American frontiersman and entertainer (1846–1917). By the age of 15 Cody had already been a horse wrangler, Pony Express rider, and unsuccessful prospector. He became a scout for the Union army and after the war took a job for a company that supplied meat for railroad construction crews, killing 4,280 buffalo during 1867–68. Dubbed “Buffalo Bill” by writer Ned Buntline, Cody organized his famous Wild West Show in 1883 and met with great success during national and worldwide tours in the following decades. Excellent and vivid ALS signed “Col.,” one page, 8.5 x 11, illustrated Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Combined with Pawnee Bill’s Great Far East letterhead, May 26 [1911]. Cody writes to “Major” [Major G. W. Lillie (1860–1942), aka Pawnee Bill, American showman who began his career as a trapper and Pawnee interpreter and later became a partner in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show]. In part: “The more I think of it, I am sure we were lucky. We didn’t loose [sic]—matinee at Lowell. You see while Baker was getting into the steel car to get the wounded men and animals I was telegraphing and telephoning for wrecking crews and an engin [sic] to take five of the stock cars into Lowell, unload these and come back with these empty cars for the other horses, elephants, buffalo &c. If I had not got an engin [sic] I would have driven all in on foot eight miles. But Baker saved the men’s lives and the elephants and … stallions. Altogether it was a close call for us. I sent you two telegrams. I fear they did not reach you or you would have answered. I have rec’d. many telegrams from friends, none from you….” The devastating rail wreck Cody describes took place on May 24, 1911. The Boston American provided a detailed report of the events: “Four men were seriously injured and many valuable animals killed and maimed … when the twenty-eight-car train of the Buffalo Bill Wild West and Pawnee Bill Far East show was wrecked at Brookside six miles west of Lowell. Four cars in the centre of the train toppled off the track when the rails, unable to withstand the weight of the heavy steel cars, split while the train was passing over them at the rate of about eighteen miles an hour. The shock threw cowboys and performers out of their bunks, while the cries of the frightened animals filled the air…. Four valuable burros were killed outright. They were in one of the steel cars…. In one of the cars was a stallion valued at $10,000. The burros were killed when the elephants which were in the same car were thrown crushing them to death. Three of the cars were completely wrecked, one of them having been thrown against a telegraph pole with such force that it was snapped off near them ground. Colonel Cody was thrown from his bunk and for a time thought that the entire train had been ditched…. The accident, it is believed, was caused by an extending ‘shoe’ on the special train striking a switch bar at a junction a short distance from Brookside…. The accident was one of the most spectacular in the history of railroading in this section….” Intersecting mailing folds, otherwise fine condition. Dramatic and unique! Auction LOA John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and R&R COA.
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