Buffalo Bill Came to Defiance - The Back Stage View

It was mid-August, 1899, and the town of Defiance was abuzz about the approaching Buffalo Bill Wild West Show.  The Defiance Democrat reported that the afternoon show alone had sold 14,608 tickets. (Could that be a typo?)  One of the writers from the Democrat was invited to tour the tents behind the scenes and he reported what he saw in the August 17, 1899 paper.

"SEEN AT THE SHOW

How the Crowds Enter the Great Pavilion

Some Facts and Figures About the Conduct of the Commissary Department and Other Features.

A representative of this paper was shown through the Buffalo Bill Wild West show by Mr. Ernest Cooks, one of the managers of the concern, and the sights seen in and around the different tents was very interesting.

One of the good things is to sit at the entrance and watch the crowds of people rushing in all intent on securing the best seat in the tent.  One some faces there was the up-to-date bicycle expression, others had the automobile face and grip - some dignified, others sacrificing everything in order to get there first - all accompanied by the yells of 'Help! Help!  We want you to Help drink this lemonade!'  'Here's 'swere you get your 'ficial programs for the show, giving a full description of the battle of San Wann and a complete and full history of the life of 'Buff Lu Bill' etc., etc.

There are many new features this year, among them the Filipinos, the Hawaiian women and the battle of San Juan, showing thrillingly the scene of the encampment on the night before, with the soldiers singing 'Hot Time" and campfires blazing away.  Then comes the marching army of the troops led by the Rough Riders.  They appear again in the entrance corner of the enclosure, dragging with them a gatlin gun which opens up the battle with a roll of shots like a snare drum.  

The ambulance trains are there and carry away the dead and wounded and at the end of the fight, which is marked by the steady advance of the Americans on the block house, comes the portrayal of the wonderful charge made by our troops and then when the American flag floats up and is caught by the breeze, the audience in their enthusiasm rival the amount of cheering done by the successful heroes on that morning in Cuba when the fight had been won.

 

The feats of riding and shooting improve each year, the announcing for the different turns being done by J. J. McCarthy, who has done this work ever since the show started.

Mr. Cody is in the habit of going to sleep in his tent immediately after the afternoon performance and sleeping until dinner time.  The cook's tent is an enormous affair and between 650 and 700 people are fed at every meal.  The menu and cooking is good and substantial.  The menu for last evening was roast young lamb, roast pork, beef, veal, mashed potatoes, roasting ears, coffee, tee, iced tea and rice pudding.  There are nine tables capable of accommodating 500 people at one time.  Some idea can be gained of the magnitude of the cooking operations when it is known that considerably over one thousand pounds of meat is eaten every day with potatoes by the wagon load and other vegetables in proportion.

 The Indians have a separate table of their own and are about the lightest eaters in the aggregation, but every one, almost without exception, are cigarette and coffee fiends.  They all answer to the name of 'Chick' and are given their coffee in a large soup bowl.  They are painfully bashful and only have nerve when a cigarette is wanted.  When asked questions, they will answer in monosyllables and are very much embarrassed whenever in conversation with a stranger until they become acquainted.

There are 603 people in the show and every performance is personally supervised by Col. Cody, who takes the greatest interest and is always anxious that his show shall go off without a hitch.  The troupe went to Peru  (Indiana) today and next week, they will stay in Chicago. 

One commendable thing about Buffalo Bill's aggregation is the gentlemanly conduct of employees and attaches.  There was no loud, profane language, even among the canvas men and teamsters. All worked quietly and quickly.  All answered the thousand questions put to them courteously and politely.

Col. Cody also makes it a special point to see that pickpockets and other objectionable  characters are kept away from the patrons of his performances.  One of the keenest detectives to be found in the country travels with the aggregation and is constantly on the alert for crooks."

Defiance Democrat

August 17, 1899 

For a good read about Buffalo Bill, visit here.