Arizona republican., 1902-09-24
ARIZONA JOHNS VISIT
Major Burke Advance Agent of Buff
 falo Bills Wild West.

Major John H. Burke, the chief ad- vance agent Of Buffalo Bills Wild West show was in the city yesterday, a guest of the Hotel Adams. He regis tered from the United States, but as a matter of fact he comes from every where, as he has been all over this world, and calculates some day to make a loTg tour through another one
 Major Burke is himself a character of considerable interest. but he has a head on him for business, and with the mod esty of all western men he insisted that the reporter devote his energies to
 Buffalo Bill and his great show rather than featuring the advance agent
 Speaking of the show, he said he wanted to make clear to a sometimes doubting public that this was the gen. uine Buffalo Bill show with the big chief himself in the saddle and the full aggregation, consisting of 600 men and 5OO horses. Everything seen will be the genuine and the best in the land There are no imitation characters When the audience sees Cossacks it sees the real ones. When it sees cow boys it sees Thad Souders. Bert lSchenck and host or others who stand at the head of their profession. Ari- zona has expert men with the rope but Orc Pezzo, the Mexican, guarantees to throw all around them. Their life lsaving exhibition is performed with ap- 1 paratus loaned by the government for the express purpose of showing how it should be used in time of ship wreck, and thus educating the people, many of whom are fearful of trusting their lives to the brooches buoy. The year be- fore this was added to the show fifty three people were drowned in one wreck, when they might have been saved by placing confidence in this ap- paratus.
 The stage coach used in the hold up is the identical vehicle that came round the horn in 67. afterward run ming from Pasadena to Marysville and later from Cheyenne to Deadwood. One great spectacular feature is the battle Of San Juan hill, reproduced under the 1 direction of those who participated. There are many members of Roose- Velt's regiment among them and for mer members of the Tenth cavalry l (colored), the Sixth United States cav airy and Grimes battery, all of whom participated. Among the Rough Rid CTS is Tom Isabel who fired the first shot at Las Quasimas and who was wounded seven times, being practically shot to pieces, returning on the hos pital ship with Colonel McClintock of this city.
 Buffalo Bill will be here and do his usual marvellous shooting on horse back, in which interesting events he will be ably assisted by John Baker. who was born on the plains and learned to shoot immediately after he learned to eat, now being a marvellous man with gun. MT. Latham of this city is well acquainted with him, and also | has the pleasant recollection of having witnessed Buffalo Bills first show. over twenty years ago.
 By judiciously stringing Major Burke he was induced to revert back to his own career, which has been remark able one. When found yesterday he was in the company of several old actor | friends, now members of the Oberle stock company, and he reminded them | that he was entitled to the credit of introducing civilization into this part of the country, or at least educating the public to the beauties of the theat- rlcal business. Many years ago, while manager of a theatrical company, he 1 NAo iilApi iilSu mat tIG SOuInWeSt,WhlCn had hitherto boasted of only the from tier variety show and dance hall. was | ready to welcome an up-to-date attrac- | ton, and that the larger towns all had opera houses. He billed his com pany from California to Colorado along the southern route. When he got to Tucson he found that the fittings for the opera house had arrived or the same train with him. The date was cancelled and the company went to | Tombstone, where a successful per formance was given. The next stop was at Santa Fe, where he found no opera house, but rented a variety the | ater for two nights, and did well. At | Las Vegas they were to open a new opera house, but found it bare of seats curtains, scenery. illumination or any thing else. Himself and associates sim | ply turned themselves loose, bought all the paper cambric in town of all colors. made curtains. seats, footlights and everything. Practically built the house and then gave the show to big profits And now" continued the major. "Tm | bringing the greatest show on earth through this country for the first time, and We are travelling fast, for we are due in London on the 18th of December and we'll be there.'
 | Major Burke says he has been with | Buffalo Bill most of the time for the | last thirty years, and insists that while he has had frontier record, it is not as a. cowboy, but simply reflected glory as the trusted associate of Buffalo Bill. He was at the Pine Ridge agency when i the battle of Wounded Knee was fought with the Sioux, and took a turn at playing target for the infuriated red skins. He was not there, however, as