The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1882-03-04
Duna 0 Bill.

LaucSDOFO, mlull., aug. aA<.--1MI. w III.
f. Cody, the most noted plainsman and
guide now living and SO well known
throughout the country as Buffalo Bill,
has been the guest of his friend and for
mer companion, DIR. ID. f. Powell of this
place, for the past few days; and finding
much of interest in the life that is part
of the unwritten history OF the plains,
your correspondent could not be so un-
enterprising as not to apply the reporto-
rial pump for the benefit of the Pioneer
Press readers.
Buffalo Bill is n native of our sister
State of Iowa. His father was one of the
pioneers of the Hawkeye territory, set
tling in Scott county in the decade of
80. Bill was born in February, 1874,
while Iowa was still territory and lived
to see the great empire east of the Mis-
sissippi river emerge from the shawow of
western wilds and the possession of un-
civilized men and take its place in the
front ranks OF civilization. It is wonder
full transformation to be witnessed in q
single lifetime. The lion horse was in
the inciplency of his wondrous career,
and the telegraph that to-day girdles the
globe, was first put into operation during
the year in which the '.king of border
men" was born, and these ciyilizing
agencies have changed the scenes of his
boyhood from the widest pictures of ro-
nance to land teeming with fourishing
cities and the attending results of culture
and progressive Influences.
In 1850 the father of Buffalo Bill re-
moved to Missouri; but the political at
mosphere was not congenial to him, and
he remained but short time in that
State, finally casting his lot in the new
territory OF Kansas, where he served the
government as an agent for the Kicl1a-
poo Indians. During the desperate
struggle that sprang up in the early set.
tlement CT Kansas, between the pro and
anti-slayery men, the father of our noted
plainsman was outspoken against slavery
and, like many others during the we'll
remembered ruffian reign of terror, was
murdered because he would not yield
to the pro-slavery sentiment that found
merciless advocates. Not only was he
made martyr to the cause of freedom,
but much of the limited property left to
his almost helpless family was cenfis-
Gated, or, more properly, stolen. Moth
ing was more plain to young Cody than
that he must rely upon his own resources.
Not only this, but that he had mother
and two sisters who were deprived of
the strong arm of protection in the mur.
der of his father. In 1855, while but II
years old, he made his first trip across
the plains in the capacity of teamster.
This was herculeau undertaking for a
youth OF his years, but grit, q familiarity
with the reins and "woodchuck case"
neryed him to success, and he remained
for number of years in the employ of
the firm for whom he made his first trip
In the employ of another firm he was
second man to cross the great plains in
charge of the lannon's pony express. His
summers We're spent in hard service on
the plains and his winters in trapping on
the streams of that country. In COM
pany with about thirty young Kansans
he subsequently, belonged to. an
organization known as the Red Legged
Scouts, Capt. Cleveland commanding,
which avenged the wrongs inflicted by
the murder of anti-slavery settlers of
Kansas. In 1902 3 he engaged to the
government as gnide, leading party
up the Arkansas river. In 1865 he
was engaged as scout in Mis-
souri, by Gems. McNeal, Pleasanton
and Blunt, respectfully. In the
spring of 1866 he took serious and
sensible view of life, and married st.
Louis lady, removing to Leavenworth,
Kansas, where he engaged in the occupa-
ton of hotel keeping, the name of his
house being the Golden Rule; 'sbut, as
he expressed it, '.it was o rule that didn' t
work both ways" and he jumped the
business, and accepted an offer from the
government to go to old Fort Fletcher,
(now Fort Hayes. in the capacity of a
scout. During the summer of the fol-
lowing year he was engaged by General
Custer as O scout and guide, and during
the autumn as post scout at Fort Hayes.
He was no less noted for his narksman-
ship than for his ability as an Indian hun
ter and path finder of the plains, and
during the construction of the Kansas
Pacific Railroad, in 1868, was employed
by the chief contractors TO supply the
constructionists with buffalo meat. This
was task. in which he engaged with
great pleasure, killing from fifteen to
thirty five animals per day, and thus sup
plying one of the substantial articles oi
diet for upwards of thousand men. Sc
successfully did he fulfill the require.
ments of the various camps that the
workmen gave him the ever-to- be-worn
dPPOAA0t4O12 ia DuAAIO Dlkl
In the fall of 1868 Gen. Sheridan tool
command of the department Of the
Platte, with headq quarters at Fort Hayes
The Indians were very troublesome, and
the general found it difficult to obtaiI
men to carry dispatches to the different
| posts. In fact he made an offer on one
occasion of s. 900 to the man who would
successfully deliver at Fort Dodge, nine
| ty-fye miles distant, an important dis
patch. Cody. hearing os the offer, re
ported at the generals headquarters and
rendered his services, which we're ac
cepted, the duty successfully performed
and the money paid. For this service
| Gen. Sheridan appointed Buffalo Bill hi
chief of scouts. In 1869 he officiated as
chief of scouts for Gen. Carr in the Can
adian river country. He was subse
quently transferred to the department
OF the Platte, headquarters at Fort Nc
Pherson, Neb., he acting as chief o
scouts IN this department for four years
During this period he participated il
| hfty-two Indian engagements. In 1S7:
he was appointed by Gen. General Sher
idan as guide for the Grand Duke Alexis
IN his famous buffalo hunt, and not unit
after this, service was he ever pas
the Mississippi river. James Cor
don Bennett, the Jeromes, J. G.. Hexer
Stager and others, who made th
acquaintance of Cody while ol
IN extensive buffalo hunt in the fail O
1871 formed an attachment for him AM
pressed him to visit the city OF New Yorl
as their guest. The invitation was nc
cepted when opportunity offered. an,
the entertainment was as royal in Gotham
as it had been wild and exciting on th,
plains. Previous to this visit Ned Bunt
line, the well known novelist, had writ
ten Cody up in q serial for o New Yor
story paper. The story was dramatize,