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  • Title: Letter from William F. Cody to George T. Beck
  • Date: May 29, 1896
  • Author: Cody, William Frederick, 1846-1917
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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.

Bloomington Ill [1]
May 29 th 96 My Dear George
In yours of 23d you say you sent me a statement. If you did I have not recd it. I am to meet the Buffalo people [2] in Chicago And we are going to come to an understanding. We cant go on this way. None of us are satisfied. And we cant find out what is contracted to be done what has been or where the money has gone. Alger has been sent for also Mead. The Buffalo parties ordered this meeting and informed me to day this haphazard way of doing business wont do. There has got to be some system which does not exist now. I feel sorry for Flood [3]  

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.

for he has worked hard. or did until the last four or five months since then nothing has been done wright. And business men after a ceartain time find it out and wont stand it.

As near as we can learn there has been no reccords kept of land or lots sold— in fact nothing done right.

Its been a go as you please outfit with no business head to it.

Yours— W. F. Cody

Note 1: Buffalo Bill's Wild West performed in Bloomington, Illinois, on May 29, 1896. The day's entry in the 1896 Route Diary: "Bloomington, Ill. / Friday, May 29. Arrived in town at 5.30 A. M. One-mile haul to the lot. / Business good both performances. / Lot, Fair Grounds. / Arena, 197 x 375." [back]

Note 2: "Buffalo people" and "Buffalo parties" refer to the investors in Shoshone Irrigation Company, including Rumsey, Bleistein, and Gerrans. [back]

Note 3: "Flood" is likely "D. P. Flood" who wrote to Beck in 1896 and is mentioned by Cody in 1896 letters to Beck. Flood may have been a foreman or livestock handler on the irrigation project; his exact role is not known. [back]

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