Letter from William F. Cody to George T. Beck, March 26, 1896Cody, William Frederick, 1846-1917Johnston, JeremyChristianson, FrankSeefeldt, 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.2013William F. Cody ArchiveUniversity of Nebraska-LincolnCenter for Digital Research in the Humanities319 Love LibraryUniversity of Nebraska–LincolnLincoln, NE 68588-4100cdrh@unlnotes.unl.eduLincoln, NebraskaUniversity of Nebraska-LincolnLincoln, NE 68588-4100wfc.css00466Bronson Rumsey II was one of the founding members of the town of Cody, Wyoming, and one of the directors in the Shoshone Irrigation Company that Cody put together to provide water to the arid Big Horn Basin. Rumsey's father (Bronson Case Rumsey) was a very wealthy businessman who owned a leather and tannery business in Buffalo, New York. Frank Grouard (also spelled Gruard, among other variants; Cody writes "Gourard" here), was a 3rd Cavalry Scout at the Battle of the Rosebud; Grouard was called 'Yugata' by the Sioux. Frank Wheeler Mondell (1860-1939) was a United States Representative from Wyoming who settled in Wyoming in 1887 and developed oil and coal mines in the vicinity of Newcastle and Cambria (Wyoming). Mondell was chairman of the Committee on Irrigation of Arid Lands for the 58th and 59th Congress. "Burke" is likely John M. Burke, though it is possibly Carlton Burke, a foreman working on the Cody-Salsbury Canal. "S. V. Nagle, an associate of the firm of F. A. Nagle, Commission Merchants, of Chicago" (Bonner, pp69-75), was the agent for German settlers coming to the Big Horn Basin for the promise of cheap land. Cody, William Frederick, 1846-1917Letter from William F. Cody to George T. BeckMarch 26, 18962 pagesUniversity of Wyoming, American Heritage Center, Buffalo Bill Letters to George T. Beck (Acc. #9972)ah031319-20
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TextsCorrespondenceBuffalo Bill's WyomingBeck, George Washington Thornton, 1856-1943Rumsey, Bronson, II, 1854-1946Grouard, Frank, 1850-1905Mondell, Frank Wheeler, 1860-1939Nagle, F. A.Nagle, S. V.Shoshone Irrigation District (Wyo.)Weakly, Laura K. Added annotationWeakly, Laura K. Initial encodingHouze, Lynn ProofingJohnston, Jeremy ProofingClark, Linda ProofingBoyce, Gary TranscriptionAdams, Deb TranscriptionCol. W. F. Cody, (Buffalo Bill) President.Nate Salsbury, Vice Prest & Manager.John M. Burke, General Manager.Albert E. Sheible, Business Manager.Jule Keen, Treasurer.Buffalo Bill's Wild West and Congress of Rough Riders of the World.The Largest Arenic Exhibition known in History.Season of 1895.Staff of Jas. A. Bailey, Director of Tour.J. T. McCaddon, Superintendent.W. H. Gardner, Gen'l Agent.M. Coyle, R.R. and Excursion Manager.George O. Starr, Press Agent.C. R. Hutchinson, Treasurer.New York Office, No. 106 W. 37th St.North Platte Mar 26 189561My Dear George,
I wish you would write me c/o Annex AudtoriumAuditorium. Hotel Chicago And tell me how the work is progressing. what time you expect to finish to Sulphur Creek.2 and if you have money enough. what time you can finish so as to put water on the 25000 acres. have you tried the graders? hope you have moovedmoved away from Marquette. Is Rumsey still there. has he paid in the $5000 for his Brother3? Hope you and Rumsey took up the Townsite4 what are you doing about Townsite Say George. Frank Gourard5 Said he was to bring fifteen teams of horses from your ranch for him. Also that I could have some hogs from your place. If so send Frank an order for them to Sheridan. These questions I have asked of you will be asked me when I get East. So please answer at once.
Col. W. F. Cody, (Buffalo Bill) President.Nate Salsbury, Vice Prest & Manager.John M. Burke, General Manager.Albert E. Sheible, Business Manager.Jule Keen, Treasurer.Buffalo Bill's Wild West and Congress of Rough Riders of the World.The Largest Arenic Exhibition known in History.Season of 1895.Staff of Jas. A. Bailey, Director of Tour.J. T. McCaddon, Superintendent.W. H. Gardner, Gen'l Agent.M. Coyle, R.R. and Excursion Manager.George O. Starr, Press Agent.C. R. Hutchinson, Treasurer.New York Office, No. 106 W. 37th St.________ 18952
I have to day recd wires from Mondell6 and Burke7 that President8 will sign contracts Monday 23d. I go to Cheyenne tomorrow to consult with State Land board9 & Meade. And do all I can to hurry matters there. Get up Water bonds for Nagle10— Recd wire from Alger that he would ship Samples of grain to Nagle What did you do about Seed for Nagle and our selves? If Nothing. why not write Alger to attend to it. Nagle and party he says will leave Chicago Apr. 15 18th Billings. leave Billings 19. arrive on their lands 25th Can you have water in Ditch for them? With all my work and worry I have got to go rehearsing and jump into a hard summers work. A tired man— But I wontwon't care. If I dontdon't have to bear the blunt of bad management on that Ditch. So for Gods sake George— Keep things straight there.
Yours BillNote 1: Cody overwrites the imprinted 1895 with a handwritten "6" indicating the year is 1896.Note 2: Sulphur Creek is a natural streambed located west of Cody, Wyoming, flowing north toward the Shoshone River along the base of Cedar Mountain.Note 3: Bronson Rumsey's brother was Laurence Dana Rumsey, Sr., 1849-1917.Note 4: Cody, Wyoming.Note 5: Frank Gourard: Cody misspells the surname of Frank Grouard.Note 6: Mondell is likely Frank Wheeler Mondell (1860-1939) who served in the House of Representatives from 1899 until 1923. He came to Wyoming in 1887 and helped develop the town of Newcastle along with oil and coal interests. Mondell was chairman of the Committee on Irrigation of Arid Lands for the 58th and 59th Congresses.Note 7: "Burke" is likely John M. Burke, though it is possibly Carlton Burke, a foreman working on the Cody Canal.Note 8: "President" is likely a reference to President Grover Cleveland, whom Cody was hoping would soon sign over the lands for settlement in the Big Horn Basin under the Carey Act of 1894.Note 9: The Wyoming government body overseeing the Carey Act was the State Land Board in Cheyenne.Note 10: 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.