The Life of Hon. William F. Cody, Known as Buffalo Bill

13. A Millionaire

Soon after returning to Fort Hays, I was sent with dispatches to Fort Harker. After delivering the messages, I visited the town of Ellsworth, about three miles west of Fort Harker, and there I met a man named William Rose, a contractor on the Kansas Pacific Railroad,1 who had a contract for grading2 near Fort Hays. He had had his stock stolen by the Indians, and had come to Ellsworth to buy more. During the course of our conversation, Mr. Rose incidentally remarked that he had some idea of laying out a town on the west side of Big Creek, about one mile from the fort, where the railroad was to cross. He asked my opinion of the contemplated enterprise, and I told him that I thought it was “a big thing.” He then proposed taking me as a partner in the scheme, and suggested that after we got the town laid out and thrown open to the public, we should establish a store and saloon there. Thinking it would be a grand thing to be half-owner of a town, I at once accepted his proposition. We bought a stock of such articles as are usually found in a frontier store, and transported them to the place on Big Creek, where we were to found our town. We hired a railroad engineer to survey the site and stake it off into lots; and we gave the chapter xiii A Millionaire 172 the life of hon. william f. cody, known as buffalo bill new town the ancient and historical name of Rome. To a “starter,” we donated lots to any one who would build on them, but reserved the corner lots and others which were best located for ourselves. These reserved lots we valued at fifty dollars each. Our modern Rome, like all mushroom towns along the line of a new railroad, sprang up as if by magic, and in less than one month we had two hundred frame and log houses, three or four stores, several saloons, and one good hotel. Rome was looming up, and Rose and I already considered ourselves millionaires, and thought we “had the world by the tail.” But one day a fine-looking gentleman , calling himself Dr. W. E. Webb, appeared in town, and dropping into our store introduced himself in a very pleasant way. “Gentlemen, you’ve got a very flourishing little town here. Wouldn’t you like to have a partner in your enterprise ?” “No, thank you,” said I, “we have too good a thing here to whack up with anybody.” My partner agreed with me, but the conversation was continued, and at last the stranger said: “Gentlemen, I am the agent or prospector of the Kansas Pacific Railroad, and my business is to locate towns for the company along the line.” “We think we have the only suitable town-site in this immediate locality,” said Mr. Rose, “and as a town is already started, we have saved the company considerable expense.” “You know as well as I do,” said Dr. Webb, “that the company expects to make money by selling lands and the life of hon. william f. cody, known as buffalo bill 173 town lots; and as you are not disposed to give the company a show, or share with me, I shall probably have to start another town near you. Competition is the life of trade, you know.” “Start your town, if you want to. We’ve got the ‘bulge’ on you, and can hold it,” said I, somewhat provoked at his threat. But we acted too independently and too indiscreetly for our own good. Dr. Webb, the very next day after his interview with us, began hauling material to a spot about one mile east of us, where he staked out a new town, which he called Hays City. He took great pains to circulate in our town the story that the railroad company would locate their round-houses3 and machine shops at Hays City, and that it was to be the town and a splendid business center. A ruinous stampede from our place was the result. People who had built in Rome came to the conclusion that they had built in the wrong place; they began pulling down their buildings and moving them over to Hays City, and in less than three days our once flourishing city had dwindled down to the little store...