The same year,[4] the McLaughlin built a ten-mile standard gauge railway line to Moskee, Wyoming.

[3] In 1911, a mining company from St. Louis considered reopening some abandoned operations in the area, but the idea was scrapped.

In April 1909, a fire completely destroyed the $40,000 McLaughlin Mill; the insurance only covered about half this amount.

90,000 board feet of lumber, a stripping shed containing thousands of ties, and six carloads of green logs were also lost.

The McLaughlin never recovered from the financial losses and eventually closed due to low funds and poor management.

[4] The town eventually died out, though the post office and hotel stayed in operation longer.