B. Purdy, and Joe Smith arrived at the same time from Sidney. They were in Sidney when Mills left that town for the North river country. They arrived at their selected claims about September 10, 1886.

Primed the Pump With Milk

Their first act was to drive down a well point, and attach a pitcher pump. Having no water to prime it, and the pump refusing to act without priming, one of them started for

'Where Purdy Primed

the river, some distance away, to get the necessary water. While gone, it occurred to Mr. Purdy to milk the cow, and prime the pump with milk.

Others Walk In

Josh Stevens settled in the Cedar valley, southwest of the present site of Gering in the fall of 1886, and Laportes settled at the foot of the bad lands to run a few horses. Oscar Gardner had known the Laportes were here, and he, like George Baltes. walked in from Camp Clarke. It 'will l)e seen that some of our most substantial citizens found this country while on foot, and it was merely the sturdy

HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA

determination of the young pioneers that brought them upon their feet to this land of promise, and it was the same spirit that sustained them in the fight, kept them on their feet, and made them well-to-do citizens of the valley today.

Gardner's First Night

Oscar Gardner tells of his experience at the old Coad ranch, where he stopped the first night. Here he met Runey Campbell and Jim Shaw, who were looking after the Bay State affairs at the ranch. He was invited to stay, and took supper with them. At bed time he shared with Shaw a bunk on the kitchen floor. He was awakened in the night by the sniffling about of some night prowler, and in the dim light he could make out some kind of moving form.