Some years ago Fred Roberts, who was then manager of the power plant at Scottsbluff, examined parts of Pumpkin creek valley in company with the historian, with a view to putting in pumping motors, extending a power line and putting a transportation system to and from the cities of Gering and Scottsbluff. He sold out to the Intermountain, which company has not been able to keep abreast of the local needs, and consequently extension was out of the question.

But at no far distant date the great underwater sheet of north Banner county will be doing service for the people to a much greater extent than many now conceive is possible.

POSTOFFICES OF Old

Without question the first postoffice on Pumpkin creek was at Redington. The first within the present boundaries of Banner county was at Livingston with Mrs. Livingston the postmistress. In August, 1887, E. M. Cowen was appointed postmaster for the newly created office at Freeport. Mail was brought from Redington. In October of the same year William Ashford was named postmaster for a new office at Ashford and the Redington-Livingston route was extended for the service. Practically at the same time Centropolis postoffice, the antecedent of Harrisburg, came into existence with C. H. Randall as postmaster. Banner and

HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA

Hull soon followed in the call for mail service. A. B. Hull was appointed at the latter point and Mrs. Harvey Ransier at Banner. Getting the mail from the railroad was the problem, but this was solved by a star route from Kimball to Gering in late 1S87. Jones M. Clapp was the first carrier. For many years, Emery Lewis who resides near Harrisburg in 1921, drove this route on the north end and also kept the route going from Ashford to Redington. The Harrisburg-Scottsbluff division is now maintained by Roy Lewis, and a Dodge car has superseded the rattling old stage of years ago.