, 1925-03-25
''Col. w. F. Cody, the
Citizen" by VIM. Visit
CONTINUED from Page IL

OI CIVILIZATION, and Wnere CONNER
cialism had never defaced its SPLEEN
dor and touching grandeur.
This American sensed the sooth-
ing expressions of nature, and saw
among these beautiful mountains,
forests and streams, a panorama
of thousands of acres of uninhabit-
ed valleys and plains.
One of our prophets has said:
I"Old men shall dream dreams and
young men shall see Visions but
Col. Cody never grew old enough
in spirit to have anything but
visions . On this occasion he had
"a vision of developing this wonder
full country, to make it the home of
freedom-loving people.
Under the Carey Act, Buffalo
Bill obtained a segregation of 20O,-
600 acres of this promising land.
He organized a company and pro-
ceeded to carry out his irrigatins
program. The Cody canal was fin
ished, which irrigated 1000 acres.
a town was begun and named for
him-Cody.
Lack of support caused Col. Cody
to realize hat he had not sufficient
funds to fulfill his contract in de-
veloping the land. An Englishman
offered millions for the land and
a contract to develop it according
to the Carey Act. This was a great
temptation but Col. w. F. Cody
was an American and English mil
lions could not buy the right of
American citizens to the land.
He went to Washington and ar
ranged that he be given only a
small town-site, and that the Rec
lamation service finish the work.
With the aid and influence of Col.
Cody the Shoshone dam, then the
highest in the world, was built, and
now there are thousands of acres
of land irrigated in the vicinity nf
Cody, and $4,000 acres in all, most
of which is in Park county.
Thus Buffalo Bill was instrument
tai in making Park county the
foremost county in Wyoming in
point of general production, espe-
cially potatoes, which raises the
standard of Wyoming to a great ex-
tent.
The spirit of Buffalo Bill per-
meates the town of Cody. which is
a small town made up of big peo-
pie. They are big because of this
enthusiastic spirit of Col. Cody,
which shall never die.
We find Buffalo Bill to nave been
a good citizen of town, county.
state, and thereby, a good citizen
of our great nation.
Col. Cody erv his country by
the Yellowstone National park, the
pride of every American. He was
the first to open it up by building
his hunting lodge at the east boun-
dairy of the park. The lodge is
called "Pahaska," meaning Long
Hair, a name applied to Buffalo
Bill by his Indian admirers. He
has made it possible for the public
to nave the recreation and inspira-
ton offered by the beauty and SPLEEN
dor of Shoshone canyon, the wonder
of the Shoshone dam, the refreshing
and stimulating scenery along the
park road to Cody, which has been
pronounced by artists to be The
most scenic. seventy miles IN the
world"
AS an American citizen Col. Cody
has served his nation in the Office
of a mail carrier of the Pony Tx
press, a scout and a guide in the
Civil war, Indian scout, soldier,
pioneer, n state legislator.
He served us in another measure
which by no means could be over
looked. In Buffalo Bits wild west
show was portrayed to the east the
western life of pioneers. cowboys,
scouts and soldiers. This alone
helped to bring East and Yves. to-
gether and make for better Amer
icanism.
When Col. Cody toured England,
France and Italy with his show he
did much to reproduce the histury
of the United States from its in
fancy. This has tended to give
those on the Continent a %sympathet-
ic understanding and appreciation
of Americans and American ideals.
1t was a great drawing card for The
United States, for in almost every
home Buffalo Bill, the model Amer
lean, was mentioned and discussed
America borrowed the seed of
civilization and has since cultivated
it diligently. When harvest is over
and world peace is reaped, W. can
Colonel William Frederick Cody has
had its part in this vast program.
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