300324 - The Doctor's Verdict

This broadcast of Empire Builders is another reminder of the intended purpose of these programs. The Great Northern Railway used this on-air presence as an advertising campaign to promote both passenger and freight service on the railroad. The premier attraction for passengers was travel to Montana's Glacier National Park, created by act of Congress on May 11, 1910.

This story – “The Doctor’s Verdict” – was another vehicle to promote travel to Glacier Park, specifically via the Great Northern Railway. When the park was established in 1910, the northern boundary was set along the U.S./Canada international border, and the southern boundary of the park was defined by the east-west mainline of the Great Northern Railway. The GN wasted no time taking advantage of this fact by constructing and operating various tourist facilities in and adjacent to the park.

The Belton Chalets as they appeared circa 1912.
From a magic lantern slide, Bill Lundgren collection

These facilities included the Belton Chalets (opened in 1910), Glacier Park Lodge (opened 1913; annex added and opened 1914), and Many Glacier Hotel (opened 1915). There were several other facilities built and/or operated by the GN over the years, but these examples give a reasonable taste of the GN’s commitment to promoting the park and serving as a partner to the National Park Service. This partnership was valuable in carrying out the government’s mission to not only preserve the national park lands but also make them reasonably accessible to the nation’s citizens.

“The Doctor’s Verdict” is the story of a New York man whose wife was gravely ill, but after her undisclosed malady was treated, remained vulnerable to the effects of another undisclosed malady – perhaps depression and/or lethargy. The program opened with a private consultation between the doctor and the husband, Jerry Travers. His wife Elsie, so the doctor told him, needed desperately to change her environment and hopefully her demeanor. Only this kind of jolt to her system could lift her spirits and complete the healing process. Jerry expressed his sincere interest to do whatever was necessary to help his wife, but he was unclear as to what the doctor expected him to do.

DOCTOR:       Rouse her interest. Get her away from the city. The associations here are all wrong. Take her where it’s different, where she’ll be stimulated. Give her something to fight for.

JERRY:           I’ll do it! I’ll take her anywhere you say. God knows I’d do anything to make her strong again. There’s one thing though, Doctor, it can’t be anywhere that’ll take me out of touch with my business. I don’t dare get too far away from my office. If things go to pot I’ll be no further use to Elsie. Where would you suggest?

DOCTOR:       Where can you go? Great Scott, man, there are any number of places! Take her to – take her to – I’ll tell you! Take her out to Glacier National Park!

 

Great Northern Railway from January, 1930, touting the wonders of nature to be found in Glacier National Park.
National Geographic Magazine

 

One of our country's most notable naturalists could not have agreed more:

“Get off the tracks at Belton Station, and in a few minutes you will find yourself in the midst of what you are sure to say is the best care-killing scenery on the continent . . .”

“Give a month at least to this precious reserve. The time will not be taken from the sum of your life. Instead of shortening, it will indefinitely lengthen it and make you truly immortal. Nevermore will time seem short or long, and cares will never again fall heavily on you, but gently and kindly as gifts from heaven.”

- John Muir: “Our National Parks”, 1901

 

[Belton Station, today known as West Glacier, was a scheduled Great Northern Railway stop at the western edge of what would become Glacier National Park]

 

 

Jerry Travers pressed the doctor for more information about Glacier Park and why it was the doctor thought his wife’s redemption would be found there. As you might guess, Travers didn’t even know where to find Glacier Park. And as you also might guess, the good doctor was easy to confuse with a member of the railroad’s advertising and publicity department.

DOCTOR:       Right where it’s easy to get at – western Montana on the line of the Great Northern Railway. Just what you want, Travers – splendid air, magnificent scenery, perfect comfort, and not too far away for you to keep in touch with your business if you really feel you’ve got to.

JERRY:           But a National Park! Are you really sure it’ll be as restful as you say?

DOCTOR:       Now really! Do I look as foolish as that? It probably will be full of tourists, but it’s as large as the state of Delaware and you won’t have to see anybody unless you want to. You can get entirely off the beaten track and still have everything. And as for hotels, I tell you frankly that they’re as comfortable as anything you’ll find here in New York – and a great deal more picturesque.

Jerry was convinced. Off to Glacier Park he and his wife would go. If only he could talk her into it.

DOCTOR:       That’s the ticket! As for Mrs. Travers, you’ll have to persuade her – that’s all. If you don’t, the consequences may be serious.

JERRY:           Right you are. I’ll go and talk to her now. Goodbye, Doctor and thank you.

DOCTOR:       Don’t thank me. I’m just doing my job. It’s up to you now. Don’t forget that. Goodbye.

JERRY:           I won’t forget.

DOCTOR:       And Travers, if you can’t persuade her to go you’ll have to trick her into it – the thing is vital.

Well, now – this is beginning to sound a mite ominous. How’s that for a travel slogan – “Visit Glacier Park or die.” I mean, I’ve been there, and I tend to agree with John Muir about how wonderful it is, but it does seem like the doctor is being a little melodramatic about things. Oh, wait – this broadcast is a melodrama. Never mind.

So, meanwhile, “back at the ranch,” Travers and his wife had quite a dull conversation about going out to Glacier Park, with Elsie digging in her heels and Jerry steadfastly trying to convince her what a swell idea it was. “Let’s go to Glacier” – “No, I won’t” – “Let’s go to Glacier” – “No, I won’t.” It wasn’t quite that bad, but almost. It seems to me Bierstadt was having a hard time with that portion of the dialog. Finally the author had Travers change tactics.

JERRY:           Elsie – there was one thing I hadn’t meant to tell you.

ELSIE:            What do you mean?

JERRY:           Exactly what I say. You see, I hoped you’d go out to Glacier Park because the Doctor thought it would be good for you. I didn’t want you to know that…

ELSIE:            Jerry! Tell me!

JERRY:           Well, candidly, that it was even more important for me to get there than it was for you.

ELSIE:            But Jerry – you’re not ill?

JERRY:           Well, I never meant to tell you, Elsie, but according to the Doctor, it’s either a rest and change for me in some place like Glacier Park or – bust!

Jerry decided to dupe Elsie into thinking it was really he who needed the recuperation in Glacier Park – never mind the fact that he hadn’t been ill, was not currently ill, and had showed no signs that he was going to be ill. The radio listeners might be, but that’s their problem. Whether Elsie was dumber than a box of hammers, or just too depressed to think straight, she fell for Jerry’s ruse. Off to Glacier Park they went, riding the GN’s magic carpet made of steel westward beyond Chicago.

If everything was on schedule (and more often than not they were in those days), Jerry and Elsie Travers would have connected with the GN’s Empire Builder at Chicago late in the evening and if they secured a sleeping compartment, they probably would have turned in soon after boarding and not explored the GN’s premier passenger train until the next morning.

With some transitional music (featuring Sannella’s orchestra and MacGimsey’s harmony whistling), the Old Timer came into the picture. He was riding the Empire Builder and the script had him continuing midstream in a conversation that he was already having with Elsie Travers. But first he had to turn off the radio.

PIONEER:      Well, ma’am, if you don’t mind, I’ll just set down here beside you – an’ I think I’ll turn that radio off a minute – (WHISTLER AND ORCHESTRA OUT)  There you are. (TRAIN EFFECTS UP AND OUT)  Well, ma’am now that we’ve left Minneapolis, you might rightly say that we’re getting into the west.

ELSIE:            But aren’t we west already?

PIONEER:      That’s as may be. The Pacific Coast people, now, they speak of Minneapolis as “back East” and you easterners call it “West.” Matter of fact, it’s like most things, it changes with your point of view. Glacier Park, now, where you an’ your husband are goin’ is pretty well west, I’ll admit that.

ELSIE:            Too far west to be comfortable?

PIONEER:      Truth is, there ain’t anything too far west to be comfortable. Least ways, that’s my experience, an’ man an’ boy I’ve lived out here a considerable spell.

ELSIE:            Tell me about Glacier Park. Is it truly beautiful? Is it entertaining? Is it the sort of place where one forgets one’s troubles, and gets – healed?

PIONEER:      Well, I’d say – and I ought to know – that it’s all of that and more. I never think of Glacier Park as a health resort – not by any means! Truth is, folks out there are too busy enjoyin’ health to think of sickness. They have too good a time. An’ yet it’s more than just a playground. I tell you! It’s always seemed to me that the Park is the place where you go when you need to get back your point of view!

Now I have to admit – I’m assuming that Elsie and the Old Timer were sitting in the Observation Car of the Empire Builder during that conversation. I’m not aware of any other location on the Empire Builder train, in 1930, where you’d find a radio. And yet Jerry was just returning from the Observation Car to join his wife and their old friend.

JERRY:           Hello, Old Timer. Hello, Elsie. You know the observation car on this Empire Builder is really something. Radio, library, sun room, club lounge and everything you can think of. Elsie, you ought to see it!

ELSIE:            I’ll go and see it now. No, don’t you come. You’ve just been there, and I want to move around. You stay here and talk to the Old Timer, Jerry dear… Jerry, are you too tired? Is the trip wearing you out?

JERRY:           What – me? Why, I’m top hole! … Well – of course, dear, I do tire easily, but you mustn’t worry. I’ll make it all right. Coming back soon?

ELSIE:            In a little while. You stay here and rest. I won’t be long.

JERRY:           Righto! Go back and enjoy the observation car while you can – it’s just as smart and comfortable as the rest of this train.

Even in the early days of commercial radio, listeners were very sensitive to the delivery of commercial advertising during radio broadcasts. But here we had the characters of our story doing yeoman’s work cranking out laudatory descriptions of the Great Northern Railway and its passenger amenities. Perhaps it was some form of subliminal suggestion to have the Old Timer turn off the radio to begin this segment of the story. If listeners were put out by the advertising content of the dialog, well, don’t blame our sponsor. The radio was turned off! This so-called advertising was part of a “real” conversation. Besides, as you'll see in a moment, at least one radio reviewer thought the advertising copy in this broadcast was at least tolerable.

With Elsie Travers off to the Observation Car, Jerry and Old Timer got to talking about (what else) Glacier Park. Jerry asked the Old Timer if all the wonderful things he kept hearing about the park were really true.

PIONEER:      (chuckle)  Best thing to do is to wait and see for yourself. The people who’ve been in the Park are the real boosters. The Blackfeet call it the Land of Shining Mountains, and it’s all that and more – snowcapped mountains, with green forests crawlin’ up their slopes; valleys, heavy with flowers; glaciers and lakes so still and blue that the very sky looks pale beside ‘em!

JERRY:           Old Timer, you’re getting lyrical!

PIONEER:      And why not? There are some things that are worth better lyrics than I could write, and Glacier Park is one of ‘em. I’d no more miss a trip out there at least once a year than I’d miss my three square meals a day! Where are you people plannin’ to go first?

JERRY:           I’ve taken a chalet near the hotel at Many Glaciers. I figured that would give us plenty of peace and quiet and privacy, and still leave us in touch with everything that was going on. How about it?

PIONEER:      You’re doggoned tootin’! You couldn’t have done better – though I’m not by any means sayin’ that there ain’t a dozen places in the Park jest as beautiful as Many Glaciers. You don’t have to stay set there anyways; you can walk or ride or take a motor car jest wherever you want to go.

Hopefully, this draft copy of the night’s continuity was edited prior to airing to ensure the actors said “Many Glacier” instead of the intuitive but incorrect “Many Glaciers.” GN officials were sensitive to the accuracy of the radio continuities. They bristled when they heard the radio actors misstate or mispronounce important details such as the names of individuals or places, especially when those names related to elements of the railroad’s advertising priorities. For example, in the first few weeks that Empire Builders was on the air, GN Advertising Manager Bob Mills wrote to NBC's Raymond Knight and gently pressed him and the script editors to be careful in using correct terms for places and people. In his February 1, 1929, telegram to Knight, Mills wrote:

We all thought the program on Monday night, January 28, went off very nicely indeed. You and Ed Bierstadt handled this difficult program in a most effective manner. I appreciate, of course, that with insufficient time to get ahead of the current programs with the continuities, it is difficult to put the finish on the presentations that they should have. For example, the “Pioneer,” I believe it was, referred to Glacier National Park, in one instance Monday night, as Glacier Mountain Park. The name Glacier National Park should be drilled into the minds of all of your artists, as Glacier National Park is one of our biggest assets and we want to get it over without any confusion.

Many Glacier Hotel, circa 1916.
From a magic lantern slide, Bill Lundgren collection

Transitional music was played to segue to a scene at the Many Glacier (no “s”!) Hotel, where another couple named Ben and Betty were enjoying the evening. Betty commented to her husband that the Travers’ were a nice couple.

BEN:               Yes, they are. Mrs. Travers has certainly changed in the two weeks they’ve been here. I remember the day she came – looked like a ghost – and now she could mix it with a grizzly and give the bear the first two bites!

BETTY:          I know it. Glacier Park has put her on her feet. But I can’t understand about Mr. Travers. His wife takes care of him as if he were made of glass, and yet he looks perfectly husky – and has right along.

BEN:               Well, he may have something wrong with him for all that. Maybe it’s nerves… Let’s go in and have another dance. Horace Albright is going to speak in a few minutes, and I want to hear him.

“Horace Who?” you ask. Well, I’ll tell you. Horace M. Albright (1890-1987) was Director of the National Park Service from January 12, 1929 (coincidentally the same day the GN’s Cascade Tunnel was dedicated and opened), until August 9, 1933.

Horace M. Albright, Director, National Park Service

The Old Timer introduced Horace Albright by announcing he would speak to the assembled group on the hotel’s lakeside verandah off the main lobby.

PIONEER:      (OFF)  Ladies and gentlemen, tonight Mr. Horace M. Albright has consented to talk to us for a few minutes quite informally, and I suggest that we all go out on the verandah and listen to him there. You all know that Mr. Albright is Director of the National Park Service.

                        (APPLAUSE. MUSIC UP. CHATTER OF MEN AND WOMEN COMING ON)

National Park Service Director Horace Albright, in the flesh, then took the microphone – ostensibly on the verandah at Many Glacier Hotel in Montana, but in reality at the NBC studios in New York City. Generally I like to report the content of these radio shows as my own review, with snippets here and there so you can get a feel for the actual dialog and sound effects instructions. In this case, partly because Albright was a federal employee and his comments were made in his official capacity, I have no reservations about sharing his talk in its entirety. I have to say, though – he comes off kind of stuffy considering the Old Timer said he would talk to the group “quite informally.”

 

ALBRIGHT:   There has been in the past a somewhat prevalent feeling that the smart place for a person to travel is in Europe. It was generally believed that that is where people went who were possessed of wealth, or of a desire to broaden their education or recuperate their health. This idea – wholly erroneous, of course – happily is being overcome … Travel in America, and especially in our own National Parks, is increasing tremendously each year … Our playgrounds, as a matter of fact, all possess natural phenomena and scenic beauty unexcelled anywhere in the world. Each is unique. Each is an outstanding example of some form of nature’s handiwork – and all are reasonably accessible … No park is increasing in popularity more rapidly than Glacier National Park. It possesses mountain scenery of what might be most understandingly described as Alpine beauty. Its canyons and peaks are of rocks colored in delicate tones of green, red and gray. The forests are primeval stands of trees of many varieties. They clothe the gentle slopes of the mountains to just the extent necessary to accentuate the grandeur and color of the peaks towering above them. The glaciers – which give the Park its name – hang in the canyons and on big rocky shelves, while water tumbles over them to exquisite lakes in the tree-filled valleys below … Your Government, through its National Park Service, has spent large sums of money to provide facilities by means of which its beauties can be enjoyed by all. Broad motor highways have been built. Safe, but thrilling trails lead through the high mountain passes to hidden lakes and regions of exceptional charm. Fish hatcheries keep the lakes and streams supplied with trout… The visitor finds large, comfortable auto busses with which to travel the splendid highways; saddle-horses for short rides or camping trips; launches on the lakes; splendid, modern hotels and chalets; tennis courts, a golf course, and other facilities for out-door sports… And yet, for all these modern facilities Glacier National Park retains a wilderness charm that takes us back to the pioneering days of the West. More than half the Park is still accessible only by the trails. The high back country, as untouched as when the trappers and traders of a half century ago trod its game paths, furnishes supreme fishing. Wild life of all kinds makes it a paradise for the camera hunter. Then there are the Blackfeet Indians to complete the pioneer western atmosphere. The National Park Service wants you to feel that this mountainous wonderland is your heritage – to see and to enjoy. Its officers and rangers, will do everything in their power to make your stay happy and wholesomely beneficial.

                        (AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE SPEECH – APPLUASE)

The only thing left to resolve at this point was the misinformation that Elsie was operating under. Jerry finally came clean. After a little filler conversation about what a beautiful night it was, they eventually got to the point.

ELSIE:            I don’t like pain. It’s ugly!

JERRY:           Heaven knows you’ve had to stand enough this last year to make it ugly to you!

ELSIE:            I don’t mean that. That kind of pain I can stand. Old Timer, what would you think of a man who was ill, and who wouldn’t trust his wife enough to tell her what the matter was?

PIONEER:      Well now, I’d say he must have some pretty good reason for that.

ELSIE:            Have you, Jerry? Is there a good reason?

JERRY:           Dearest, there was a good reason. There isn’t any reason now.

ELSIE:            Then – tell me.

JERRY:           You remember that you wouldn’t come out here until I told you that the Doctor said that it was important for me to go there?

ELSIE:            Of course I remember.

JERRY:           That was the reason.

ELSIE:            Jerry – I don’t understand – what do you mean?

JERRY:           I mean I lied just a little bit to you. What the Doctor really said was that it was a matter of life or death for you to come out here – and you refused to come. So I fibbed to you. There isn’t anything the matter with me, dear. There never was. I just tricked you into coming for my sake.

Jerry and Elsie decided they must both be mighty fond of one another, and Elsie suggested they take a stroll out to the lake shore and enjoy the view of the night sky.

JERRY:           Let’s do that… Good night, Old Timer.

PIONEER:      Good night, folks.

ELSIE:            Good night, Old Timer … Bless you.

PIONEER:      Bless you too. Good night… Yes, there they go, on down to the lake in the moonlight. Well, the Land of Shining Mountains always was a pretty good cure for mind or body, and I reckon those too are safe.

                        (MUSIC UP FOR CLOSING ANNOUNCEMENT)

John S. Young brought the program to a close, informing the listeners once again that Harvey Hays played the role of the Old Timer, and it was Virginia Gardiner playing Elsie Travers. Unfortunately, no other performers were identified, other than Andy Sannella and Bob MacGimsey.

Another press review from the compilation of radio historian R.R. King is the following article found in the Christian Science Monitor radio section column, “The Listener Speaks” (March 25, 1930):

With spring officially arrived and summer plans beginning to occupy thought, the Empire Builders' program at 10:30 on Monday through the WJZ chain should have stimulated many pleasant anticipations for most listeners. Devoted to advertising Glacier National Park as a holiday resort, the radiocast was full of clever little touches which conjured up pictures of all the delights of lakes, forests, mountains, and the stars.

A rather clever little story was used to hang these pieces of description upon. An eastern businessman desired to refresh his wife with an outdoor vacation, but was unable to interest her in the subject. He then intimated that he himself would be much benefited by just such a holiday, with the result that she was immediately eager to make the trip on his account. This being a Great Northern Railway program they naturally chose Glacier National Park as their objective.

As the regular whistler of these programs concluded Rudolf Friml's "Rackety Coo" the scene changed to the luxurious "Empire Builder" train on which the couple made the acquaintance of the "Old Timer" who is the central figure of all the Empire Builders presentations. In the course of their conversation all the special features of the train as well as of the passing scenery, were casually but effectively mentioned.

Then, after a little string music, listeners were transported to the grounds of a park hotel from within which the cheerful sounds of a dance proceeded, while outside guests strolled past remarking upon the cool beauty of the night. Moving inside the hostelry they next heard a short talk by Horace M. Albright, director of the National Parks Service. Mr. Albright began by enlarging upon the well-known slogan "See America First" and proceeded with the recommendation that the first part of America which should be seen by lovers of mountain scenery is the one in which he was speaking. Elaborating upon his theme, he then enumerated sufficient attractive features of the park, from fish to motor roads, to make anyone long to pack at once and set out for Chicago to catch the Empire Builder for the Northwest.

At the end of his talk the husband and wife who had been the first characters in the sketch spoke enthusiastically of the vacation they had enjoyed. Then in conclusion John S. Young, the announcer, did a little direct advertising of the train which had already been so well described. Incidentally he added that this express, which reduced the running time to the Pacific Northwest by five hours when the eight-mile tunnel opened last year, is about to cut another 75 minutes from its schedule, and will leave an hour and a quarter later than it has done hitherto.

This kind of program is filled with obvious advertising throughout, but the subject of the publicity is sufficiently interesting to most people to make it well worth hearing in any case.

This review reveals a couple of interesting details. First, we learn that one of the tunes whistled by Bob MacGimsey was “Rackety Coo,” by Rudolf Friml. Another revelation was the additional commentary by announcer John S. Young, which was not included in the draft continuity that I found in my research. He described some upgrades to the Empire Builder train, which would reduce the scheduled trip from St. Paul to Seattle by 75 minutes.

This is a bit of a mystery to me at the moment. In comparing the public timetables effective for February-March of 1930 to the timetables effective for April and May, I can’t see any difference in arrival time at west coast destinations. The one obvious difference appears to be the departure time out of Chicago. In the Feb-Mar timetable, the departure time out of Chicago is 9pm. That time becomes 10:15pm in the April-May timetable, which is 75 minutes later (a detail that seems to match what announcer John S. Young provided). In each case, the Empire Builder was scheduled to arrive at St. Paul at about 8am. All I can imagine is that the state of Illinois had switched to Daylight Savings, and the states further west did not (at least, not yet), and that the GN was claiming a faster travel time based solely on that difference. I do know the changes to Daylight Time were not always consistent in those days. In the prior timetable (Feb-Mar), the scheduled arrival time at St. Paul was 8am. But in the April-May timetable, the St. Paul arrival time was 8:15am. Taking into account a difference of one hour for time zone changes (Daylight Time in Illinois, but still Standard Time in Minnesota), that could account for the different times of departure and arrival between Chicago and St. Paul, but there’s still no indication of another 15 minutes being gained anywhere. Maybe one day I’ll figure this out. Or not.

 

Back cover of Great Northern Railway public timetable, valid for April-May, 1930.
Author's collection

After the broadcast, Great Northern Railway president Ralph Budd wired a message to Horace Albright, thanking him for his participation on the program.

 

Great Northern Railway corporate records, Minnesota Historical Society, St. Paul, Minnesota

 

 

In reply, Albright wrote back to Budd and exchanged courtesies.

 

Great Northern Railway corporate records, Minnesota Historical Society, St. Paul, Minnesota

 

 

That’s just how they did things back then. Some still extend similar courtesies to one another today, but even in the business world a personal letter of that nature is well received, and remembered kindly. In a modern-day environment of terse emails and “text messages,” it’s kind of disappointing that this form of personal communication is either taken for granted or is so uncommon that the recipient may be downright surprised by it. So next time you find yourself feeling grateful to a colleague, client, or customer - however slight the impulse - consider following through with that thought and write them an actual letter. Even if you don't hear back, my guess is you will have left that person with a positive impression, and that's a good thing.

 

Until next week, keep your dial tuned to Empire Builders!