The expectation was that the freight cars could leave, as a freight train, ahead of the passengers. The passengers would travel in special through cars on a regular passenger train. The colonists were told that the train cars could be in Mangum on five days notice.

The Greer County colonists still did not have a firm departure date because Mr. Blalock, Mr. Ingram, Mr. Parmer, and Reverend Talley were still in Mexico and had not yet received property deeds for the Hacienda El Chamal. To make matters worse, Mr. Blalock had been in the hospital for two weeks as the result of an accident. He had fallen from atop a freight car and landed on the brake wheel resulting in serious injury.[13]

At the January 17, 1903, meeting there was very little business to conduct since the colonists had completed all necessary decisions and plans for their departure. The great news was that they learned that the Mexican government had agreed to allow their goods to enter the country duty free, but unfortunately, they also learned that there was a hitch in the process.[14]