev. Marshall in June, 1922, but on August 22, Rev. Winter died as the result of an operation for appendicitis, and October 22 the pulpit was supplied by Rev. George Woodard, who came from Broadway, Nebraska.

A Community church, under the auspices of the Presbyterian church of Wyoming, was organized at Salt Creek early in July, 1922, and on July 8, Rev. Andrew Montgomery of St. Louis, Rev. Walter M. Irwin of Denver, Rev. E. T. Ferry of Greybull, Rev. J. F. Vernon of Evanston and Rev. David McMartin of Cheyenne held services in the town. In August, 1922, Rev. Emery Zimmerman of Bellevue, Nebraska, was appointed to take charge of the work, who was the first minister to permanently locate in Salt Creek.

hundred dollars was subscribed for the purpose of the organization of Grace African Methodist Episcopal church. Rev. R. L. Pape of Denver, the presiding elder of the Rocky Mountain district, assisted in the organization. Rev. J. O. Minor was the instigator of the meeting. There was an enrollment of fourteen members at this meeting. The first board of directors were H. C. Colman, Stark Oaklow, J. E. Russell, James Henry and T. McSwine.

Sunday, October i, 1922, marked the organization of the Grace English Lutheran church in Casper. Rev. H. A. Anspach of Denver was in charge of the business and the installation. Rev. J. M. Cromer was selected as the pastor. The new church was organized with thirtyseven members. The council, or official board, elected, included: Robert V. Heinze and Thomas Thompson, elders; E. J. Chance, Albert Unger, and E. R. Redinski, deacons; and A. B. Shipstead, O. C. Hauptli, and Charles P. Ames, trustees. The organization purchased two lots on the corner of Ninth street and CY avenue and on Sunday, December 3, 1922, at 2:30 in the afternoon, at an outdoor service the ground was set apart for the holy purpose for which it was purchased. Addresses were made by a number of evangelical ministers and several other speakers. The church services were held in Odd Fellows hall until the chapel was finished.

Among the other church organizations in the city of Casper which have been established in recent years are the Christian Science, with its church edifice located on the corner of Fourth and Grant streets; the Trinity Lutheran (Missouri Synod) with its church on the corner of Park avenue and Fourth street; the West Side chapel, on the corner of Poplar and Fifteenth streets, the Kenwood Presbyterian church, located in Kenwood addition; the second Christian church, located at 604 East H street; the church of the Latter Day Saints, holding services in the Labor Union Temple.