The county of Phelps is bounded as follows: Commencing at the southwest corner of township five, north, of the base line, and range twenty, west, of the sixth principal meridian; thence running north to the middle of the south channel of the Platte River; thence running in an easterly direction along the middle of the south channel until it reaches the line dividing the sixteenth and seventeenth ranges, west, of the said sixth principal meridian; thence south to the southeast corner of townships five, north, and seventeen, west, as aforesaid; thence west to the place of beginning.