Many Theater Troupes Visited City in Early Days – Buffalo Bill’s Show Arrived Via Boat, Showed here In 1884

During the first twenty five years in the history of Tell City, Ind., there were several theater troupes came to vacation here during the hot months of July and August. Prominent among the troupes were the Richmond-Me Ellery, the Anne Walker and the Clifford troupe. They would show to packed house at Hofmann’s Opera House twice a week – Sunday and Wednesday, then take a side trip to Cannelton at the Mozart Hall or to Troy at Theo. Gasser’s Clarendon Hall. The audiences greatly enjoyed their performances, and the troupes were elated with their sojourn among us – not so much on account of an appreciative audience, but the more so because of the restful accommodation to be had at the Commercial Hotel and the Schieser House and the assurance of delectable home cooking of delicious food prepared under the expert supervision of Matrons Windpfennig and Schieser.

For years and years, one or other of these theatre troupes would return for their vacation so conducive to mutual benefit and happiness in entertainment.

With reference to the Show or Circus form of entertainment Tell City, in its early history, was not favored with a visit. Invariably, for some reason or other the show or circus coming into Perry county would exhibit both at Troy and then at Cannelton.

There were two of these tent shows, the Miles Orton Show and the D an Rice Show; both having a menagerie consisting of a cage of monkeys, one camel and two elephants.

 Of course the youth of Tell City, on such an occasion would be on the lookout to see the wagon tent show move along the highway. Each outfit was of the one ring circus style. Good brass bands, few clowns with a pet donkey. A few fine horses for the equestrian act; a horizontal bar act, par excellence; a thriller trapeze act and t a tight rope walker; peanuts, pop corn, lemonade, and buy now tickets for the concert, occupy the reserve seat section, please-Music by the Band for the Show must go on, and a good time was had by one and all.

However, time marches on and so in the autumn of the year 1884, Tell City, Perry county and adjoining counties were regaled with the arrival, on a large steamboat, of “Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show” for an exhibition at the Fairground out on Tell Street, one mile east of Tell City, the only place available for as large an outdoor pageant.

This was “Buffalo Bill’s” (William Frederick Cody’s) second season on the road. The personnel consisted of 100 white persons and 50 Indians, with a complement of tepee’s, good rifles, fine horses and ponies, and the old bullet riddled “Deadwood Stage Coach.”

On this memorable day, in the autumn of 1884, as the pageant was about to start according to schedule, the vast throng of spectators that had assembled in the huge amphitheatre sensed that this exhibition was not merely for entertainment, but that the progress of the pageant would unfold an historical event of patriotism for love of country and the virtue of righteousness for justice to mankind.

At the start of the pageant there was the formal introduction to the vast throng.

First: Hon. William F. Cody “Buffalo Bill”, Plainsman, Scout Master, Brig. Gen.

Second: His Aid, Brig. Gen. Burke, U.S.A.

Third: Big Chief Indian, Gen. Cornplow.

Amidst the cheerful applause of the multitude the program began with the showmanship of riding; the trot, the pace, the gallop; the rider’s change of horses while on the run. Then there was the riding horsemen in the herding and lassoing of runaway ponies.

Next was the last of the Indian War Dance with a loud “hoopla” for Peace and Friendship with the White Man; a grotesque dance it was, accompanied with the music of fife and tom tom participated in by Indian squaws, several of them with their papoose strapped to their back; all the squaws bedecked with black and red striped blankets, the head dress a crown of varied colored feathers over black, coarse shiny hair, and a necklace of coins, conchshells and beads attached to long blue ribbons.

The Indian male was of a tall, dangling stature and muscular build. After the Peace Dance, several gave a show of riding and lassoing similar to that of the white man.  Big Indian Chief Cornplow assembled his tribe and declared the Indiana was ready to make peace with the white man.  Gen Cody “Buffalo Bill” Good man. We are good friends Peace and Happiness for Indian. Next on the program was trick riding. While on a trot the lead man would drop a white handkerchief which was then picked up I by a following rider. This clever I act was nicely done and elicited loud applause from the audience.

Next came the rough riders with their broncos and before there was a trained discipline, there was many a throw back for jockeys, all in good fun for spectators. Now come the super attraction of the gala performance.

“Buffalo Bill,” Major Burke and Big Indian Chief Cornplow rode up in front of the grandstand, when “Buffalo Bill” made a speech, in which he declared that true and accurate marksmanship with a rifle was the high pride of the western plainsmen and Scoutmaster. He begged the audience to rest assured and have no fear for their safety, for at no time would they be within range of their rifles aim “for the three of us shall ever hold the bead upon the glass bulbs tossed into the air wholly out of your range.”

So the super spectacle of the exhibition was now presented to I view. Each one of the six actors rode their steeds close to the rail of the grandstand. The first three mounts would come on a trot and toss glass bulbs into the air away from the audience. The three marksmen, “Buffalo Bill”, Major Burke and Big Indian Chief Cornplow, mounted, followed on a trot. Bang, bang, bang intoned their rifles, and crack, crack, crack , burst the glass bulbs. At the end of the grandstand rail they would cease, return to start of trail and renew activities. Out of 24 trials every shot was a hit.