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  • Title: Letter from William F. Cody to George T. Beck
  • Date: September 16, 1895
  • Author: Cody, William Frederick, 1846-1917
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[portrait]

The Buffalo Bill Wild West and Congress of Rough Riders of the World.

Col. W. F. Cody (Buffalo Bill), President.
Nate Salsbury, Vice-Pres't and Manager.
John M. Burke, . . . General Manager.
Albert E. Scheible, . . . Business Manager.
Jule Keen, . . . Treasurer.

Cortland. N. Y. [1]
Sep. 16th 95 My Dear Beck—
Your favor of 12 inst. was to the point and explained things I wanted to know. Viz. about Ryan & Cunningham & Hillsberry [2] . I fear you did not get to the country to quick to get any option on feed. I wrote Heck some time ago to Send a man there to do that. But as those people up there ought to encourage enterprize they may not sinch you— Post your self on Wyoming w irrigation laws so we will allways be on the safe side. Am dam glad I am to get but few letters from Sheridan during the three years I have been doing business there. Not a single man ever wrote me a letter from there only just as the train was leaving  

[portrait]

The Buffalo Bill Wild West and Congress of Rough Riders of the World.

Col. W. F. Cody (Buffalo Bill), President.
Nate Salsbury, Vice-Pres't and Manager.
John M. Burke, . . . General Manager.
Albert E. Scheible, . . . Business Manager.
Jule Keen, . . . Treasurer.

or else they made that as an excuse to quit. How many trains have Marquette a day? How I wish I was up there with you & Heck. I will set you a fire this winter. Where is My Old Pard Geo Canfield. has a bar got him. How would a 10 gal keg of good benzine strike you fellows?

By Jesus if you fellows dont write me I will quit thinking of you. Heck of course never does write How I would like to see the dirt a flying on that ditch. get me a photograph of it—

Cody

Note 1: BBWW performed in Cortland, New York, on September 16, 1895. [back]

Note 2: "Hillsberry" refers to Laban Hillberry (or Labin Hillsberry), a prospector who was looking for investors in a water development project in the Big Horn Basin in 1893 when he met George Beck. Hillberry encouraged Beck to explore the potential for diverting water from the South Fork of the "Stinking Water" (Shoshone River) to irrigate the area. Beck then sent Jerry Ryan to evaluate the country for him; Ryan's report encouraged Beck to seriously consider the Big Horn Basin. [back]

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