Letter from William F. Cody to C. L. Hinkle, April 15, 1901 Cody, William Frederick, 1846-1917 Johnston, Jeremy Christianson, Frank Seefeldt, Douglas, 1964- 2012 William F. Cody Archive University of Nebraska-Lincoln Center for Digital Research in the Humanities
319 Love Library University of Nebraska–Lincoln Lincoln, NE 68588-4100 cdrh@unlnotes.unl.edu
Lincoln, Nebraska
University of Nebraska-Lincoln Lincoln, NE 68588-4100
wfc.css00101

Curtis L. Hinkle was clerk of the Wyoming State Land Board in Cheyenne and friend to WFC [see Blackstone (Business)]. Charles DeMaris (1833-1914) discovered and developed the hot springs on the western edge of Cody, Wyoming, known as DeMaris Springs. Cody Military College International Academy of Rough Riders was founded by WFC but failed to prosper as he had hoped. General Edwin Vose Sumner, Jr. (1835-1912) was a veteran of the Civil War and the Indian Wars. Governor Deforest Richards (1846-1903) was governor of Wyoming from 1899 until he died in office in April 1903. Elwood Mead, State engineer of Wyoming and key in drafting water laws for Wyoming and Colorado from 1888 to 1899, was head of the Bureau of Reclamation from 1924 until his death in 1936. Page 3 (page 2 verso) may be transcription of a report written by Elwood Mead in 1898 rejecting WFC's application to use the water of DeMaris Springs [see Bonner, p50+]. BBWW performed in New York City April 2-20, 1901. Cody, William Frederick, 1846-1917 Letter from William F. Cody to C. L. Hinkle April 15, 1901 3 pages McCracken Research Library (MRL) MS6.0107

3 hand-written pages

 3 pages

Media: black ink

Media: pencil

Texts Correspondence Buffalo Bill's Wyoming Weakly, Laura Added annotations Weakly, Laura Initial Encoding Clark, Linda Proofreading Adams, Deb Transcription Boyce, Gary Transcription Louis E. Cooke, Gen'l Agt. Buffalo Bill's Wild West New. York Apr. 15th 19011 My. Dear Hinkle

Your favor with application for lease of school section recdreceived— I donot know which school section this is but I am going to fill it out and lease it just the same.2 Now Hinkle. Some time ago— I filed in the names of Charles. De Marris and my self— on the waters of the hot springs near Cody— Will you please examine these fillings and give me the laws and particulars. regarding same—this is very important for me to know at once. As I am doing something. that will be of great interest to the state—I have incorporated a company of which I am President—What will be known as—

Cody. Military. College International Academy. of. Rough. Riders. Louis E. Cooke, Gen'l Agt. Buffalo Bill's Wild West to teach young young men all branches of Military SceienceScience—its taking like wild fire— Our company will commence the permanent construction of the barracks in June— And will establish a military camp in tents at once— General. E. V. Sumner3—U.S.A. Military Commander— in command. This Organization was to be located in Colorado— But I got it changed to Wyo— You can have this sent out by associated press from Cheyenne— if you choose—I enclose a circular of the first Co that was gotten up for Colorado— But its now all to go to Wyo— near Cody4

Gov. Richards is here5—

Yours very truly W. F. Cody State of Wyo6 State Engineers Office

This is to certify that I have examined the foregoing application and have returned the same without my approval for the following reasons:

Springs should remain unappropriated until more definite plans for use are filed.

Witness my hand this 24th day of May AD 1898 Elwood Mead State Engineer The State of Wyoming State Engs Office

This instrument was received on file for record on the 24th day of Dec AD 1896 at 9—am and duly recorded in book 8 of applications on page 244.

 Note 1: Buffalo Bill's Wild West performed in New York City from April 2 to April 20, 1901. Note 2: When public lands were surveyed as a precursor to settlement, certain one-mile-square sections known as "school sections" were designated. Revenue from the sale or lease of these sections was reserved to support public schools. Note 3: Edwin Vose Sumner (1835-1912) joined the U.S. Army in 1861 and fought in the Civil War. He made the Army his career after the Civil War, serving as an officer in several cavalry regiments. After serving in the Spanish-American War, Sumner retired with the rank of brigadier general in 1899. Note 4: The words "near Cody" appear to have been added later in pencil. The handwriting matches that of William F. Cody. Note 5: DeForest Richards (1846-1903) was then the governor of Wyoming. Cody may refer to his predecessor as governor, William A. Richards. DeForest Richards and William A. Richards are not known to be related. Note 6: Here begins a body of writing in pencil, not in Cody's handwriting. This material appears to be a transcription of a document written in 1898 by Elwood Mead, who was then Wyoming's state engineer, denying William F. Cody's 1896 application for water rights at DeMaris Springs.