In addition to this he sells real estate for the Leiter people, as the town of Lingle is rapidly developing into a city.

When Connoly took charge of the Leiter local affairs, Billy Ashby, an Englishman, was foreman of the Bridle Bit ranch, but he left soon after and went to Douglas. While on the cow ranch, he hated sheep "like skunks," but

HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA

not long after he was in the sheep business and accumulated wealth.

"Texas Tom" Snow is one of the characters of this vicinity, arriving in the North Platte valley in the day of the Texas trail, and he has established himself on the Rawhide at "Snow's Point," which is one of the landmarks north of Lingle. Drilling for oil will start in this vicinity sometime during the coming spring (1920).

About the time of the coming of the granger, a number of new men arrived with ranching instead of grangering instincts, and these became the "ranchmen" best known for the last quarter of a century. Many of them accumulated large herds and an empire of fertile land.

Joe Sanford, who is north of Mitchell, is a notable example. He has about a township of land, or over twenty-thousand acres. Dr. Miller, who acquired extensive ranch possessions north of Morrill about fifteen miles, has "gone to another range," but the excellent property is owned and managed by his son, True Miller. Chas. Loucomer has the old Wind Springs ranch. E. von Forrell has lately acquired a large acreage north of Lake Alice in Sioux county, where Forrell and son run their fine Herefords. On the Harry Haig ranch in Mitchell valley lives (1919) one of the characters of the old west, H. M. Inghram. He drove stage for Gilman & Salsbury, who owned the "Black Hills route" from Cheyenne in its. earliest years.