Buffalo Bill's Wild West
Erie. PaJuly 9th 98 [1] My Dear Bick [2]
Yours recd— I am just as anxious as you are for the mill— Why the people will run us out of the Country if its not built. Try Every body Forbes [3] — De Mairs [4] — Russell [5] — Webster [6] the Mormon Carpenter [7] . Darrah. Tom Percell [8] to take stock— we must build the mill and there is not a day to loose. You can count on Me for $2000. Now George jump to it. And lets get the work started. Wire me Soon as possible what can be done—
Yours truly W. F. CodyI beleive Newton [9] will take $500 or a $1000 worth of stock. If work is commenced. rush it.
Note 1: Buffalo Bill's Wild West performed in Erie, Pennsylvania, on July 9, 1898. [back]
Note 2: Cody misspells "Beck," writing "Bick" instead. [back]
Note 3: Forbes oversaw the construction of the Cody Trading Company and when the building was completed he was replaced by Jacob M. "Jake" Schwoob who had been manager of the Iroquois Hotel in Buffalo, New York, which was owned by Henry M. Gerrans. [back]
Note 4: "De Mairs" is Cody's misspelling of Charles DeMaris, an early settler in the Big Horn Basin who settled near the warm sulphur springs named for him: DeMaris Springs. [back]
Note 5: "Russell" may be George S. Russell (1850-1922), the carpenter that built most of the initial buildings of the new town of Cody, Wyoming. [back]
Note 6: "Webster" may be William P. Webster (1850-1935), a machinist by trade and Postmaster of Cody in 1897. [back]
Note 7: "The Mormon Carpenter" is not further identified but may have been J. Ross Carpenter (1867-1943), a land developer and president of the Federal Land & Securities Company. [back]
Note 8: "Tom Percell" is Tom Purcell (1854-1900), a saloon owner in Cody, Wyoming. [back]
Note 9: "Newton" is likely Abram C. Newton (1864-1959), a local rancher who invested in the town of Cody, Wyoming, donating logs for building the town. [back]
