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  • Title: Letter from William F. Cody to George T. Beck
  • Date: October 4, 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.

Richmond. Va
Oct 4th [1] Dear Beck—
I have not been able to write a letter to any one. Since I got near N. Y. then came Baltimore & Washington [2] . And to day we did not get here until 11 am— had to make parade & just finished first show. I recd your letters— I have just wired Hymer & Alger to send you word quick to make ditch 20 feet wide on bottom. I have written 25 letters at least saying no use to build a little ditch I came near falling dead. & I some some tall cussing when I read your letter about a 15 foot ditch after all the letters I have  

[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.

written to the contrary. if it cant be 20 feet on the bottom call me out I will quit. hope you are looking out for lumber for headgate. How do you like Mr. Foote [3] ? I seen Hoke Smith [4] . Also Senator Warren [5] — And told them that if they beleived him [6] And did not want the ditches built for my part I would quit.

Well I will write you Sunday. Must go & give a show— There is twenty people waiting to see me—

Bill.

Say. I got a letter from Heck.

Note 1: The year is not inscribed by Cody but is 1895 as determined by the Routes List: Buffalo Bill's Wild West performed in Richmond, Virginia, on October 4, 1895. [back]

Note 2: Cody implies he is very busy with visitors while Buffalo Bill's Wild West performs near New York, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C. [back]

Note 3: "Mr. Foote" is Robert Foote (1834-1916), a democrat and state senator representing Johnson County, Wyoming. Foote led the effort against the Carey Act in Wyoming. Cody threatened to quit the project as a result of Foote's accusation that Cody was subverting the interests of Wyoming and of the "real people" of the Big Horn Basin. [back]

Note 4: Michael Hoke Smith (1855-1931) was the 19th United States Secretary of the Interior from March 6, 1893, to September 1, 1896. [back]

Note 5: Francis Emroy Warren (1844-1929), a Republican Senator representing Wyoming during 1890-1893 before returning to his business pursuits. Warren was re-elected to the Senate from March 4, 1895, to November 24, 1929, but died while in office. [back]

Note 6: "Him" refers to Wyoming Senator Robert Foote in Foote's opposition to the Cody Canal. [back]

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