Lynch, the compiler secured seme of the points from her, as she could remember them, the morning after this memorable birthday party.

Mrs. Lynch narrates that she came out to Kimball in 1873. Mr. Darling was then agent for the Union Pacific. He later moved her here from below Sidney near Colton, to run the section house. There were then no houses here but a few 'dobes where the section men used to sleep. The next town east was Sidney, about thirty miles, and the next town west was Cheyenne about sixtyfive miles. There were a few ranches way to the south. The people out there used to come in and get supplies at the section house and would stay for a meal. This trade in addition to the few section men situated there soon made this bearding house in the wild plains a good paving business.

Mrs. Lynch stayed in this section house for a good many years and says that the section men. cow-boys and Indians were her steadfast and faithful friends. The popular-

HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA

ity of this place grew so swiftly that many of the railroad men would eat with her and would arrange their work in order to take a meal with her instead of staying at Sidney. Mrs. Lynch relates that when she was in Colton the Indians came during the two

were mostly Sioux and Cheyenne. The government furnished them with provisions but they did not know how to use them. They would trade their very hest items to the section men for a plug of tobacco.