Col 32302 Cummings' Indian Congress at Coney Island - Columbia Orchestra, with Len Spencer

In this unusual record released by Columbia in December 1904, showman Frederick T. Cummins presents his “Indian Congress” as it is performed for spectators at Coney Island. Incorrectly labeled as “Cummings Indian Congress at Coney Island”, the recording featured the performance of real Native Americans. The 1903 “Stage Notes” of the show noted that Cummins had been successful at the 1901 Pan-American Exhibition held at Buffalo N.Y., before bringing his entourage to Coney Island.

According to the newspaper Cummins promised to:

Bring the representative chiefs and warriors of forty-two different savage tribes, with their bronchos, weapons, war paint, wives, papooses and a typical Indian village of fifty tepees and a big contingent of aboriginal artisans, vaqueros, broncho busters, dead shots and frontier daredevils. “The colonel took the snorting war horse for the far West yesterday to pilot has red brethren and their belongings to the holiday beach of the big salt water.”


Full Transcript of Text:

“Cummins Indian Congress, Columbia Records! Five hundred Indians representing forty-two tribes, living in tepees, wigwams, and adobe houses. [music, tom-tom and chanting]

Admission, twenty-five cents!

Introducing Colonel Frederick T. Cummins, otherwise known as Chief Lakota, [trumpet fanfare and hoof beats followed by cheers]

Congress of Indians, cowboys and Mexican Vanqueroes, preceded by the Carlisle Indian Band. [music and cheers].

Princess Winona, Champion Rifle Shot of the World! [trumpet fanfare, hoofbeats and gun shots followed by cheers]

Grand Indian sham battles concluding with the battle cry of “Victory!” [tom-tom, music, chanting, and cheers, then more music and cheers]”

About the Phonograph:
Heard here on an Edison Model A Triumph introduced at the beginning of 1901 at a price of $50 with a 14 inch brass horn. This particular machine is equipped with a much larger brass horn and floor crane. This two minute machine was upgraded with two/four minute gearing sometime after October, 1908 when the new 4 minute Amberol records became available.


Sources:
Google Books, Talking Machine West, A History and Catalogue of Tin Pan Alley’s Western Recordings, 1902-1908.
Columbia, Graphophone Grand, and Busy Bee Cylinders – Catalogue listing: 1896-1909 – Alan Sutton, Mainspring Press


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