Title: Letter from William F. Cody to George T. Beck

Date: May 29, 1896

Author: Cody, William Frederick, 1846-1917

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Buffalo Bill's Wild West and Congress of Rough Riders.
of the World.
[photograph]

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


[photograph]

Nate Salsbury. Vice-President & Manager.
John M. Burke. General Manager.
Albert E. Sheible, Business Manager.
Jule Keen, Treasurer.

Bloomington Ill [1]
May 29th 96

My Dear George

In yours of 23d you say you sent me a statement. If you did I have not recd it. I am to meet the Buffalo people [2] in Chicago And we are going to come to an understanding. We cant go on this way. None of us are satisfied. And we cant find out what is contracted to be done what has been or where the money has gone. Alger has been sent for also Mead. The Buffalo parties ordered this meeting and informed me to day this haphazard way of doing business wont do. There has got to be some system which does not exist now. I feel sorry for Flood [3]   for he has worked hard. or did until the last four or five months since then nothing has been done wright. And business men after a ceartain time find it out and wont stand it.

As near as we can learn there has been no reccords kept of land or lots sold— in fact nothing done right.

Its been a go as you please outfit with no business head to it.

Yours—

W. F. Cody

Note 1: Buffalo Bill's Wild West performed in Bloomington, Illinois, on May 29, 1896. The day's entry in the 1896 Route Diary: "Bloomington, Ill. / Friday, May 29. Arrived in town at 5.30 A. M. One-mile haul to the lot. / Business good both performances. / Lot, Fair Grounds. / Arena, 197 x 375." [back]

Note 2: "Buffalo people" and "Buffalo parties" refer to the investors in Shoshone Irrigation Company, including Rumsey, Bleistein, and Gerrans. [back]

Note 3: "Flood" is likely "D. P. Flood" who wrote to Beck in 1896 and is mentioned by Cody in 1896 letters to Beck. Flood may have been a foreman or livestock handler on the irrigation project; his exact role is not known. [back]

Title: Letter from William F. Cody to George T. Beck

Source: University of Wyoming, American Heritage Center, Buffalo Bill Letters to George T. Beck (Acc. #9972), ah031358-59

Date: May 29, 1896

Author: Cody, William Frederick, 1846-1917

Topic: Buffalo Bill's Wyoming

People: Beck, George Washington Thornton, 1856-1943 Alger, Horace Chapin, 1857-1906 Mead, Elwood, 1858-1936 Flood, D. P.

Place: Shoshone Irrigation District (Wyo.)

Sponsor: Supported in part by a grant from the Wyoming Cultural Trust Fund, a program of the Department of State Parks and Cultural Resources.

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