300623 - Topic: [Railway Drama]

 

 

Virginia Gardiner and Harvey Hays (the Old Timer).
Author's collection

The Empire Builders broadcast of June 23, 1930, signaled the finale of the second season of the Great Northern Railway’s radio advertising campaign. When the project began at the outset of 1929, there was no clear plan as to how many episodes would air, or for how long the series would last. From a business-generating perspective, it was not at all clear the campaign would even be considered a success. Throughout the run of this radio series, various GN officials concerned themselves with analyzing and reporting on data that would tend to support or refute the efficacy of the series as a viable and cost-effective advertising campaign. At least at this stage of the campaign, GN officials were pleased with the impact the radio series seemed to be having, and they committed to continuing the series in the fall. However, the prevailing theory in the commercial radio community at the time was that the majority of casual radio listeners stopped tuning in their favorite radio programs in the summer months in favor of greater outdoor activity. Over time, it became clear this was not true, but at least in the spring of 1930, that notion prevailed, and the GN elected to once again take the summer off. In the meantime, a whirlwind of activity would evolve to prepare for the upcoming season of 1930-31. It would turn out to be the final season of the series, and as will be explained in future blog entries, it generated the most amount of extant material for the researcher and the historian. Among many changes that would fall into place over the summer was a complete upheaval of on-air participants. Nearly every one of the actors would be replaced, with only Harvey Hays as the Old Timer continuing. Empire Builders would begin the next season with a new announcer and a new musical director.

In the final month or so of this season, programming for Empire Builders was a bit unpredictable. Certain stories were planned and scheduled, when in fact it seems some programs were either rescheduled at the last moment or canned altogether in favor of a substitute. With the information available to me at this time, I have to believe the broadcast of June 23 was another example of this kind of reshuffling.

A brief synopsis of the planned show for June 23, as published in one of the GN’s Empire Builders flyers, stated the following:

JUNE 23.   The final program of the 1929-30 series will be a fast moving railway drama in which trains, the dispatcher’s office and the other units necessary to train operation will be featured. It was written by H.M Sims.

Now of course “H.M. Sims” was Harold Sims, the executive assistant to GN president Ralph Budd. Sims was the man within the railroad company with managerial oversight responsibility for the entire Empire Builders advertising campaign. By design, Sims insinuated himself into nearly every conceivable facet of the creation and execution of the radio broadcast series. He had no background in radio prior to this project (few did), but he did come to the GN from a career in journalism. There is evidence that Sims wrote or at least contributed to several stories for Empire Builders. In the case of the June 23 broadcast, however, it seems his story was scrapped or at least shelved for some reason yet unclear to me. Instead, it looks like the program’s go-to man for writing continuities – Edward Hale Bierstadt – was once again called upon to whip something up to close out the season. The show must go on.

What Bierstadt slapped together was a somewhat awkward continuity based on the simple theme of pulling together most of the prominent entertainers from the series under the guise of preparing to board the Empire Builder train in Chicago for a trip out to Glacier National Park. The show was short on dialogue and long on musical content. They had 30 minutes to fill, and it would seem Bierstadt used a preponderance of music to alleviate the challenge of generating, on short notice, a useful story of any substance.

For what I believe was the final time, announcer John S. Young came to the microphone and delivered his iconic opening line:

You are listening to Empire Builders, a presentation of the Great Northern Railway.

The following season, Young would be replaced by Ted Pearson as announcer of the program.

The next lines of the continuity set the scene and established the presence of the Old Timer and another man, presumably NBC announcer Norman Sweetser. The continuity simply refers to this person as “Mr. Sweetzer” (spelled with a "z"). Norman Sweetser, like John S. Young, was one of a stable of talented and, by 1930 standards, seasoned announcers. Also, from what I have gathered, he was assigned to WJZ. This was the New York station of NBC that handled the Blue Network, over which Empire Builders was being broadcast from the Big Apple.

(ORCHESTRA UP:  FADE TO UNION STATION EFFECTS – CROWD NOISES – TRAINS

COMING IN AND PULLING OUT – WHISTLES AND BELLS)

What followed was a roll call of Empire Builders regulars, punctuated by a series of musical pieces that were typically introduced through a somewhat awkward segue. Here’s the first section of dialogue. You’ll see what I mean by “awkward.”

PIONEER:            Well folks, here we are, back in the Union Station in Chicago.

SWEETZER:         Here we are, all right, but what I want to know is whether we’re all here. Let’s see – you’re here all right, old timer.

PIONEER:            I certainly am!

SWEETZER:         Where’s Virginia Gardiner?

V.G.:                     Here I am!

SWEETZER:         There you are. That’s all right. How about Andy Sannella?

ANDY:                  Right behind you, Mr. Sweetzer.

SWEETZER:         Got all your orchestra?

ANDY:                  We’re all set.

Not, in my opinion, some of Edward Hale Bierstadt’s best work. Again, I suspect this was hurriedly thrown together with only a day or two for rehearsals. It shows.

 

 

The next performers brought to the microphone were simply referred to as “the quartette.” There’s no telling who comprised the quartette, based on the continuity and with no other references to work with. It’s possible this was one of several “Great Northern Quartettes” comprised over the years, but if so, I don’t understand why they would not have specifically identified the group as such. Why not call attention to the fact it was a “Great Northern” quartette? Even so, I happen to have a 1928 photo of one of the Great Northern Quartettes, so I’m going to share it anyway, even if we can’t be sure this is the same group appearing on the radio program.

 

"Great Northern Quartette", circa 1928. (l-r): M.R. Skiff, R.J. Maloney, Elwood O. Anderson, and E.J. Olson.
Author's collection

 

SWEETZER:         I know the quartette is here, and Dad Pickard will be along in a few minutes – he’s always late. Well, that’s that. I guess we’re all accounted for.

V.G.:                     How long before our train goes, Mr. Sweetzer?

SWEETZER:         About half an hour, Miss Gardiner.

The ensemble chatted a bit more about travelling out to Glacier Park…

PIONEER:            Yes sir, half an hour more, and we’ll be on board the Empire Builder, and the day after tomorrow we’ll be in Glacier Park! Drown my kittens, I’ve just been waitin’ for this!

V.G.:                     We all have. I want to go riding along the Garden Wall.

YOUNG:               That sounds like a popular song!

V.G.:                     Oh, hello, John Young! No, it’s not a popular song, but it’s a popular place.

YOUNG:               Well, I want to see that mountain – Going to the Sun. There’s something about the name …

                              (FADE IN QUARTETTE)

V.G.:                     Oh, there’s the quartette rehearsing! Let’s listen.

                              (QUARTETTE UP TO FULL.  OUT.  APPLAUSE)

 

The Old Timer, throughout the course of the Empire Builders radio series, was chock full of quaint sayings, like “scatter my chipmunks” and “dog my cats.” This is the first time that I can recall his ever saying “drown my kittens.” I hope the youngsters were all in bed fast asleep when this particular show went on the air. “Drown my kittens?” Yikes.

Andy Sannella and his musicians performed a saxophone sextet, and then Virginia Gardiner was prompted to sing a song.

SWEETZER:         If we give a concert out in the Park, what number are you going to open with, Miss Gardiner?

V.G.:                     Why – with My Little Grey Home in the West, of course. Isn’t that all right?

ANDY:                  Of course it’s all right. Do you want to try it now? Everybody seems to be doing their stuff.

V.G.:                     Why yes. I’ll try it. Start the orchestra.

ANDY:                  All right, boys. Ready!

(ORCHESTRA IN. MISS GARDINER SINGS LITTLE GREY HOME IN THE WEST)  (APPLAUSE)

I don't have a recording of Virginia Gardiner singing the song, but here's a link to a recording of "My Little Grey Home In The West" on YouTube, as performed by Alma Gluck. 

Obed "Dad" Pickard strums his guitar and sings while the Old Timer and his hound, January, try to join in.
Author's collection

A little more predictable banter ensued, and then Obed “Dad” Pickard appeared.

PIONEER:            Old songs and old friends, they’re the ones to tie to.

YOUNG:               The combination that interests me just now is – old mountains and new hotels. They tell me that the ones out in Glacier Park are just about perfect.

V.G.:                     The mountains or the hotels?

YOUNG:               The mountains and the hotels! ………… Look who’s here – Dad Pickard himself!

DAD:                     Hello, you-all! I could hear the noise you was makin’ clear above the trains comin’ in! Just you listen to me a minute! I can take this here mouth organ and make it sound more like a train than a train does.

(PICKARD IN FOR MOUTH ORGAN NUMBER)   (APPLAUSE)

Next up was Andy Sannella again. He and his group played a “Glacier Park Medley.” I’d sure like to know what that consisted of. This was followed by another offering from “the quartette” – whoever that was – and then Dad Pickard prompted (there was an inordinate amount of prompting in this broadcast) Andy Sannella to perform. Again.

DAD:                     Andy, is that guitar the only thing you play?

ANDY:                  You bet it isn’t! Listen to this.

(SANELLA IN WITH BANJO) (?) (AND ORCHESTRA. OUT)

This cartoon image of the multi-talented Andy Sannella appeared
in a 1930 issue of Radio Retailing Magazine.

Dad Pickard felt prompted (without any additional prompting from anyone else) to perform “The Wreck of the Old 97.” I located a rendition of this song on YouTube. The version on YouTube was performed by Hank Snow. I like the way the person who posted this (billbilladaada) stitched together film clips from an obscure train movie from 1932 called “Phantom Express.”   Click here to go to “The Wreck of the Old 97”on YouTube.

 

After all the prompting to perform music was beginning to wane, the insistent schedule of the Empire Builder train and its conductor prompted the performers on the radio show to wrap up all the music-making and get on the train.

VOICE:                 All aboard for the Empire Builder – the Twin Cities – Glacier Park – Seattle, Tacoma, Spokane, Portland and the cities of the Pacific northwest!

VOICE:                 (OFF)  All aboard!

VOICE:                 (NEARER) All aboard!

VOICE:                 (UP)  All aboard!

V.G.:                     There! The train’s ready. Come on everybody. Let’s go!

But alas, it seems the Old Timer had just a little more prompting left in him.

PIONEER:            Wait a minute. There’s time for just one more song, and you know what that’ll be.

V.G.:                     No I don’t. What?

PIONEER:            Why Auld Lang Syne of course. We’re sayin’ good bye to our friends here for three months, and this’ll tell ‘em that we’re comin’ back in the autumn. How about it?

V.G.:                     You’re right, old timer. Here goes, and I want you all to help me with the chorus.

(MISS GARDINER SINGS.  OUT)

VOICE:                 All aboard for Glacier Park and the Pacific Northwest!

SWEETZER:         All right. Everybody on board?

VOICES:               Yes.  (AD LIB)

V.G.:                     Good bye, everybody! Good bye. Don’t forget us!

PIONEER:            Good bye! We’ll be back with you next September sometime. Good bye!

(TRAIN PULLS OUT)

(ORCHESTRA UP AND FADE FOR ANNOUNCEMENT)

 

The first season of Empire Builders, which was launched with the Cascade Tunnel broadcast of January 12, 1929, and ran until June of that year, featured primarily dramas reflective of the early history of the Pacific Northwest. During the second season, which began in September of 1929 and concluded with this broadcast on June 23, 1930, the Empire Builders programs moved away from the historical dramas and featured dramatic stories about contemporary events, and railroad-themed tales. Music remained a key feature of all broadcasts. The second season was also notable in that the Empire Builders bade farewell to one of the most novel musical acts on radio, the 3-part harmony whistling of Bob MacGimsey.

As the current season came to a close, Empire Builders would bid farewell to nearly the entire cast and crew of the production. NBC had been working on establishing a new and elaborate ensemble of first-class radio studios on the upper floors of the Merchandise Mart building in Chicago, Illinois. The main construction of the Merchandise Mart occurred between 1927 and 1931, but in the fall of 1930 NBC launched its new Chicago operations – Empire Builders was among the first regular programs to air from these new studios, launching its third and final season from Chicago on September 29, 1930.

Virginia Gardiner is inducted into the Blackfeet Tribe by Mike Short Man.
GNRHS photo archive

Harvey Hays elected to stay with the series, and he moved to Chicago to follow the show (and take on additional opportunities on the radio that would open up there with the new studios). Virginia Gardiner dropped out of the Empire Builders performing cast, but she remained involved in the program by submitting at least one or two scripts to be considered for airing. She even travelled out to Glacier Park in August of 1930 to collect material to support her writing. While there, she was inducted into the Blackfeet Indian tribe, an event no doubt arranged by someone in the GN’s Advertising and Publicity department. A photographer was present (possibly T.J. Hileman), and a photo taken of the “solemn event” quickly appeared in select newspapers across GN country.

Andy Sannella remained in New York, so a new musical director was secured in the person of Josef Koestner. John S. Young likewise chose not to relocate, and he was replaced in Chicago by Ted Pearson. One person enticed to leave New York and head for Chicago - and a new role on Empire Builders - was Lucille Husting, an experienced young actress who had crossed paths on Broadway with both Gardiner and Hays. The GN also held auditions to secure additional performers to round out their acting troupe. There will be plenty more written about this as future blog entries concerning the new season’s broadcasts roll out in the fall.

As I am motivated to do so – if I am motivated to do so – I will make another blog entry or two over the summer. I have no shortage of material to share and to write about, but this is a hobby-on-steroids for me, not a full-time endeavor. Life sometimes gets in the way. So at the least, I will pick this up again in September, but don’t rule out the distinct possibility you’ll hear from me again sooner than that.

Either way, have a fabulous summer, and know that 85 years ago, the people tied to the production of Empire Builders continued to work on new material and arrangements for their new digs in Chi-town.

 

Stay safe, be happy, and keep those dials tuned to Empire Builders!

 

300616 Topic: Glacier Park season opening

Route map of the Great Northern Railway, from a vintage magic lantern slide, circa 1929. Despite the apparently extensive rail network depicted in this image, the Empire Builder train was limited to the main line route from Chicago through St. Paul to Spokane, with a split of trains there: one to Seattle, the other southwest to Portland.
From the collection of Bill Lundgren

As I alluded to a few blog posts back, some of the final broadcasts of the second season of Empire Builders appear to have been shuffled about somewhat. This one seems to be one of those that may not have been on the air quite as advertised. I do not have a continuity for this program – at least not for a broadcast that I am certain aired on June 16, 1930. As you will see next week, the program that aired on June 23 seems more like what this show was advertised to be: a trumpeting of the opening of the summer tourist season at Glacier National Park. Then again, it may well be this program aired much as advertised, and then for whatever reason the June 23rd program was substituted at the last minute with a filler program.

Here is the short synopsis that was published in one of the GN’s Empire Builders program flyers for June 16:

JUNE 16.   The Honorable R.L. Wilbur, Secretary of the Interior, will be heard in the third June program, which will announce the opening of Glacier National Park for its 21^st season. The story is the work of E.H. Bierstadt.

Ray Lyman Wilbur (1875-1949), Secretary of the Department of the Interior for the years 1929-33.
photo posted on Wikipedia; attributed as a family photo

The final show of the season, which aired on June 23^rd, was advertised to be a railway drama written by Harold M. Sims. However, I do possess a continuity for that broadcast, and it more closely matches a presentation about Glacier Park.

Cover of one of a series of yearly booklets put out by the Department of the Interior and the National Park Service to inform tourists of the scenic wonders - and tourist accommodations - to be found in the national parks. This edition is for the 1930 summer season.    Author's collection

Glacier National Park was established on May 11, 1910, by act of congress. The Great Northern Railway, whose mainline skirted and actually served as the southern boundary of the new national park, wasted no time building lodging facilities and other accommodations for the tourist trade. The National Park Service, which was established in 1916 and fell under the administration of the U.S. Department of Interior, had and still has a mission to both provide access to these national treasures and preserve them for future generations.

THE MISSION OF THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

The National Park Service preserves unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park System for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. The Park Service cooperates with partners to extend the benefits of natural and cultural resource conservation and outdoor recreation throughout this country and the world.

It is a challenging mandate, to utilize a natural resource almost as though it were a consumable commodity, and yet ensure that it is not so harmed that its future as such is threatened. Early in its history, the National Park Service stewardship of Glacier National Park engaged in a long-term symbiotic relationship with the Great Northern Railway to provide the necessary tourist access and accommodations to fulfill that element of its mission. It was a relationship that relied on cooperation and collaboration, yet was often in a state of conflict as opposing interests sometimes clashed. Still, the management of the Great Northern Railway knew this was a business relationship they had to nurture and cultivate for the long haul. In 1914, the railroad created a subsidiary called the Glacier Park Hotel Company (a name shortened in 1943 to “Glacier Park Company”) to oversee and provide managerial leadership to the establishment and ongoing operation of facilities in and near the park.

 

Rare snapshot taken by a very early tourist to Glacier National Park, circa 1912 or 1913. This image shows the Glacier Park Hotel prior to construction of the adjoining annex and breezeway in the winter of 1913-14.    Author's collection

The seminal hostelry built by the GN and operated under a concessionaire contract by the Glacier Park Hotel Company was the Glacier Park Lodge, built in 1912. It initially boasted 61 rooms. An annex was constructed over the winter of 1913-14 and was connected to the main structure of the hotel by a wide indoor breezeway.

 

Vintage magic lantern slide view of Glacier Park Hotel with completed Annex, as viewed through the iconic pergola built of logs left over from the construction of the hotel. The pergola was destroyed in a strong wind storm circa 1920. 
Photo by Fred Kiser. From the collection of Bill Lundgren

Modern view of breezeway between
annex and main hotel. GPI photo

The annex added 111 more rooms, to make a total of 172 guest rooms at the hotel. Guests with rooms in the annex might stroll into the breezeway to linger over a game of chess, or to read a book or magazine in a comfortable rocking chair. Proceeding on into the main hotel building, they could then partake of a wide range of amenities, including a massive fire kept burning with four-foot logs, or take in a meal in the large dining room. In the early years of the hotel, there was a plunge pool for guests in the basement of the building. The hotel also maintained a modest gift shop. One the most remarkable things about this structure is that even now, over one hundred years later, guests of Glacier Park Lodge are treated to virtually all of those same amenities.

WINTER IN AUGUST

This unaccredited photo has a handwritten note on the back of it that says "August 29, 1930." It is not at all uncommon for this area just east of the Rockies to get this kind of snowfall as early as late August. However, as stated in a previous caption above, the snow-frosted pergola in this image was destroyed sometime around 1920. Perhaps the date on the photo was meant to say "August 29, 1920."
Author's collection

In addition to the aforementioned flyer put out by the GN to advertise the Empire Builders broadcasts, the GN also alerted ticket agents and others to the upcoming programs via the GN’s house organ, the Goat magazine. In the June issue of the Great Northern Goat, the following uncommon statements were added:

During the month of June, readers of the “Goat” who chance to be in New York City can visit the National Broadcasting Company’s studios during the broadcasting of the Empire Builder programs, through introduction cards, which are obtainable at any Great Northern travel bureau.

               With the closing number of this series, the second that the Great Northern has sponsored over a coast-to-coast radio chain, the Great Northern Railway would appreciate a brief statement from those who have heard these programs, telling their reactions to the present series and giving any suggestions for improvement.

Ed Flynn was a publicity man for the Great Northern Railway for many years. He used his forum as a commentator in the Goat magazine to draw attention to the success of the Empire Builders radio programs, and to the first anniversary of service of the railroad's flagship passenger train, the Empire Builder.

It was not uncommon for listeners to write to the Great Northern and request permission to attend the live radio broadcasts in New York. On one such occasion, a woman named Ruth Barber, of Maplewood, New Jersey, wrote directly to GN President Ralph Budd (it’s possible they were acquainted) and asked for just such permission.

Portion of a hand-written letter from Mrs. Barber of New Jersey to GN president Ralph Budd.

Budd wrote back to Mrs. Barber and referred her to his man in New York, Mike Hubbert. The GN’s General Eastern Passenger Agent provided Mrs. Barber with four complimentary passes to view the radio broadcast in studio.

As previously mentioned, I do have an abbreviated continuity (containing a large number of musical interludes) for next week’s blog entry.

So until then, keep those dials tuned to Empire Builders!

 

 

300609 - Topic: First anniversary of Empire Builder train

With only two broadcasts remaining in the waning days of the second season of Empire Builders, the Great Northern Railway elected to call attention once more to the “varnish,” or premier passenger rail service, offered by the GN to travelers between Chicago and the Pacific Northwest. It was only a year before, on June 10^th, 1929, that the GN inaugurated this flagship train service, so it was natural that the railroad wanted to use the Empire Builders radio show to again promote the train.

Curiously, the actual date of the Empire Builder train’s commencement of service has become a bit muddled. In the present, rail historians and GN enthusiasts seem to have settled on June 11 as the date the Empire Builder first operated. As I explained in great detail a year ago, this is simply not accurate, if one is to ascribe the date of the event to the time and date tied to the location where the event occurred. The misapplication of June 11 as the date when the service began is akin to stating the historic Allied Forces invasion of Normandy occurred on June 5^th, since in fact it was still the evening of the 5^th on the west coast of the U.S. when that happened. I don’t think anyone in their right mind would suggest the history books be rewritten to say D-Day happened on June 5^th. The event itself was on the northern coast of Normandy, and it was at the break of day on June 6^th. Anyhow, I just find it interesting that even on this evening’s broadcast, which took place on the night of June 9, 1930, the continuity stated the first run of the Empire Builder was “just a year ago this very night.” Off by one day. Oops.

I do not have a press release for this broadcast, but a short snippet placed in a GN flyer about Empire Builders (and also in the GN Goat) said this:

June 9. A romance built around the initial journey of the Empire Builder a year ago will be the theme of this Monday's program. The Old Timer, who was a passenger on this inaugural journey, tells the story of this trip. It was written by George Redmond and W. O. Cooper.

Another interesting news tidbit published just two days after this program, in Variety magazine, identified one of the otherwise nameless actors on the Empire Builders cast. The June 11 Variety article stated that Pete Dixon, of the NBC publicity staff, was engaged as “the new villain in the ‘Empire Builders’ program.”

 

The night’s broadcast opened as a young woman busied herself at an office switchboard. We quickly learned that her name was Bess Morgan [remember that name] and that she answered to a Mr. Sullivan. The story does not make it entirely clear, but it appeared that Mr. Sullivan and Miss Morgan worked in the offices of the Chicago Chamber of Commerce. Sullivan announced to Miss Morgan that he had an errand for her to run.

MR. S.:                 The Chicago Chamber of Commerce wants to send letters of greeting to the Northwest cities on that first train and the president has asked me to send the girl we use in our publicity pictures.

Miss Morgan was a bit taken by surprise, and responded by expressing her disbelief about her boss’s sincerity. Sullivan assured her he was in earnest.

MR. S.:                 But I mean it, Miss Morgan. Tomorrow night the Great Northern’s new train, the Empire Builder –

BESS:                    Oh, I’ve seen pictures of it in the papers –

MR. S.:                 Well – it’s leaving Chicago on its first trip tomorrow night, going to clip five hours off the time it takes to go from Chicago to Seattle or Portland. That’s going to bring the Pacific coast five hours nearer Chicago. The Chicago Chamber of Commerce wants to send letters of greeting to the Northwest cities on that first train and the president has asked me to send the girl we use in our publicity pictures.

BESS:                    Oh, gorgeous! Why, Mr. Sullivan, you can’t really mean it?

MR. S.:                 Well, you’ve been appointed Miss Chicago Commerce.

With the strains of transitional music from the NBC/Empire Builders orchestra, the scene shifted to Chicago’s Union Station. There, the Old Timer was waiting to catch a train again (the Empire Builder, one would assume, although the continuity did not actually say so). The dialog picked up with the Old Timer relaying events of one year before to a young lady he evidently met at the train station.

PIONEER:            Well, that’s how that got started. Yes, it was just a year ago this very night – right here in this Chicago Union Station. There was an awful jam in here too – a big military band on a platform right over there – and out there at the end of the track where the Empire Builder was a-waiting they had a big glass broadcasting booth so that people could see Graham McNamee a-telling the world about it. Now, as I was saying, this Miss Chicago Commerce …

GIRL:                    But, Old Timer, you’re skipping part of the story. You were talking over the radio yourself. – I heard you.

PIONEER:            Well, they did sort of rope me in on that. But I was only sorta incidental – just western atmosphere for the occasion, along with Chief Two Guns White Calf and some other Blackfeet injuns. Now about Bess and Jim . . .

GIRL:                    And about the Old Timer, too. Don’t you dare hold out on me!

 

Miss Chicago Commerce (Bess Mullen) poses with Yellow Head of the Blackfeet Nation, and two unidentified train crew (the conductor is on the left) of the brand-spanking new Empire Builder train, 6/10/29, Chicago.
Author's collection

The Old Timer warned the girl that his train would depart in only twenty minutes, so he would have to keep his story short (short enough to fit into the 30-minute time slot of the radio show). He told her the orchestra in New York was playing and their song (“Dream Train”) was going out over the airwaves, when the Empire Builders announcer, John S. Young, came to the microphone with some opening comments.

JOHN YOUNG:    An unusual event is taking place tonight at the Union Station, Chicago. It is the realization of a dream – the dream of James J. Hill, the Empire Builder. We will now turn you over to your old friend, the Old Timer, at the new Union Station in Chicago, who will act as Master of Ceremonies tonight.

With some sound effects to suggest crowd noise and a band playing in the rotunda of Chicago Union Station, the Old Timer’s first comments on the 1929 broadcast were reenacted as well.

PIONEER:            Good evenin’, folks. It sure is wonderful how I do skip around this here country, and I’m mighty glad to be out here in Chicago tonight when all this excitement is a-comin’ off. I’clare to goodness, when I look at this big, wonderful new train, the Empire Builder, a-settin’ right in front of me here on the track, I can’t help but think of the old days when I first came out into these here westernparts. ‘An that reminds me, old Dad Pickard has some real old railroad songs that I’m going to ask him to sing to you. Come on over here, Dad.

I have to pause here in the telling of the June 9, 1930, broadcast story to make an observation about something the Old Timer said in this piece of the monologue. Actor Harvey Hays said to the radio audience “It sure is wonderful how I do skip around this here country… .” In 1929, with the departure from Chicago of the first run of the Empire Builder train, Hays did in fact board that train and rode it out to the west coast on a publicity tour. On June 9, 1930, actor Harvey Hays was still in mourning for his own brother, who had died quite suddenly and tragically only 7 days before.

 

When Harvey Hays was still just a lad, he travelled off to the country of India to live with his sister and brother-in-law, a missionary. I suspect Harvey’s parents had passed away. His departure to India was also probably the last time he saw his older brother, J. H. Hays, who eventually moved to Texas. There were sixteen years in age separating the brothers. It was reported they last saw each other when Harvey was just 14 years old.

 

J.H. decided to travel to New York from his home in Brownsville, Texas, to visit Harvey. Just one week prior to this night’s broadcast, the older brother was travelling through the city of Indianapolis, Indiana, when the car he and his travelling companion, Charles Kunch, were driving was struck by an interurban car. Both men were killed.

 

Harvey Hays was robbed of his chance to see his brother for the first time in 30 years. With the demands of his broadcast performance schedule, I wonder if he was even able to attend his brother's funeral. If so, he truly would have been skipping around the country.

 

In the one-year anniversary reenactment of the 1929 show, Hays waxed poetic about not just the fabulous new train, but about all the men who had a hand in operating the train, maintaining the track, and “men who get out in the cold on a winter night and walk the track through the mountains, the fellows who stick at the telegraph keys all night long, the men who overhaul the cars and locomotives – and a lot more – .” The story segued back to the present, and the Old Timer reviewed the names of many prominent individuals who spoke over the radio on the grand occasion twelve months earlier. He described how the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, Colonel Robert P. Lamont, pushed a key in Washington, D.C., which caused a gong to ring out in Chicago as a signal to start the new train on its way West. He added, “Miss Chicago Commerce and me was a-sittin’ in the train hearing the whole doings over the radio right there in the observation car … .”

Actor Harvey Hays and Bess Mullen pose for the camera in Chicago on June 10, 1929.
Author's collection

With the appropriate musical bridge and associated sound effects, the story bounced right back to the Empire Builder on its inaugural run, and found the Old Timer in the midst of conversation with Miss Chicago Commerce, Bess Morgan.

So here’s where you were supposed to remember the name of the young lady in the story who was bestowed the title of Miss Chicago Commerce. In the radio play, she was named Bess Morgan. In real life, the Miss Chicago Commerce who really did ride the inaugural Empire Builder train was named Bess Mullen. I find it interesting that for the 1930 reenactment of the 1929 inaugural run of the Empire Builder train, they elected to retain the real young woman’s first name, but changed her last name. Maybe they just couldn’t remember what it was. But I doubt it. I think, for whatever reason, they decided they would change her last name so they could keep the names the same, but different. If that makes any sense.

 

 

The radio character Bess Morgan jumped back off the train before it departed the Chicago station so she could call her mother and share her excitement about the train trip. This nearly caused her to miss her ride on the new train completely. A stranger in the crowd (who later identified himself as Jim Laramie) quickly sized up her predicament, scooped her up, and helped her aboard the train just in the proverbial nick. Naturally, it was the Old Timer who put out a hand from the steps of the vestibule to help them both aboard the observation car. With the exchange of a couple of comments about what they had all just been through, the Old Timer shooshed them all so they could listen to something he was drawing their attention to on the radio. Bess asked him what it was, and the Old Timer said “It’s the train – our train – coming in over the radio – there’s a microphone up the track ahead of us, and they’re broadcasting the sound of the train.”

Unlike the way this played out the year before, with the real sound of the Empire Builder train coming over the radio as it passed the appointed spot in a rail yard outside Chicago, this time the sound was all fabricated by the sound effects crew.

(QUIET FOR A FEW SECONDS – DISTANT WHISTLE, GETTING CLOSER. TRAIN COMES UP, PASSES AND FADES INTO DISTANCE)

On the second day into the trip, the dialog picked back up with Jim Laramie and Bess, the Chamber of Commerce beauty. A porter approached Laramie and delivered to him a telegram. Bess expressed her hope that it was not bad news. Jim replied,

JIM:       Oh, no. This is good news. It’s from my mother. She lives in Everett, Washington, and she’s going to be down to the depot … We stop there for a minute – oh, there’s a chap I know – he’s on a Seattle newspaper that’s fighting me for re-election.

The newspaperman’s name was Peter Snodgrass. He went on his way again after exchanging a few minutes of unpleasant conversation with Jim. Bess came to understand that Laramie was an elected official of some sort, and that Snodgrass was dead-set against his re-election. Snodgrass intimated that he was not above taking cheap shots at Laramie to get his way. Jim explained to Bess that he was responsible for seeing to it that some of Snodgrass’s supporters were jailed for their behavior.

The Old Timer came upon Bess and Jim, and soon had an opportunity to chat with Bess alone. He had noticed the two of them spending a good deal of time together the past couple days, and he advised her to take things slow and easy until she knew more about him. She dismissively protested the Old Timer’s call for caution. He tried to get her to sit down a spell and talk to him over a cold glass of lemonade. Instead, she got a bit puffed up and stormed off to see Jim and see what there was about him she should be concerned about.

PIONEER:            Now, Bess, come back here. Everything’s going to be all right.

BESS:                    (OFF)  I’m going to find out what all this means.

PIONEER:            Well, scatter my chipmunks, I guess I got both feet in something.

(MUSIC – TRANSITIONAL – VERY BRIEF – FADE TO INTERIOR TRAIN EFFECTS)

Bess stumbled upon Jim conversing with a disreputable looking moll, perhaps something of a soiled dove. This gal was playing up to Jim as though she thought herself his girlfriend. Naturally, Bess completely misread the situation, and her growing affections for Jim took a sudden and decidedly crushing blow. She headed back to the Old Timer, quite defeated.

PIONEER:            There now, Bess, don’t cry.

BESS:                    I understand now. I – understand –

PIONEER:            Dog my cats, I’m not entirely sure that you do at that. We’ll see.

Oh, that Old Timer – he’s a cagey one: always a step or two ahead of the situation. The next morning, Bess and the Old Timer bumped into one another again on the train. The Old Timer asked Bess if she and Jim had spoken, and if Jim had explained everything. Bess said they had not spoken, and declared she would not allow Jim to speak to her at this point. She had effectively thrown in the towel. The Old Timer tried once more to convince her to cool her jets and give Jim a chance. She deduced Jim had been talking to the Old Timer about things.

PIONEER:            Yes, you guessed it – and I’ve even met the girl, Mabel.

BESS:                    What? How you talk!

PIONEER:            Oh, not socially, so to speak. Just to return her purse. She left it on her seat when she went into the diner last night. I thought it was kinda careless.

BESS:                    Humph! You’re extremely gallant.

PIONEER:            Gallant?  (CHUCKLES)  Well maybe so! … What’s this, Everett? Look at the crowd down to meet the Empire Builder.

Time for another little “sidebar.” So, this is only a dramatization of events that took place about 364 days earlier (on June 10-13, 1929). You got that, right? Thus we all collectively wonder (you were wondering, weren’t you?) – “what actually happened when the inaugural run of the first Empire Builder train, with actor Harvey Hays and Miss Chicago Commerce on board, pulled into the city of Everett, Washington?” You’re in luck. I found out for you. First of all, the train did not arrive in Everett until the morning of Thursday, June 13, 1929. The day before this, on June 12, the Everett Daily Herald ran an advertisement (right), placed by the Great Northern Railway.

 

The Everett city fathers did a great deal to honor the train and its VIP passengers. Word got out that local folks could come down to the depot and actually see the actor who played the Old Timer on Empire Builders. They could check out Miss Chicago Commerce for themselves.

 

As the train pulled to a stop at Everett’s Bond Street GN depot, well-wishers gathered on the platform could hear the Great Northern Quartette singing them a musical greeting. W.A Wilson, the GN’s assistant general passenger agent, made a brief address and introduced the crowd to Miss Chicago Commerce. Harvey Hays spoke to the crowd, and then the president of Everett’s Chamber of Commerce presented GN’s Wilson and Bess Mullins with a “tablet of welcome” from the city of Everett. Although it was not reported what was written on the tablet, the newspaper did state that the tablet was to be displayed in the “main offices of the Great Northern railroad in Chicago.” They could have been referring to the GN’s ticket office in Chicago, but the GN’s headquarters, as frequently noted in these blog pages, was in St. Paul, Minnesota.

 

Naturally, the Everett Daily Herald trumpeted the claim that Everett’s reception of the new train was the largest and most grand offered along the entire line. It was said over 2,000 people turned out. When the train progressed that morning to Seattle, and far fewer supporters appeared, Harvey Hays was quoted as saying “Everett was a lot different than this. Gee, but the way those Everett folks greeted us made me choke up with emotion.” Puffery? Hyperbole? Hard to say. Unfortunately, the Herald did not run any photos of the event. I suppose we’ll never really know.

In the radio drama, things heated up quickly during the fictionalized festivities at the Everett train station. It turns out Snodgrass was attempting to either blackmail Laramie into withdrawing from the race, or to publicly shame him enough to secure Laramie’s defeat. He conspired with the “loose woman,” Mabel, who kept pouring on her fake affections for Jim Laramie. It was at this tinder-dry moment that the sparks of passion finally seared the skies (or something).

JIM:       Snodgrass – let me tell you – you couple my name with that woman and I’ll take your skin and wrap it around your neck. Now git – both of you.

SNODGRASS:  Threatenin’ eh? That’ll look nice in print too. Now be sensible, Laramie – you let me wire in your withdrawal from the race and we’ll kill this story – otherwise we shoot the whole works this afternoon – pictures and all – your engagement to this chorus girl.

BESS:     And I’ll say it’s a lie because he’s engaged to me. And don’t you quit, Jim.

JIM:       Bess! Old Timer, take her away – don’t let her get mixed up in this.

SNODGRASS:  Oh, yeah? Lots of breaks today. This is going to be a real story now – swell headline – “Candidate Jilts Fiancé for Chorus Girl.” Hot stuff!

BESS:     Oh, Jim – what have I done!  Oh --- !

The Old Timer decided it was time to weigh in on all the shenanigans.

PIONEER:            What’s up anyway, Jim. We didn’t mean to interrupt. Why you look like my houn’ dog, January, did when he discovered the cat he was playing with was a skunk.

JIM:                      Well, it’s just that, Old Timer – oh, there’s my mother.

MOTHER:            (COMING UP)  Jim – oh, Jim!

JIM:                      Mother! I was just going to look for you.

SNODGRASS:     Oh, you’re Mr. Laramie’s mother. Well! I’m a newspaper-man. Your son has just told me about his engagement.

MOTHER:            Oh, my land, Jim! You never told me. Who is she?

JIM:                      It’s a – it’s a –

PIONEER:            A young lady he met on the train, ma’am.

So, Mrs. Laramie’s son has been on a train all of two and half days, and he’s engaged to be married to a young lady he just met, and therefore could not have known a week. Love at first sight? Perhaps the Old Timer has just a bit more wisdom to dispense on this topic . . .

MOTHER:            Oh, Jim, tell me about it. Is she here?

MABEL:                Is she – I’ll say so!

SNODGRASS:     You tell her, Mabel.

PIONEER:            Oh, just a minute – er – er – Mabel. That’s your name isn’t it? Mabel – Mabel – I don’t believe I quite got your last name?

MABEL:                LaVerne.

PIONEER:            Well, now that’s strange. This letter I thought musta got out of your purse somehow when you left it in the seat last night – must not be yours after all –

MABEL:                Gimme it!

PIONEER:            Oh, wait just a minute – this is addressed to Mrs. Peter Snodgrass –

A-HA! The jig is up! No more dancing around the truth with a blackmail scheme for Mr. and Mrs. Snodgrass! But wait – there’s more!

SNODGRASS:     Gimme that.

MABEL:                Don’t you dare! … You – you – Pete, don’t you dare read that!

SNODGRASS:     Yeah? …. Just as I thought …. Playin’ around with that guy in Chicago agin, are yuh?

This photo was likely taken in Chicago on June 10, 1929, when the train made its inaugural departure later in the evening. The billy goat was no doubt someone's lame idea of tying in the GN's iconic trademark image, which is a Mountain Goat - and is not actually a goat at all. Still, it makes for a suitable allusion to the goat in the story, Peter Snodgrass. 
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The conductor shouted out a hearty series of “All Aboards” and the Old Timer and his pals hot-footed it back onto the train – without the quarreling Snodgrasses.

PIONEER:            (CHUCKLES)  Huh, it looks as though the Snodgrasses aren’t coming. They seem to be havin’ an argument back there – now that’s too bad!

BESS:                    Oh, Old Timer, you’re just a dear – and so gallant!

PIONEER:            Gallant, did you say.  (CHUCKLES)  Well, I guess that depends sometimes on the point of view!

And that is how the program came to an end, with the Empire Builder train easing out of the Everett depot and on to Seattle via the iconic Everett-to-Seattle seawall on the shore of Puget Sound. The only thing left was for the announcer, John S. Young, to provide the final words from the boys in the GN Publicity office.

CLOSING ANNOUNCEMENT:

You have been listening to Empire Builders, a presentation of the Great Northern Railway. Tonight’s story probably has recalled to many of our listeners the colorful broadcast, just one year ago tonight, which inaugurated the Great Northern Railway’s new fast train – the Empire Builder, and the new fast schedule which clipped five hours off the running time between Chicago and the Pacific Northwest cities – Spokane, Seattle, Tacoma and Portland. Unparalleled as was this drastic speeding up of transcontinental service, the time of this new fast train has been still further reduced – four times since that maiden trip of a year ago – so that the Empire Builder today is running seven hours faster than any passenger schedule to the Northwest one year ago. Your attention is again called to the low round trip summer fares from all points in the United States to the Pacific Northwest, now in effect via the Great Northern Railway. These afford unlimited stopover privileges and a return limit that extends until late next fall. The Great Northern’s travel offices, located in many of the cities from which this program is broadcast, will be glad to assist you in planning your next trip.

The Empire Builders program has come to you from the New York Studios of the National Broadcasting Company.

So until next week, keep those dials tuned to Empire Builders!