Tim was chief bookkeeper in the Senate and I was chief engrossing clerk in the House. Kelliher met R. B. Howell, whom he introduced. Howell, Senator J. H. Danner and I framed an irrigation district bill which was introduced by Darner. The complete story of its development is told in Scotts Bluff County History, but it was suggested to the writer for the first time through the efforts of J. B. Anderson in Deuel county.

In February, 1891, there were sonn- readjustments of precinct lines in Deuel county, and consolidations in which the precincts of Park, Big Springs and Blue Creek were to support a bond for a bridge near the location of Lewellen. Then Chappell and Sughrue precincts proposed a like plan for a bridge near the site of Oshkosh. The vote for the east bridge carried about four to one and that of the west by about six to one. These bridges were built in 1891 by the St. Joseph Bridge and Boiler Company.

In the meantime Chappell held the temporary county seat. In the election of January 15, 1889. Froid cast an apparently honest vote of less than three hundred, but Chappell heard of an enormous vote being cast at Big Springs, and the printing of extra ballots by thousands

HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA

was begun. Toward nightfall of election day it appeared to be a contest of endurance of the presses and supply of paper for ballots. The news came up the valley that the Big Springs vote had reached three thousand. Chappell beat it by a few and quit. Big Springs had a few thousand extra ballots printed at Ogallala, "enough to fill the ballot box," as told by one of the partisans, with a final total of five thousand six hundred and twenty-six votes.