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.

Inasmuch as Gordon was upon the only connecting line for a road or trail through the sand hills without encountering much sandy road, this road could easily have been a much travelled highway from the eastern settlements, to the Black Hills and High Plains

country, had it not been discouraged in its incipiency by the federal government. The effect has been to put back for a generation, the development of road facilities through a section of western Nebraska, that has needed such for its progress.

A half a hundred business enterprises mark Gordon's commercial standing as high in the story of the county. To the north is the Indian country, to the east the cattle country, and to the west and south dry-fanning makes it situated ideally for steady trade. No depression of any one, can so effect the other two of Gordon's sources of business. Flour mills, elevators, electric lights, water works, four churches, two hotels, two banks, a live newspaper, and a generally wide awake people, make the city an excellent place to live. 1920 census gives Gordon a population of 1591.