business men stayed with the "old town," and but a few moved across the river. The Homestead, then published by Geo. E. Mark, now of the Mitchell Index, was one of the important factors in the fight.

First Enterprises

The first business in Scottsbluff, was that of lumber yards. Geo. W. King and Carr & Neff Lumber Company, began about the same time, and John A. Orr closely followed. Orr's yard was the antecedent of L. W. Cox & Company. Then King sold to the same firm.

The first bill of lumber was sold by King to Mr. Kirkpatrick, who built a small store on the south lot of the present William Frank building, occupied by Fliesbach's Department store.

About the same time Winfield Evans started the little frame dwelling that stood at the intersection of Overland Road and First Avenue. This has been removed and a service station now occupies the ground.

Charles H. Simmons moved a log house into town and put it at the intersection of Fifteenth street and Broadway as now known. He was appointed the first postmaster of

Scottsbluff, and for years held the office in this building. In addition he put in a small stock of merchandise.

Kirkpatrick then went to Geo. King, who had sold him about eighty dollars worth of lumber for his store, and told him that he wanted to sell it back. He said there was not business enough for two stores in Scottsbluff. thus being the first man to express the provincialism exercised by the financial institutions of the city in the bank fight of 1919.