This brought a train load of prospective citizens, mechanics, artisans, merchants, hotel men, and included all the elements that generally rush to a new mining discovery or a new town. The little village of Grand Lake was overrun and was unable to adequately shelter or feed the train load of excursionists. Many men came already prepared to go into business, their stocks of goods were bought, lumber was in cars on sidetracks with which to erect buildings, there was an abundance of carpenters, plasterers and other workmen who had come with their tool boxes all prepared to build a city.

At the lot sale, the first lot offered was the one where the First National Bank now stands. It brought fourteen hundred and fifty dollars, and was purchased by Porter Eihlers & Company. This firm had been in the banking business in a temporary structure in the town of Grand Lake, and they immediately proceeded to erect on this lot a frame building of the same size as the present bank building. In this they opened the State Bank known as Porter Eihlers & Company.

The next lot sold was directly opposite, where the Alliance National Bank now stands, and this was purchased by the Bank of Alliance, which later merged into the Alliance National Bank, and of which F. M. Knight was then cashier, and has remained in the hands of the original purchasers since that time. This lot was sold for one thousand and fifty dollars.

The prices from these corners extending back were graded down where the lot upon which the present Chinese laundry is located sold for six hundred dollars. Some residence lots were sold in the vicinity of Sixth and Cheyenne Avenues at prices ranging from two hundred to three hundred dollars.