"in behalf of ourselves and four hundred tax payers." Wilcox and Halligan of North Platte were present to argue the case for the protestants. The county board heard the matter and by unanimous action called an election to decide the question for November 2, 1909. The commissioners at the time were A. G. Newman, Albert S. Ross, and D. F. Fickes. The election carried and the history of Garden county completes the story. Fickes and Ross were both

HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA

residents of the portion of Deuel county which became Garden, resigned as commissioners of Deuel county, and Ed. C. Wolf and George Kalb succeeded them.

County Court House For many years Deuel county rented quarters for the transaction of the county's business. The old frame school house that was built in the early eighties, and in which was taught the first legally constituted public school in Chappell, stood on the southwest corner of the present court house grounds. It was used as the office of the county clerk for many years. The school is now situated a block north of the old site. Economical administration and the danger of fire to records, together with the growing prosperity of Deuel county, led to the building of a suitable court house which would be representative of the county and its people. In 1915, such a structure was erected. The corner stone was laid by the Master Workmen of the Grand Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of Nebraska, May 15, 1915, A. L. 1915, Thomas M. Davis, Grand Master. The board of county commissioners at that time consisted of : Simon Hopper, chairman, George Kalb, and James Brown; their names being cut in the corner stone with those of J. J. Huddart, architect, and M. J. Kenney, builder. The cost of the building at that time was about half what such a fine building would have come to later.