The William F. Cody Archive: Documenting the life and times of Buffalo Bill

(COPY)

Lincoln, Nebr., Feb. 22, 1901.

Mr. C. E. Perkins,

Burlington, Iowa.

I went to Omaha yesterday to confer with Mr. Holdrege and Col. Cody regarding the Cody townsite. Before I arrived Mr. Holdrege and Cody had a meeting, and as Cody insisted on their crossing the river, they had decided to go to Burlington to meet you. I met Cody at the hotel, and after I saw that he was determined to insist on your crossing the river, I sprung this question on him, "Suppose it is impossible to get the iron for the bridge within six or twelve months, the terminus will be at Corbett, seven miles East of Cody. That being the terminus the business will be done, for a time at least, at that point. Will that not build up a competing point to Cody that will really compete for the trade of the basin after the road is extended, in fact, would it not establish a rival to Cody only seven miles away". Bill answered, "That is looking farther ahead than I have looked, and I guess we had better take our chances on the North side of the River." In the afternoon we went down to meet Mr. Holdrege, and Cody, on his own motion, decided that it was best not to take any chances waiting for bridge, but to go right along the North side of the River, and get the depot as near Cody as we could; so everything seems to be all right.