It is clear that these families were interested in finding productive land upon which to relocate. In a letter (Appendix A) from Mr. G. B. Townsend to the Mangum Sun-Monitor on September 2, 1902, the six men were reminded of the terrible drought that was withering all growth at the time in and around the Okalahoma Territory and the Texas border. This fact may have served as additional incentive to seek better land elsewhere.[40]

On September 14, 1902, Mr. Blalock, while in San Luis Potosí, wrote a letter to Mr. Joe Sweet in Mangum informing him that the others in the scouting party would be returning satisfied with the land and the possibilities. He, Blalock, would remain to close on the deal. In the newspaper excerpt of Blalock’s letter, the amount of land was listed as 114,450 acres, which was more acreage than had been previously stated, but the selling price remained the same, $50,000.

Five thousand dollars was deposited in the bank as evidence of good faith, but the money would be returned to the buyers if the title were not clear. "The balance of the price $115,000 (Mexican) must be paid by January 10, 1903." Mr. Blalock wanted to be sure the title was satisfactory so he traveled to Mexico City to get an attorney to, "...pass on the title, as there was no American lawyer in San Luis Potosí, a city of 125,000 people".[41]

During this time, the San Luis Potosí land deal fell through. Mr. Blalock had performed due diligence and discovered that there was less acreage than had been advertised; therefore he did not close the purchase. As a result, Mr. Blalock continued the search for suitable land. In this hunt for multipurpose productive land the Mangum Star reported that Mr. W. H. Smith who was a real estate agent, banker, and newspaperman assisted. He was a long time resident of Mexico and the editor of the Tampico Owl, an American newspaper published in Mexico.[42]