Recently Elected Mayors of Nebraska Cities
tjL
J. A. HEULING, WYMOHK.
.1. C. HA1LSIIACK, ASHLAND.
j rr 777? r-7"
U. A II EATON, WAI100.
THOMAS E. PAHMHLE, I'LATTSMOITH
Colonel Cody of Nebraska
Tho most widely known Nebrasknn of to
day Is Colonel William P. Cody, otkerwlso
known as Buffalo QUI. Ho has probably
advertised Nebraska nioro than any other
man who over lived within Its boundaries.
Ho is known to all classes, not only In (ho
North American continent, but In tho con
tinent of Europo. Whcrover ho has gone
during tho last quarter of n century ho has
always been proud of tho fact that ho halls
from tho stato of Nebraska a fact that ho
has never failed to mako known whether In
tho company of tho nverago plebeian or tho
crowned heads and nobility of Europe.
His hobby has been tho possibilities and
resources of tho stato and the transmls
Eourl country generally. Tho result has been
that Colonel Cody has nttrncted to this
section of tho country numerous settlers and
has Induced tho Investment of an lmmcnso
amount of capital In various Important
enterprises, both by Americans and foreign
ers, especially Englishmen.
In tho development of Nebraska and the
west Colonel Cody has been an Importnnt
factor. Tho part that ho has played In the
wars with tho Indians Is a matter of history.
His deeds as scout and fighter mako a
brilliant record.
Colonel Cody Is a native of Iowa, horn in
1845 in Scott county. From tho tlmo ho was
10 years old his llfo has been full of ad
venture moro llko romanco than reality.
Tho thrilling incidents In his career would
Jill volumes Indeed they have filled volumes,
fcr "Buffalo Bill" has been tho hero of
many a story of absorbing Interest.
In 1855, his family having moved to
Kansas, Cody entered tho servlco of Kus
soll, Majors & Wnddell, tho freight con
tiactors, as wagon-master, driver and pony
express rider. Continuing in their employ
ment several years, ho imet with numerous
adventures and gained much valuablo ex
porlenco on tho trnll across the plains
through Nebraska to Denver and Salt Lake.
In tho fall of 18C1 Cody entered tho gov
ernment service Ho was employed to carry
Important dlspatchos from Fort Leaven
worth to Fort Lamed, Kan., and the next
spring ho served as scout nnd guide In an
oxpodltlon against tho Indians by tho Ninth
Kansas volunteers. Tho following winter
ho bocamo a member of tho "Hed-Legged
Scouts," among whom wero somo of tho
. ........ T r i DntmnM Tf II "1 11 nt i 1. t a
tlmo that Cody becamo an Intimate friend of
"Wild Bill" Hlckok, who In ISCfi secured
omployment for him at Fort Harker, from
which point ho scouted betwoen Forts Ells
worth and Fletcher.
A .MIuMy lliillulo Hunter.
About tho year 1SC8, when tho Kansas
Pacific track had reached tho heart of tho
buffalo country, Cody, who had already
mado a reputation ns a buffalo hunter, was
engaged by tho railroad contractors to kill
twelvo buffaloes a day for them. They paid
him $500 a month to keep them supplied with
fresh meat. During his engagement as
hunter for tho contractors a period of less
than eighteen months ho killed -1,280
buffaloes and had many exciting adventures
with tho Indians and had several narrow
escapes.
It was whllo hunting for tho Kansas
I'aclllo contractors that ho earned tho
sobriquet of "Buffnlo Bill" a name of which
ho Is very proud. In n buffalo hunting match
with tho famous Billy Comstock for $500 a
sldo ho was the victor nnd was declared
tho champion killer of tho plains. Cody
killed slxty-nlno and Comstock forty-six.
Cody now resumed scouting for tho gov
ernment nnd served under all tho command
ers who sooner or later becamo famous as
Indian campaigners. Gcnoral Sheridan ap
pointed him chief of scouts nnd guide of tho
lighting Fifth cavalry, and from that time
ho was constantly in tho field for a long
period. Ho camo with tho Fifth cavalry to
Nebraska, with headquarters at Fort Mc
Phorscn, near North Platte. This regiment,
after arriving at Fort Mcl'herson, was en
gnged In Indian campaigning for sovoral
seasons and fought many a hard battle.
Whllo stationed at Fort Mcl'horson Buffalo
Bill conducted many a notable party to tho
hunting fields, nnd In this way formed a
lasting ncqunlntanco with numerous dis
tinguished men. When tho Orand Duko
Alexis of Russia visited the United States in
tho winter of 1871-72 ono of his greatest
pleasures was a buffalo hunt on the plains
of Nobrnska under tho guldanco of Buffalo
BUI.
In it 1 1 1 ii w "DInco vtn" Colly.
It wns Colonel Judson, better known as
Ned Buntlino, tho sensational story writer,
who. In 1872, "discovered" Buffalo Bill nnd
soon after started him on his career as a
showman. Buntlino wrote a thrilling story
of Cody's exploits and published It In tho
New York Weekly. It crented a gcnulno
sensation. "Buffalo Bill" lltoraturo at onco
becapio the fad. Buntllne, who was a
shrowd man, appreciating tho great Interest
that had been created by his story, nt onco
had It dramatized and brought out In New
York under tho tltlo of "Buffalo BUI, tho
King of Border Men." It met with In
stantaneous success.
Cody, upon Invitation, went to Now York
to witness tho piny, and whllo there re
ceived a generous offer to appear In tho
leading role, which was being nctcd by J.
B. Studley. Ha refused tho offer, but upon
roturnlng to tho west resolved to ontor upon
a stago career.
In tho fall of 1872 ho wns elected to tho
Nebraska legislature from tho Twenty-sixth
district, much to his surprise, as tho district
was republican. However, ho resigned In
order to nccept a contract with Buntlino,
nnd a fow weeks Inter tho Honorable Wil
liam F. Cody blossomed forth ns tho star
in "Tho Scouts of tho Plains," written by
Buntlino in forty-eight hours, and produced
llrst in Chicago. Tho season proved suc
cessful. For several years Cody continued
to produce border dramas, with himself nB
tho central figure, ho having parted com
pany with Buntlino after tho first season.
Duel ivlth Chief Yellow Hnnil.
In tho spring of 1S7C Cody was engaged
with Goneral Crook In tho Indian campaign
of that year. In this campaign Cody, who
at tho tlmo was with tho Fifth cavalry,
under General Mcrrltt, rodo out in front of
tho command and challenged Yollow Hand,
one of tho leading chiefs of tho Cheyenncs,
to fight him a duel in full view of tho two
amnios. Yellow Hand accepted.
Tho duel began on horsoback. At tho first
shot Cody killed Yollow Hand's horso. Cody's
horso steppod Into a hole and fell. The duel
was then continued on foot. They fired
simultaneously. Cody's bullet struck tho
chief In tho vicinity of tho heart. Ho fell
dead, and tho next moment Cody was upon
him nnd quickly scalped htm. Mounting his
horse, and waving tho bloody trophy, with
Its long feather head-dress, ho rodo back
into tho lines of tho Fifth and shouted:
"Tho first scalp for Custor!"
Tho thrilling eplsodo created tho wildest
enthusiasm among tho cavalrymen, who
pursued the now retreating Indians for a
long distance, finally rounding them up at
their agency. This ndvonturo ndded now
lustro to tho reputation of Buffnlo Bill, who
a fow weeks lator resumed his theatrical
career under tho most favorable auspices.
"Tll Willi Wl'Ht" SIlOW.
Cody's long cherished Idea of a "Wild
West" bIiow to delineate tho wild llfo of
tho frontier wns carried out In Iho spring
of 1883. Tho first performance wna given nt
tho driving park In tho northern outskirts
of Omaha. For threo ycara tho show suc
cessfully toured tho country nnd was then
takon to London on tho steamer Stato of
Nebraska. In tho English metropolis tho
"Wild West" became tho rago for a long
season. Cody, who prior to his departure
had been given a commission as colonel of
cavalry by Governor Thayer, of whoso staff
ho was jnado a member, becamo a social lion
In Iondon ami hobnobbed with nil sorts of
roynlty. Ills show was visited by tho queen,
tho prince aud princess of Wales and the
royal household generally, togother with
numerous members of the nobility. Special
performances wero given for tho queen at
hor command. Upon one of those occasions
tho kings of Denmark, Greece, Saxony and
Austria took a Tldo in tho "Wild WoBt"
coach and when It was eidod the prlnco of
Wales, who sat with Colonel Cody on tho
box and who knows a thing or two about the
American gamo of poker, snld:
"Colonel, you never held four kings like
that before."
"I havo held four kings moro than once,"
replied tho colonel, "but, your highness, I
never before held four klngB atnl tho royal
Joker."
Tho prlnco laughed heartily, but the
colonol sympathized with lilm when ha
heard him explaining tho Joko to his guests
In four different language.
Social I. Ion In lOuropc.
During his stay in London Colonel Cody
waB presented with many costly and beau
tiful souvenirs. In 1888 ho was in Paris
with his show and was u much lionized
thoro ns ho had been in Loudon. Ho.sa
Bonhcur painted htm on horsoback nnd pre
sented him with tho picture.
Following tho Parisian ongngemeut he
toured southern France, Spain, Italy and
Germany. In Homo ho wns Invited by tho
popo to visit tho Vatican, and tho popu
blessed tho gallant colonol, together with
a lot of tho cowboys and Indians. At Ve
rona Colonel Cody gave his exhibition In the
nmphttheatcr which was built by Diocletian
A. D. 290. It is tho largest building In the
world. In 1891, Just nftor tho Sioux war,
Colonel Cody employed a now lot of Indian
chiefs who had distinguished themselves In
battle and with them ho mado another Eu
ropean tour.
"Thu Wild Wost" was ono of tho big at
tractions In Chicago during tho World's fair.
"Cody day" at tho TranBmlsslsslppl Ex
position was ono of tho lending ovents of
that exposition senson.
Colonol Cody's homo is nt North Pintle,
Neb., whero ho has a lino ranch. Ilorontly
ho has bocotno extensively Interested In tho
Big Horn basin In Wyoming, whoro ho has
secured control of 200,000 acres of land,
which ho proposes to Irrigate His town of
Cody Is soon to have a railroad, and when
ho retires In a fow years ho will bo able
to ship his c'nttlo direct from his herds lo
South Omaha.
Colonel Cody Is a crack shot, a superb
horseman, a strikingly handsome man, a
brilliant raconteur, possessed of plenty of
ready wit, a generous entertainer, and It Is
no wonder Hint he has a host of friends
wherever ho goes. A. S.
Transformed by Women
Dissatisfied with tho progroFs of tho town
under mascullno rule, tho women of lloalds
burg, Cal., gently but firmly took poMiofnlon
of tho reins and are now driving tho muni
cipal coach their own way. Their organiza
tion Is called the ladles' Improvement ctuh
of llouldHburg anil It was formed in August
of hist year. Since that tlnm-ln tho short
space of seven months this Is what the club
hns accomplished:
A municipal water system.
A municipal electric light plant.
Comfortablo seats placed In tho plaza.
Names given to tho streolH.
Sign boards with street names placed nt
street comers.
A drinking fountain for tho plnza costing
$(00.
All these Improvements had bocn discussed
for yuuo by tho men. It remained for the
women to mako them realities. And, with
tho exception of the electric light plant and
tho water system, tho city taxes havo not
boon Increased by as much as n farthing to
pay for those things.
Ono evening last August n pi.rty of women
were listening to tho music of n baud play
ing on the plaza. Several hundred porsons
wero In nnd about tho plaza, all standing ()"
walking. "What n pity," snld one, tho wife
of Mayor W. H. Barnes, "what a pity It Is
that thore are no scats lit tho park."
"Why not go to work Mid rnlso money
enough to buy Beats?" suggested ono of a
practical turn or mind. And that started
n discussion that resulted In tho organiza
tion of tho club.
Tho drinking fountain, which they havo
planned, will be n beautiful creation In
nmrlilo nnd granlto and bronze, fifteen foot
high, surmounted by a cluster of oloctrlo
lamps. On tho foundation stono will bo hown
this legend: "Erected, 1900, by tho Ladles
of Honldsburg."
What next? Well, tho streets nro to bo
lined with shade trees, tho houses numbered,
tho fctrofts regularly swept nndsprinklod and
tho firo department given n now apparatus,
and then they will sea what olso l
noeded.
Omaha's New Board of Police Commissioners
1
e3
M. H. COLLINS.
FUANK A. KENNEDY.
It. V MISKOVSKI.