Letter from William F. Cody to George T. Beck, May 25, 1896 Cody, William Frederick, 1846-1917 Johnston, Jeremy Christianson, Frank Seefeldt, Douglas, 1964- Supported in part by a grant from the Wyoming Cultural Trust Fund, a program of the Department of State Parks and Cultural Resources. 2013 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.css00486

BBWW performed in Litchfield, Illinois, on May 25, 1896. Horace C. Alger (1857-1906) was a banker from Sheridan, Wyoming, mayor of Sheridan in 1889, and a candidate for Governor of Wyoming in 1898. Cody, Beck and Alger were responsible for developing the Shoshone Irrigation Company. "S. V. Nagle, an associate of the firm of F. A. Nagle, Commission Merchants, of Chicago" was the agent for German settlers coming to the Big Horn Basin for the promise of cheap land [Bonner, pp69-75]. Cody, William Frederick, 1846-1917 Letter from William F. Cody to George T. Beck May 25, 1896 3 pages University of Wyoming, American Heritage Center, Buffalo Bill Letters to George T. Beck (Acc. #9972) ah031355-57

3 hand-written pages

 3 pages

Media: pencil

Texts Correspondence Buffalo Bill's Wyoming Beck, George Washington Thornton, 1856-1943 Alger, Horace Chapin, 1857-1906 Nagle, S. V. Nagle, F. A. Weakly, Laura K. Added annotation Weakly, Laura K. Initial encoding Houze, Lynn Proofing Johnston, Jeremy Proofing Clark, Linda Proofing Boyce, Gary Transcription Adams, Deb Transcription Buffalo Bill's Wild West and Congress of Rough Riders.of the World.

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

Nate Salsbury. Vice-President & Manager.

John M. Burke. General Manager.Albert E. Sheible, Business Manager.Jule Keen, Treasurer. Litchfield Ill1 May 25th 96 My Dear George

Your favor of May 19th Is the most satisfactory letter I ever recd from you. But its not quite up to the Mark— As you seem to avoid what we at this end want to know and have asked time and again. We want you to list all the outside debts you have contracted And what you propose doing. As it is you contract debts and will neither give Alger or any one else any warning of what you do— As I learn you do not keep a record of them your self of course its hard for you to remember them. I understand you keep no record of the land or Town2 lots you dispose of Buffalo Bill's Wild West and Congress of Rough Riders.of the World.

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

Nate Salsbury. Vice-President & Manager.

John M. Burke. General Manager.Albert E. Sheible, Business Manager.Jule Keen, Treasurer. and very soon you will have our company in an af awful mix up We are aware that every thing at that end is run like a widow woman farm. No system at all— We know why the canal did not hold the water and who turned four feet of water on at one time. for the purpose of takeingtaking a photograph. And damageingdamaging our co thousands of dollars—

You say you had seed oats on the ground. if so why did Nagle3 have to go after oats? I know why the horses could not stand the work. There was no care taken of them nor no judgement used. When they were first out to work— they were killed the first day. of course the breaking of up & mooveingmoving of camp was a big expense. Because there was no system about it. And the Boss was not on the job until 11 am

George— I am speaking plain. I am getting the blame for this kind of management and I propose to land the blame where it belongs I am sick and tired of nonsense— and will stand it no longer— Business has got to be done on business principles or as the others say. I will say my self I will not put up another dollar and give my reasons for so doing. I was in hopes you would quit nonsense and get down to business—

Still your friend W. F. Cody Note 1: Buffalo Bill's Wild West performed in Litchfield, Illinois, on May 25, 1896. The day's entry in the 1896 Route Diary: "Litchfield, Ill. / Monday, May 25. Arrived in town at 5.30 A. M. Weather very threatening all day. We all dreaded rain, as the condition of the lot and streets was bad. J. T. McCaddon left for Chicago to-night. Cowboy Ed. Goodrich, who was hurt in Louisville, Ky., went to work again to-day. / Business in the afternoon good; in the evening fair. / Lot, Driving Park. / Arena, 175 x 354." Note 2: Cody, Wyoming. Note 3: S. V. Nagle, an associate of the firm of F. A. Nagle Commission Merchants of Chicago, attempted to recruit settlers to the lands in the Big Horn Basin that were to be irrigated by the Cody Canal.