Letter from William F. Cody to George T. Beck

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

[photograph]

Col. W. F. Cody. (Buffalo Bill), President.

[photograph]

Nate Salsbury. Vice-President & Manager.

John M. Burke. General Manager.
Albert E. Sheible, Business Manager.
Jule Keen, Treasurer.

Cincinnati [1]
May 5^th [2] My Dear George—

God Bless the stenographer [3] But tell him to take a spin over the works and tell me how much more there is to do between Marquette Creek [4] & Sulphur [5] — & give a guess how long its going to take to finish to Sulphur Creek. Marquette Creek dont interrest me Ask him if he can see a grder [6] at work— And how it mooves that soil I would like to know that they have been tried before I have to pay for them— besides they are drawing interest— Allso would like to know something about expenses for April and an estimate to finish up 25000 acres— You did not mention a word about Mead — The vital points that

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

[photograph]

Col. W. F. Cody. (Buffalo Bill), President.

[photograph]

Nate Salsbury. Vice-President & Manager.

John M. Burke. General Manager.
Albert E. Sheible, Business Manager.
Jule Keen, Treasurer.

I want to know you omit.

Alger drew on me for $3000 which I paid— I will have to hustle for money for May 10^th All other members discouraged— they have been fooled in getting water to Sulphur Creek— And the money goes out— What are you going to do with Bill [7] & three carpenters? George we are all getting awfully discouraged Something wrong there— Men and teams are not worked to advantage— Too many leaks—

I wish to God you would straighten it out— And make everything moove as they should—

Your friend Cody

Note 1: Cincinnati, Ohio: Buffalo Bill's Wild West performed in Cincinnati, Ohio, on May 4-5, 1896. The day's entry in the 1896 Route Diary: "Cincinnati, Ohio. / Tuesday, May 5. Weather fine. J. Frost, of the Irish Lancers, was taken sick with pneumonia and went to hospital to-day. Gay Hudson Piller, Cowboy rider, went over the ropes to-night; the horse knocked down a beacon light, but no one was hurt. Tambourine McCarty, Ken a Kamis and wife, the Japanese fencers, of the Annex, closed here. J. T. McCaddon and M. B. Bailey left for Chicago on the 8.30 train on business for the company. / Business in the afternoon big, in the evening immense. / Lot, Ludlow avenue and Milk Creek, Cumminsville. / Arena, 169 x 430." [back]

Note 2: The year is not inscribed by Cody but is 1896 as determined by the Routes List. [back]

Note 3: "The stenographer" is not identified, but may have been Daisy May Sorrenson, whom Beck hired to work in the office of Shoshone Irrigation Company; Beck and Sorrenson married in 1897. [back]

Note 4: "Marquette Creek" flows into Carter Creek then into the Shoshone River in the South Fork area southeast of Cody. [back]

Note 5: "Sulphur Creek" is a natural streambed located west of Cody, Wyoming, flowing north toward the Shoshone River along the base of Cedar Mountain. [back]

Note 6: Grader. [back]

Note 7: "Bill" is not identified. [back]