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. O'Linn's homestead called the settlement by the same name, and in reality there was no town that could at the time lay legal claim to the name of Chadron, and if Dawes City should contest

HISTORY OF WESTERN NEBRASKA

the election it might be difficult to establish proof as to where the voters intended the county seat should be. And so it was thought best to designate on the ballot the location of the town, and the ballots were printed "Chadron located on S. W. J4 of Section 17, Township 33, Range 48." After the election in June, the county clerk transacted business at the old town, and packed up his records in a suitcase and moved to the new town on August first with the other inhabitants. Prior to removal the sheriff let it be known that his office was any place in the county where he happened to be. The county judge issued marriage licenses to the few applying, but none of the other county officers took up their official duties until established in the county seat proper at the new town.