Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-01-16
BUFFALO BILL
IN WEBSTER CITY
Some Fine Photographs Taken Of Mr..
Cody and His Outfit by
Photographer Traver
While Here.
ONE OF OLD CHIEF lRoNrA1L
The Old Chief Declared That Mr..
Traver is the Only White Man
Who Ever Kept Word.
ONE OF OLD CHIEF 1RoNrA1L

VA SAAS n W AAA SASS ~
week with keen regret of the pass
ing from the earth, Of Col. William
#. Cody, Familiarity known as "Buf-
|falo Bill" Buffalo Bill has been the
Daniel Boone of the western prair-
les to every little boy, not only in
America, but in many foreign coun-
tries where the Buffalo Bill shows
have travelled.
But while so many were reading
the lines which told of the brave
manner in which Buffalo Bill died,
few knew that here in Webster City
is the finest collection of pictures OF
Buffalo Bill and the members of his
show, of his prairie schooner and his
stage coach, that is in existence.
james Traver took the pictures, de-
veloped and printed them five years
lago last summer in this city, and is
lin possession of letters from the or
iginals of the pictures for which he
would not take any sum Of money.
In July or August of 1911 the
Buffalo Bill Wild West Shows gave
an exhibition here on the old fair
lgrounds. The day was intensely hot
and people trudged out through the
dust and heat, carrying their palm
leaf fans to cool perspiring brows,
| hut oauau fo1torSn n io fhoir 6oforn1.
ination to go to see Buffalo Bill.
Among that perspiring crowd was
James Traver, the photographer, who
carried his kodak in his hand, hop
ling before he entered the tent to be
able to get a picture of some Of the
outfit in all its primitive pictures
tqueness. Fortune favored him that
day and when to his establishment
1.-THE six O'Clock whistle blew that
night, he found the afternoon gone,
the show over and the sun dying in
the west, but he had taken thirty
lsix negatives Of the outfit, twenty
six of which were printable, and
most of these, real beauties of photo
graphic art.
The most beautiful picture of the
whole twenty-six is the M of the
cheyenne Chief, Irontail, who at the
age Of twenty-six figured in the Gus
ter battle in Wyoming where Gener-
al Custer was killed. Chief Irontail is
the Cheyenne whose likeness appears
in bas-relief upon the side of the
beautiful buffalo nickle of recent
coinage from the United States mint
and is said to be the ideal Indian
face.
There is probably not a more faith
full or handsome picture in existence
of an Indian chief. Mr.. Traver's eX-
perience in inducing Irontail to sit
for his portrait is interesting. He
talked with the interpreter, White
Bear, and requested an opportunity
to get the likeness of Chief Irontail.
White Bear was dubious, for Chief
Irontail was a bad Indian that day.
But he reluctantly entered Irontail's
teepee and addressed his superior in
good Cheyenne. Thereupon issued
forth a series of growls as if three
or four dogs were growing over a
bone. Presently 1rontail lifted the
bottom of his tent and crawled out
mot from the front, but from the
rear Of the teepee-and ran around
to the front, grabbing his feathered
headdress viciously and jamming it
down upon his head. Plainly he was
angry. White Bear, addressing Mr..
Traver, urged him to work fast and
to look at the royal Indian parsonage
no more than was absolutely neces-
sary. for he was in a very, very bad
humor, which the good natured Web
ster City photographer could readily
believe.
Anyway, the pictures were taken
-one negative full length and the
other of Irontail sitting facing the
camera with an expression which
makes the beholder wish to stand
back. These are enlarged and the sit
ting posture has been done in water
color. The result is artistic enough
to have been a Remington or a Rus
sell painting.
The photograph second in interest
is a splendid enlarged picture of Buff
falo Bill himself. His face is half
turned from the camera, showing the
fluffy white hair of which he was in
fortunately proud. Mr.. Cody was most
gracious and asked for another pho
tograph to be taken of himself as
ltride his white pony. This was also
a success.
There is a group Of beautiful pict-