His ranch dates the same year that Coad Brothers took over Scottsbluff Stage station for their cattle operations, but earlier in the year.

The country along the Platte was a year or two later than Mr. Redington in the matter of seniority of ranch locations. But north of the river into the Black Hills remained Indian domain until some years after when gold discoveries in the Hills brought about a transformation. Stage routes from Sidney and Cheyenne, and the tremendous freight transportation opened up this new country in 1876, and later.

On the south side of the Platte, just a short distance below Bridgeport, are some ditches that look like rifle pits of the Indian days. These are all that remains of the original Hart ranch in western Nebraska. The trenches were made around hay stacks in the place of fences, and were to keep range cattle away from them, which it did very successfully. The later location of the Hart ranch, on Snake creek, was about one and one-half miles up the creek from the Sidney crossing. This ranch branched into mercantile business and had a post-office.

This location later became known as Nerud's corner, and the four corners were occupied by

different branches of business. A timely wag immortalized them in verse that ran as follows :

Nerud's corner,

Baxter Street,

Foster's restaurant,

And nothing to eat.

Joe Nerud had long since become the owner of a valuable place on Snake creek. He had the blacksmith's shop at the Corners in the early days.