privations, who had lost their property and money and had seen the slender bridge of human life break under the heavy burden, saved the day, and dragged together the remnants of the almost bankrupt municipality. Inch by inch, step by step, the business men who were stayers recovered from the strain incident to the long drought and paralyzing panic. City improvements began and everybody worked together. Mrs. Mary E. Smith Hayward, labored almost day and night to beautify the city and the court house park is a proud monument to her memory. Admiring citizens have erected an artistic fountain in the center of the park inscribed in her honor. Twenty-five beautiful brick and stone buildings have been erected. In 1907, the roller mill burned, and cut of its ashes arose a splendid structure with a daily capacity 'of 200 barrels. In 1910 the C. & N. W. round house and shops were destroyed by fire together with sixteen engines, all equipped with coal, oil and water ready to go out upon their respective runs, and almost in a breath a modern structure, costing around $100,000 appeared on the site of the former building. In 1911 when the state decided to place a Normal School near the west end of the state, Chadron entered the contest for the location and as an inducement offered a beautiful tract of eight acres with $12,000 for a site.

As competitors Alliance, Crawford, Valentine and Scottsbluff entered the race. After a spirited fight Chadron was selected as the location and its citizens raised over $13,000.00 by popular subscription to make good her offer. So generously did they respond that a surplus donation remained and was refunded to the subscribers. In a few years the Chadron school had attained an enrollment of two hundred and fifty students in the most properous Normal School in the state.