This outfit, a lot of groceries for the only store in the North river valley, a couple or three trunks and a number of other articles were only enough to make a moderate sized wagon box full which Avas hauled out for me, and with me, from Sidney, seventy miles across country.

Final proof notices were the first objective in the establishment of newspapers, but closely thereafter came the county seat question, as it became probable that the old county of Cheyenne would be divided into several counties, and was responsible for a number of papers at prospective county seats, notably in what are now Scott Bluff and Banner counties. The third paper was started at a point in Mitchell valley opposite the present city of that name, by one E. B. Peck, who lasted just long enough to make the campaign for county seat location, but long enough to take my name in vain 147 times by actual count in his final issue. Surely those were the days of personal journalism.

A newspaper had been published at Bayard, opposing the division lines which placed it on the border line between the new Scotts Bluff county and the central portion of the old county, which still remained Cheyenne county. It was called the Chimney Rock Transcript, and was printed by J. J. Totten, and he at •once espoused the cause of a point west of Minatare, called Millstown, as a county seat contender, but after this idea was eliminated by the selection of Gering, its publication was continued at Bayard, and the sheet was purchased in July, 1889, by Col. Francis O. Wisner, a fine type of the old school journalist, and published by him until his death. Today it is still in a hearty condition with his son, R.