The law at the time required a petition of two hundred of whom ten must be "taxable inhabitants," to organize a county. Sioux county, then unorganized, was attached to Cheyenne for administrative, judicial and taxation purposes.

In the Senate and Legislature

G. H. lewett, of Sidney was state senator in 1879 ; G. W. Heist, of Sidney, in 1883 ; D. Carrigan, of Sidnev, was representative in 1881 ; V. Bierbauer, 'in 1883; J. M. Adams in

HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA

1885, and George C. Lingenfelter in 1893. All were from Sidney. In 1913, Lewis Brott, or Sextrop, Cheyenne county, was elected and was followed by William L. Bates, of Lodgepole. Bates served two terms in 1917 and 1918, and was then elected regent of the State University in 1920. He had removed to Kimball county before being elected to this office.

State Fish Commission

Robert Oberfelder was appointed State Fish Commissioner by Governor A. H. Holcomb about 1896. He served for six years, proving an efficient and conscientious official. His wide information as to streams and lakes of western Nebraska, enabled the planting of the right kind of fish in the right place. That trout now abound in many western streams is due to his initiation.

Banking and Finance

In 1876, there was but one bank in the Panhandle of Nebraska. It was located at Sidney. A private bank, the first in this part of the state, was established by Raynolds and Wallace and was called the Cheyenne County Bank." A. H. Raynolds was from Canton, Ohio, and was a relation of President McKinley. William Wallace was for years connected with the Omaha National Bank, and a figure of prominence in the financial world. After establishing and operating their bank for a time Raynolds and Wallace sold to Saxton Brothers, who were also from Ohio, and also related to McKinley.