The matter was strongly contested, the decision of the local land office being in favor of the townsite company. On appeal to the Commissioner of the General Land Office at Washington the decision was reversed, and the townsite company thereon appealed to the Secretary of the Interior, but before a hearing of the case was had by the Secretary a compromise was affected, the townsite companypaying Mr. Stanton $15,000 to relinquish his claim, a very handsome price for a Dawes county claim in those days.

When it was definitely made known by the railroad company where the town was to be established and that town lots would be placed on sale on August 1, 1885, all commenced to plan for moving and building, and those with families began to look forward to the time when their families might join them in the establishment of new homes in a brand new town. The townsite officials had given assurance that the town would remain the terminus of the road for at least two years, thereby making it the outfitting point for the country west and north, but! the Burlington road began building west from Broken Bow with its destination unknown to the Fremont, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley Company, which urged the latter to push its lines to the Black Hills country and west to the coal fields and stock ranges of Wyoming. Before the town could be officially platted, the special election was coming on for the organization of the county government, the election of county officers and the location of the county seat. At this time the friends of Chadron were in a quandary as to possible misunderstanding and legal entanglements which might arise over the location of the county seat. While the railroad officials had announced where they intended to establish a town called Chadron, a few squatters on Mrs.