But the transition of Rushville from a tent town in 1885, to the present place of substantial buildings, and excellent mercantile attainments is one of the remarkable stories of progress which covers the high plains. Scientific farming, following the disasters of the early nineties, shows the ingenuity of man, and capableness of the home making human being to survive and prosper in the face of alnm>t any kind of trouble, or in any kind of environment. It is the farm, and what the farm does, that speaks for the progress or retrogression of any town or community center. So intelligent surmounting of farm disasters, made the Rushville of today.

Rushville has about forty mercantile estab-

HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA

lishments representing every line of business : flour mill, grain elevators, banks, hotels, five churches, two newspapers, water works, electric lights, opera house, court house, railroad, express and telegraph. Co-operative efforts in marketing potatoes, and other products, are among the modern achievements of the town. It is the county seat, and has a population of 955 according to 1920 census.

Gordon

The first settlement of grangers in the county of Sheridan, is today the metropolis of the county. The story of the Gordon rifles and the burning of the Gordon wagons and equipment, was one of the unwise affairs of handling the Indian question, and Indian country, that has marked the administration of that department from time to time. This event occurred near the Sheridan-Cherry line, some distance south of Gordon and a little east. The finding of relics is yet of frequent occurrence. The Gordon outfit was burned by the war department of the United States and not by Indians as might naturally be assumed. Gordon has trespassed beyond the lines laid down and arbitrarily forbidden by the department.