The Billboard 1911-03-25: Vol 23 Iss 12 (1911-03-25)

Sapte Be ALAM < CER ae } oan aay ee The Bi lliboard MARCH 25, 1911. BUFFALO BILL Observations and Heretofore Unpublished Facts of the Life and Activities of a Great Showman, Written by One Intimately Conversant with His History “In days of old, When knights were bold, And barons held their sway.’’ Probably truer lines were never penned than those above, although written in medieval times, that can be made applicable to our present-day twentieth century well-known American citizen and idolized knight of the wide world Mr. William F. Cody, more familiarly known as ‘Buffalo Bill.”” He is not only the patron saint hero of the American youth, but the great western plain hero of this age. Taking the actions of the present-day generation of human be‘Bes, DO matter where you may live or roam. Buffalo Bill’s name reigns supreme, and long ‘ter the writer of these lines has passed away, the true Western scout and hunter’s name will ever remain in memory’s realm and continue enti] the millennium. These lines must not be considered as the paid limes or the air-castle dreams of a press agent's imagination, but from one who has known Buf Bill, intimately for nearly forty years, end during that time, having noticed every action and phase of his life’s history, will got attempt to misrepresent one iota or tact of said life, but simply portray, as the writer has seen, the actions of a human being of American creation, who arose from almost obecurity to the present day fame. Colonel William F. Cody was born in Scott County, Ia., near Davenport, on February 26. . His mother was an English woman; that is, of Enclish extraction, being born in a Pennsylvania settlement, her father being an old @ea captsin named Laycock. He was wrecked end lost his life. Col, Cody’s father was of Irish extraction, end was an lowa farmer. Col. Cody has had @ most eventful career. He has never known the education of the echools. As he himself told the writer, he never bed more than three weeks of regular school training. His primer school was therefore the Orairie, infested by Indians, He began the struggle for existence at the age of ten years, and from that time hig life has been one of adventure, hardship and won 1 changes. Had he been an ordinary man never would have risen beyond the position of @ ramchman, and perhaps never gotten beyond ay Ea petee: 4 ee. 8 early life as a child was spent in the freighting business, He has emake plains @any times as a boy. He has filled every post of occupation in the border life. He has been bter, mule-driver, pony express rider, trapper and hunter, stage driver, scout, ranchman, mine owner, justice of the peace, member of the Nebraska Legislature, an actor in a border play, written by dear old Ned Buntline, and later one of the most successful showmen of mol ern times. He has already acquired a fortune of over | ome million dollars, which is invested mostly in the West. Either personally or by sight, Col. William F. Cody (Buffalo Bill), is unquestionably the best known of all living men. Quoting the language of Col. Cody, as near as memory €0es to the writer some years ago, as to his beginning the life of a frontiersman, he said: “In the summer of 1857, Russell, Majors and | Waddel were sending a great many wagon | trains across the plains to Salt Lake with supplies for General Albert Sidney Johnston. Driv| ere were in great demand, and the company was | paying teamsters $40 per month in gold. An | and reliable wagon master named Lewis ®impeon, who was loading a train for the com| pany, and was about to start with it, asked me to go along as an extra hand. The high wages | that were being paid were a great inducement to me, and the position of extra hand a pleasant j | “All that I would have to do would be to take | the place of any man who became sick and drive | tis wagon until he recovered. I would have my | owa mule to ride, and to a certain extent would be a minor boss. We started on our trip with everything in good shape, and nothing occurred te iaterrupt our journey until we reached Plum Creek on the South Platte River, thirty-five wiles weet of old Fort Kearney. We had made @ morning drive and camped for di.ner. Most of the men had gone to sleep under the mess Wagons. The cattle were being guarded by three | @en, and the cook was preparing dinner. No eme had any idea that Indians were anywhere @ear us. first warning that we had was the firing of shots and the whoops and yells | from a party of them, who, catching us napping, | gave us a most unwelcome surprise. “‘All the men fumped to their feet, and seized their guns. They saw with astonishment, the | cattle running in every direction, they having | ‘been stampeded by the Indians, who had shot and killed the three men on dayherd duty, and the red devils were now charging down upon the fest of us. “The wagon master cried: ‘Boys, make a break for the slough yonder; we can have the ®ark for a breastwork!’ “It proved to be a very effective breastwork, affording us good protection. We had been there but a short time, when Simpson, seeing that longer we were corralled the worse it would be for us, said: “Well, boys, we will try and make our way back to Fort Kearney by wading in the river, and keeping the bank for « breastwork.’ “We accordingly proceeded down the river several miles in this way, managing to keep the Indians at a safe distance with our guns @ntil the slough made a junction with the main Platte River. Covering ourselves by keeping well under the bank, we pushed ahead as rapidly as possible, and made very good progress. the night finding us stil] on our way, and the enemy still on our track. ‘‘Being the youngster of the party, I became somewhat tired, and without noticing it I had fallen some little distance behind the others. It was about ten o'clock, and we were keeping very quiet and bugging the bank closely, when 1 happened to look up to moonlit sky and saw the plumed head of an Indian peeping over the bank. Instead of hurrying ahead and alarming the men in a quiet way, I instantly aimed my gun at the head and fired. The report rang out sharp and loud on the night air, and was immedistely followed by ap Indian whoop. the next moment about six feet of dead Indian came tumbling into the river. I was not only overcome by astonishment, but was badly frightened, as I could hardly realize what I had done. I expected to see the whole force of Indians | come down upon us. While I was standing thus bewildered, the men who had heard the shot and the warwhoop, and seen the Indian take a tumble, came rushing back. ‘Who fired that shot?’ cried Simpson. ‘I did,’ replied I, rather proudly, as my confidence returned, when I saw the men coming up. ‘Yes, and little Billie has killed an Indian stone dead, too dead to skin,’ said one of the men who had approached nearer | From that time forward I became | This was, of course, | the rest. known as an Indian killer. the first Indian I had ever shot, and I was then not more than eleven years of age.”’ There is no more thrilling chapter in Col. Cody’s career than the close battle had by the party of freighters on their way home, when they lay in a hastily-dug hole behind three dead mules which they had to shoot for safety sake to improvise a fort, repulsing repeated charges of overwhelming numbers of Indians. “We then jerked the mules into the shape of a triangle and sprang into the barricade. I thought surely that our end had come, but they could not stand the fire from our Mississippi ‘yacgers’ and Colt revolvers, and wheeled away, leaving three Indians and one horse dead on the ground, after three or four attempts to dislodge us from our safety, and also trying to burn us out at night by setting fire to the pralrie. The buffalo grass was so short that the fire did not trouble us much; after continuous warm gun receptions we were rescued by the teamsters of an approaching train. who came rushing forward to our assistance, and we were “In June, 1861, I received a message announcing the serious illness of my mother, and returned to Leavenworth. When I arrived there they were all excitement over the Civil War, and I joined the army as a scout, serving to the close of the war with the Western army and the Army of the Missouri. “After the close of the war I was employed as an Indian scout, and in the winter of 1865 and 1866, I piloted General Sherman and his command from Fort Larned, in Kansas, to Fort Kearney, in Nebraska, where I remained until February, 1886, when I returned to Kansas. “It was while I was scouting in the vicinity of Fort Hays that I had my first ride with General Custer, who had come up from Fert Ellsworth in quest of a guide to pilot him to Fort Larned. a distance of sixty-five miles across the country, and I was ordered by the commanding officer to guide him to his destination. Shortly after this I resigned and commenced hunting buffaloes.”’ When asked by myself how he gained the title of Buffalo Bill; when and where first called by this famous name, he replied: “Yes, it was in 1867, the time that the end of the Kansas Pacific track was in the heart of the buffalo country, and the company was employing about twelve hundred men in the construction of the read. As the Indians were very troublesome it was difficult to obtain fresh meat for the workingmen, and the company therefore concluded to engage the services of hunters to kill buffaices. Goddard Brothers, who had the contract for boarding the employees of the road, met me in Haye City one day, and made me a good offer to become their hunter, and I at once entered into a contract with them. They said that they would require about twelve buffaloes per day. That would be twenty-four hours, as they took only the hind quarters and hump of each buffalo. “As this was to be dangerous work, on account of the Indians, who were riding all over that section of the country, and as I would be obliged to go from five to ten miles from the road each day to hunt the buffaloes, accompanied by only one man with a light wagon, for the transportation of the meat. I, of course, demanded a large ealary. They could afford to remunerate me well, because the meat would not cost them auything. “They agreed to give me $500 a month, provided I furnished them all the fresh meat required, and I immediately began my career as a buffalo hunter, and it was not long before I acquired considerable notoriety. “It was at this time that the very approprtate name of Buffalo Bill was conferred upon me by the road hands, and the railroad company and contractors as well. It has stuck to me ever since, and I have never been ashamed of it. During my engagement as a hunter for the company—a period of less than eighteenth months— I killed 4.280 buffaloes. and had many exciting adventures with the Indians, “It was shortly after this that I assumed the work of a special despatch bearer for the different generals stationed at the far Western forts, working between Fort Larned, Fort Dodge, Saw Log Crossing, on the Pawnee Fork; Fort Hays and Fort Harker. This work covered many years of hardships and dangers. “| first met Ned Buntline, a man who had a remarkable career of adventure and erratic actions. Poor Ned! He passed through dangers and hairbreadth escapes that would almost excel any of his romances. This was in 1869, while I was still a guide for General E. A. Carr. of the Fifth Cavalry. We had been on a successful expedition, and had run into Sedgwick, Col., to recuperate before starting on a new comee'es. “In my idle moments I called a few followers together, and with two or three wagons to haul the meat home, we started out to kill buffalo. I had killed between twenty and thirty, and the men were butchering them, while I lay down in the shade between two wagons, when one of the soldiers suddenly said: “ “There’s a man coming across the prairie.’ Thinking it was some despatch-bearer from the fort, I paid no attention to him. “When the horseman was within about a quarter of a mile of us, I saw he had come a ‘whooping.’ “He had three canteens hung to his saddl and as there were no canteens in the outfit, thought he was a pretty good man to meet. When he rode up he said: Where is Bill = — is Buffalo Bill? “ eaid: ‘I’m your man,’ and he replied: line of equipment. Write List of everything that i FOR SALE—Two Male African WE ARE ALSO AGENTS for BOLTE & WEYER LIGHTS. UNITED STATES TENT & AWNING CO WALTER F. DRIVER, Vieo-Pres. GER, See'y. CHICAGO, ILI CDW. P. NEUMARN, Jr., Pres. JOHN GC. MoCAFFERY, Treas. =CALL== at our headquarters when in the city and look over our When in need of Banners, remember that we are the builders of the best banners now in use. 22-28 North Desplaines Street, us for our New 1911 Stock s best in Show Equipment. Lions; healthy and large. Bargain. EDWARD R. LITZIN UNIFORMS For Bands, Military, Minstrel First Part, Minstrel Parade, Ushers, Bell Boys, Base Ball, Foot Ball, Basket Ball, etc., etc. Send for CATALOG. Be Sure and Mention Kind of Uniform Wanted. Western Uniform Co. 2148. CLARK ST. CHICAGO 30 YEARS REPUTATION BACK OF EVERY TENT GOSS’ SHOW CANVAS sack TENTS circus FLAGS Waterproof Covers SEND FOR NEW CATALOU AND SECOND HAND LIST ihe J. C. GOSS COL Phone Canal 8664 Established 1865 Thomson & Vandiveer MANUFACTURERS OF CIRCUS TENTS TENTS FOR RENT. 816 Cust Poort Street, CINCINNATI, O. SideShowPaintings SIEGMUND BOCK 723 Biue Isiand Ave., Chicago, Ills. BERNARD SUPPLY DEP’T. SAVANNAH, GA, Brushes, Handles, Hammers, Cold Water Paste, etc. Bend for Price List. TENTS SHOW TENTS, BLACK TENTS, CANDY TOPS, MERRY-GO-ROUND COVERS and everything in canvas. Send for catalogue. DOUGHERTY BROS. TENT & AWNING C8. 109-11 South Main Street, St. Louis, Mo. PORTABLE LIGHTS FOR ALL PURPOSES THE BOLTE & WEYER CO. ° 8 E. Michigan Street, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS TENTS OF EVERY DESCRIPTION Now is the time we need the work and can give quick action and close price QUALITY THE BEST THE COLUMBUS TENT & AWNING CO. COLUMBUS, OHIO. WE HAVE FOR LEASE, CARS, 50 ft. long, for shipping scenery, automobiles, advance, baggage privilege, stock and merry-go-rounds. Desirable for show and circus companies. Reasonable | rates. ARMS P. ‘ ALA Room 614, 193 Michigan Avenue, | WILLIAM BARTELS CO. Dealers in Wild Animals, 160 Greenwich Street, New York City THE BEST ENE | THE FINEST SHOW PAINTINGS AT LOWEST RICES. P Tell us what you need and we wil! send LO WEST estimate and illustrated catalog ENKEBOLL ART CO., Omaha, Nebr Circus and Juggling Apparatus Clubs, Batons and Novelties. Stamp for cats logue. EDWARD VAN WYCE, Cincinmati, Ohic BEARS, SNAKES, MONKEYS, BABOONS . Monster Snakes. Chameleons. PUTNaM’s WILD ANIMAL STORE, 490 Washington Street, Buffalo, B. ¥ TENTS and Show Canvas Black and white; new or second-hand. Bargains in second-hand tops. OMAHA TENT & AWNING CO. OMAHA, NEBR. West of Salt Lake City, Utab. SUN TENT & AWNING SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. = NOTICE! NOTICE! NOTICE! Moving Picture Theatre Owners We will pay you liberally for the exciusir+ advertising privilege in your theatre for * term of one to five years, Write us at once for aition and references. THE I. M SOUTHERN COMPANIES, Suite 581, Knicker bocker Bldg., 1402 Broadway, New York City. Circus. Tents LARGE AND SMALL. ALL DESORIPTIONS Manufactured by W. H. LUSHBAUGH, Covington, Ky. SKCOND-HAND TENTS FOR SALE. CIRCUS TENTS SEATS, BANNERS, BOLTE & WEYER LIGHTS. TheBackeye Tent & Awning Ce., Columbus, 0 t answertag o42, mention THE BILLBOARD In answering ads, mention THE BILLBOAR?