Annie Oakley Scrapbook

The Sporting Life,

THURSDAY, MAY 12.

ROYAL VISIT TO THE WILD WEST.

No better proof of the popularity of the "Wild Westeries," or, the Buffalo Billeries, could be advanced than the visit yesterday of Her Gracious Majesty, the performance, by Royal command, being strictly private. There was no afternoon exhibition, and the Grand Stand and Camp were closed all day. At a few minutes after five the Royal carriage drove in at the Earl's court entrance from the Warwick-road, and passing through the roadway between the stables, drove around the arena, and stopped in front of the Royal Box. The Queen was accompained by Princess Beatrice, Prince Henry of Battenburg, she was atteneded by the Dowager Duchess of Athol (Lady in Waiting), Miss Cadogan (Maid of Honour), General Gardiner and Sir Henry Ewart were in attendance on horseback. The party were received by the Marquis of Lorne, who presented Col. Henry S. Russel (President of the American Exhibition), John K. Whitley and Vincent A. Applin to Her Majesty. Lord Ronald Gower, Colonel Hughes Hallett, John Priestman, Sir John Maxwell Heron, Mr. Lee Thornton, Col. Griffin, Mr. J. G. Speed, Mr. F. C. Penfield, Mr. Townsend Percy, Mr. R. M. Smith, Mr. Alfred Pickard, Mr. John Sartain, Mr. William Goldring, Florence O'Driscoll, Dr. J. W. B. Bidlack (of the executive council and staff) were on the reception committee. On the Stand were Mrs. Whitley, Mrs. Pickard, Mrs. Priestman, Mrs. Salisbury, Lady Archibald Campbell, and Miss Applin, The Queen entered the Royal box, which was heavily decorated with crimson velvet, and seated herself in the centre, with the Princess Beatrice on her right, and Prince Henry, who remained standing , on her left. The Marquis of Lorne was on the right of the Princess, and the Dowager Duchess of Athol behind the Queen. The front of the box was filled with a mass if rare orchids, from Sander and Co., of St. Albans. About two-thirds of the usual performance was then gone through with, beginning with the usual grand entree. Two young girls, Miss Annie Oakley and Miss Lillian Smith were sent for by Her Majesty, who spoke a few words of praise to each. At the conclusion of the performance, Colonel W. F. Cody (Buffalo Bill) then had the honour of being presented to Her Majesty, who expressed herself as greatly pleased with the exhibition she had witnessed. Colonel Cody asked her if it was too long, to which she replied "Not at all." She only regretted that her time was so limited, and that she would like to come again. Red Shirt (Ogila-Sa), chief of the Sioux, was then presented, and the Queen expressed her pleasure at seeing him. Red Shirt replied that it made him glad to hear it, he had come a long way to see Her Majesty. Mr. Natt Salsbury, director of the Wild West, was then presented to Her Majesty, who expressed a desire to see the Indian babies, or pappooses. Two of these were presented for Her Majesty's inspection and she was pleased to shake their little hands and pat their chubby painted cheeks. Her Majesty was presented with a bouquet by Miss Whitley. The Royal party left at about 6:45.

The Exhibition, which was rather backward on the opening day, is now all but complete. The machinery yesterday was set in montion, and with the exception of about six stands, the exhibit portion may be said to be complete. Many of the Yankee notions offered for sale are distinetly novel. In ingenious household appliances, our American friends are particularly strong. Much may be learnt in the matter of patent sweeping brushes, step ladders, and carpet beating machines. The picture galllery is interesting, and the landscape photographs, which occupy a separate room, give one a very accurate idea of the diversified scenery of the vast continent. The toboggan slide was very extensively patronised, for the most part by the more sedate visitors of both sexes, who seemed ot find the [short?] capital fun. Towards dusk the coloured lamps and the electric light gave a very picturesque appearance to the grounds, and as late as the ninth hour streams of fashionable visitors kept arriving. The American Exhibition has been most successfully inauguated, and there seems every probability that it will become quite the [Metropolitan?] [?eature] of 1887.

The Princess of Wales paid her third visit to the American Exhibition on Wednesday morning last. Her advent was entirely unexpected, and she arrived as early as 11 o'clock. Her party drove up to the entrance of the "Wild West," and were evidently prepared to have a spree. She was accompanied by Prince Albert Victor of Wales, the Princesses Victoria, Maud, and Louise of Wales, Prince George of Greece, the Grand Duke Michael of Russia, Colonel Montague and a number of ladies and gentlemen in waiting. After paying a visit to Col. Cody's tent they passed on to the arena, and the Grand Duke Michael proceeded to shoot a match at clay pigeons with Miss Annie Oakley, making a very respectable score, although he was defeated by the little Western girl.

THE NEW YORK CLIPPER

THE FRANK QUEEN PUBLISHING CO. (Limited), PUBLISHERS.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1887.

ANNIE OAKLEY and Gilmore Sharp shot a match at twenty-five starlings each, twenty-four yards rise, Hurlingham rules, Miss Oakley to use a 20-guage gun, with 3/4 oz. of shot. and Sharp a 16-guage gun and 1oz. of shot, at Nunhead, London, Eng., Aug. 27. Miss Oakley won, killing 22 to Sharp's 14. The stakes were $50 a side.

LLOYD'S WEEKLY LONDON NEWSPAPER.

OPENING OF THE AMERICAN EXHIBITION.

BUFFALO BILL'S WILD WEST.

The Exhibition of the Arts, Inventions, Manufactures, and Resources of the United States was opened on Monday afternoon at West Bromptom. The proceedings were begun in the main transept at half-past three o'clock by a performance of "Hail Columbia" by the Grenadier Guards band; after which Archdeacon Farrar, of Westminster, led the company in prayer. The band played "God Save the Queen," after which Lord Ronald Gower, on behalf of the English council, delivered an address of welcome to the American guests. This council, he said, consisted of about 1,000 leading Englishmen in all walks of life, animated by the common purpose of showing a strong regard and affection for America and Americans. He expressed the hope that this exhibition might be a new bond of amity between England and America. The president of the exhibition, Colonel Henry Russell, returned thanks for this welcome and for the encouragement given to the Americans in their efforts to make a fair show of Yankee industries. Mr. John R. Whitley, director-general of the exhibition, explained that it had been organised and developed solely by private initiative. The "Star-spangled Banner" and "Rule Britannia" having been sung by Mdlle. Lilian [Nordica?] amid great enthusiasm, Colonel Russell, as president of the exhibition open, started the machinery, proclaimed the exhibition, and expressed a hope that might prove another strong link in that chain, sometimes strained but never broken, which bound the United States to Old England, "Yankee Doodle" was next performed by the band, after which the assembly proceeded to witness the performance of Buffalo Bill's "Wild West," the branch of the exhibition which will have most attraction for the public.

Whatever may be thought concerning the other sections of the exhibition, there must be a unanimous opinion of the picturesqueness of "America's National Entertainment" (so styled on the programme)—Buffalo Bill's Wild West. As a mere show the display of cowboys, scouts, Indians, and horses is exciting and attractive; but it is something more. These men and women are not merely trained circus people; they represent nobody but themselves and their own life in the Wild West. Colonel Cody (Buffalo Bill) is a large ranche owner at North Platte, Nebraska, and as scout, soldier, huntsman, and rancer has achieved a high reputation for himself all over the States. His Indians are actual red men who have not always engaged in mimic fights, but scalped and fought in desperate earnest. But it was purely as a show that the 25,000 people, on Monday, who only just filled the capacious structure, regarded them—and a very picturesque show it was in their estimation. After Mr. Levy had played the "Star-spangled Banner" on his cornet, there dashed into the large ring, with a circuit of one-third of a mile, the whole of Buffalo Bill's troupe, a motley crowd of Indians, Mexicans, and cowboys—all gaily dressed and superbly mounted. The intrepid horsemen, in their feathers and beads and mantles and war paint, raced round the ring at headlong speed; they urged on their wild career at a breackneck pace, halting in an instant and as suddenly as they started. On they came, with a mad rush and a whirling gallop. Mexicans in all the extravagance of velvet and silk; Indians painted and tattoed in every imaginable colour; cowboys in sashes and corduroy; laughing girls in coloured habits. As they took up position in admirable order, the sun, which had been very shy up to that moment, came out brilliantly and suddenly, lighting up this varied and fantastic picture, to the delight of everybody. There was a cheer from the crowd and a yell from the tribes as "Red Shirt" reined in his horse in front of his men. There was another cheer as Sergeant Bate, the standard-bearer, advanced—an old favourite in England, who some years ago carried the stars and stripes from the Land's-end to Gretna-green, that honour might be paid to the American flag; but the loudest cheer of all awaited Buffalo Bill himself, who, tossing out his curls and waving his wide hat in the air, completed this stirring picture. The brilliant horsemen vanished as quickly as they came. A word of command, a shout, and, in a second, Indians, cowboys, girls, beads, feathers, striped mantles, and war-paint had disappeared. They rode as if they had been born on horseback, and as if nothing could upset them. The programme consisted of two distinct features, one dramatic, the other dexterous. One showed life as it was in the "Wild West" before civilisation had altered the condition of things, and the other exhibited feats in shooting and athletic exercises with which the music-hall stage is not wholly unfamiliar. The more dramatic scenes were necessarily very much alike in character. They included the actual representation of an attack by Indians on an emigrant train, on the famous Deadwood stage-coach, and on an outlying and deserted settler's cabin. The result was the same in every case. The Indians succeeded for a time, but were ultimately repulsed by the brave cowboys, headed by the indefatigable Buffalo Bill; rifles and revolvers were fired with rapidity on either side, there was a scamper, a rush and a skirmish, and the fancifully-attired Indians were supposed to be left dead on the field. Of the three dramatic scenes, the attack on the Deadwood coach was the best, and in order to heighten the illusion, four visitors, including Lord Ronald Gower, took [?] [?] and braved the mimic attack and the powder of the hostile Indians. Riding on the top or the coach was John Nelson (Indianised Cha Sha-Sha-na-po-ge-o) who was responsible, the "orator" informed us, for polygamy in America, inasmuch as he guided Brigham Young and the Mormons across the then "Great Desert" to the site of the present Salt Lake city. Captain Fred Mathews, a famous American whip, held the reins. Amongst the skilled in arms of precision, a very popular performance was given by Miss Annie Oakley, of "wing shooting." There were races round the ring of every imaginable kind; races by pony express; races by Indian lads on barebacked ponies; races for the young ladies in the orthodox riding habits; races for "Mexican thoroughbreds," as the "orator" facetiously styled some patient jackasses, whose original cost he informed us was four shillings a dozen. Next, however, to the groups and processions, was the comical exhibition of bucking ponies and fiendishly obstinate mules. The difficulties of the cowboys in mounting and the worse difficulties of maintaining their seats whilst the animals reared, kicked, and plunged, caused infinite amusement. A buffalo hunt was pictured by a number of these animals being driven round the ring and made the target of a quantity of blank firing. Buffalo Bill contributed two solo performances—wielding in remarkable manner a bull whip of astounding dimensions, which he made to crack like the boom of cannon, and also firing at glass balls whilst riding.

THE ERA

SATURDAY, MAY 14, 1887.

THE WILD WEST SHOW.

As we took our places in one of the little boxes which edge the arena in the grounds of the American Exhibition, where Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show is given, we could not help being struck with the effectiveness of the scene before us. The size of the enclosure was one element of the impressiveness of the coup d'oeil, and this was cleverly increased by the picturesque scenery which inclosed half of the circle. For the illusion to have been as perfect for those in the lower tiers and seats as it was for those placed above them, the canvas should have been carried up high enough to conceal the neighbouring houses, and for the pictorial sky to have blended with the real one; but this is a mere detail, and to attain perfection would doubtless have entailed considerable extra expense. Certainly no one thought of criticising the background minutely when at the edge of the ash-covered circle in the centre were drawn up on parade the whole strength of the Wild West company. There were the various tribes of Indians in their war-paint and feathers, the Mexicans, the ladies, and the cow-boys, and a fine array they made, with the chiefs of each tribe, the renowned Sergeant Bates, the equally celebrated Buffalo Bill, the stalwart Buck Taylor, and others whowere introduced by Mr Frank Richmond, who, from the top of an elevated platform, described the show as it proceeded. The post of lecturer is no sinecure when such a vast area has to be filled by the voice of the speaker; but Mr Richmond made every sentence distinctly heard, and the interesting information conveyed by him in a mellow and decidedly audible voice was one of the most agreeable features of the performance. Few, perhaps, of the audience would have remembered, without the notification of the lecturer, the history of the pony Express, one of the most romantic in the annals of intercommunication, or have enjoyed fully the exposition by one of the leading cow-boys of the way in which the mails were carried. The emigrant train, which next wended its way across the arena with its teams of oxen and mules, its ancient waggons, and their burden of families and household goods, to be attacked by a tribe of redskins, who were soon repulsed by the ever-ready cow-boys, was an equally interesting resurrection of a method of peopling the soil practised even now in the remoter regions of the West, though the redskins, we believe, are pretty well confined nowadays to the Indian territory, and are reduced to, at least, an outward "friendliness." The next sensation was created by Miss Annie Oakley, who did some wonderful things with her rifle. Miss oakley is of petite figure, and only just twenty years old. One of her most remarkable feats was that of standing twenty feet from her gun, running and catching it up, and, with a double shot, hitting two clay pigeons, right and left. A more difficult trick even than this was throwing up tow balls with one hand, and knocking them both to pieces, and performing the same feat casting the articles backwards over her head. Miss Oakley's performance was a decided hit, and she was loudly applauded.