Sparks and Timmon, who had ten or twelve thousand cattle on the ranges of Gooseberry creek, Nevada, maintained offices at Cheyenne, and part of the time had cattle on the same range occupied by Watts, in Nebraska, on the Running water and Snake creek. Their herds used to mingle in the early days, but the territory was later left to others. The Hart ranch had occupied the Snake creek country, and as conditions were changing, smaller herds began to come, and ranches of only a few hundred head became quite common.

On Chadron creek and White river the Half- Diamond E owned by Price & Jenkins, of Chadron, was one of the well known early brands.

J. H. Jewett, who owned the JHJ brand, and ranged his cattle near Sidney, was not of the very oldest. He came at the date when the big ranches were passing into the hands of the Bay State, Swan and Ogallala concerns, and smaller ranches were sandwiching in wherever they could find watering places, and a little hay bottom.

The larger concerns had visions as broad as the western horizon, but the smaller men had a more correct interpretation of the trend of the times. Westward the tide of empire was wending and it soon moved into western Nebraska, driving before it the Big Stampede. The men of lesser means mingled with the grangers, and stuck to the land. Many are still to be found, grizzled pioneers, and the vanguard of the present land of activity and progress.