A tramp painter arrived in Big Springs and struck Abbott and Kimball for a job of sign painting; they told him to paint the name of the firm on the side of the store building. Carefully measuring the space, he began in the middle with the form "&." then the last letter of Abbott and the first of Kimball ; he persevered until he had the last three letters of Abbott and the first three of Kimball; then he rested, and for aught they know he is resting still. "'Ott & Kim" caused so much comment, the firm recognized its advertising value, and it so remained for many years. Mr. Kimball still runs the store. Big

Springs had the first organized school district in Deuel county territory, being No. 2, of old Cheyenne county.

As related elsewhere, Big Springs once cast an enormous vote on a county seat election, more than five thousand votes were returned but failed to get the county seat. Frank Down, one of the leading merchants of the town has lived here since the early seventies, being one of the first men to establish a store. A. E. Phelps built a hotel in 1884, and opened it Christmas eve of that year. He has run the hotel for thirty-seven years, being the pioneer man of his line and one of the oldest business

HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA

men in the town. Gotlieb Manser opened a blacksmith shop in Big Spring in 1886, the first in this section. Mr. Manser still resides in the town but is not so active as thirty-five years ago.