There is Remsburg's ranch at Pussy Springs, Lisco ranch on Cedar and Rush creeks, Beerline's ranch
HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA
at the mouth of Brown creek ; Wagner's ranch, a little below it on the river; Slater's ranch in the Tar valley section ; Richardson's ranch, south of Horse Lake ; and there is J. W. Rodger's ranch, Hibler's ranch, Peer's ranch, Hubble's ranch, Smith's ranch, Johnson's ranch, Club ranch, DD ranch, Margesson's ranch. Hill's ranch, Hague's ranch, and many others.
Illustrative of the value placed upon them, is the consideration of Adams, Redington ranch in Morrill county, which was probably as good a location as any of them.
J. W. Harper came to Sidney, in September, 1884, and homesteaded on the tableland, a few miles southwest of the old "Water Holes." In 1893, he bought Berry Brothers' quarter of land on Lawrence Fork, and shortly after acquired the Redington quarter and the Adams quarter. Adjoining the Berry land was four hundred and eighty acres belonging to Sam Fowler, and used as a horse ranch. Harper's water for irrigating his hay meadow came off the Fowler land, and he wanted to buy it. Fowler asked $1,400.00 for the whole acreage, which Harper thought was too much.
But Fowler sold it to an Iowa man by the name of Battleax, I believe, and he immediately offered to sell it for $2,200.00. Harper again refused to buy it, and Battleax sold to Bickel, another Iowa man. Bickel again tilted the price, and Harper, as he relates it, says : "I was afraid to take any more chances on Iowa men, and so negotiated its purchase for $3,200.00, and a new wagon."