the cavalcade of America sponsored by the department company makers of better things for better living through chemistry Douglas Fairbanks the star of tonight's DuPont play has just returned from Europe where he's been working as an official of the United Nations Association and of care to help Europe realize its dream of a better tomorrow applause thank you, it's nice of you to welcome me back home and it's always nice of the DuPont company to welcome me back this way on cavalcade of America yes there is a dream prevalent in Europe, the fulfillment of which will make a better world tonight's DuPont play is about a dream too, a dream of less than a hundred years ago which marked the beginning of a new era, a stronger unified America music the year is 1859, the place, a ship bound from New York to Panama leaning on the rail of the starboard deck is a young man as he spares off at the distant horizon, a small hand fluxes his sleeve Mr. Judah, Mr. Judah huh, hello little girl I was told to look for you on deck Mr. Judah were you? and when I found you, I was to tell you something you were, what was that? lunch is now being served in the dining salon oh it is it and if you do not come at once, a nice lady is going to be very mad with you that's what she said she did, and who is this interesting person? she said to just mention that she is your wife and that she is very hungry thank you, what's your name? Elizabeth Mr. Judah, can I ask you a question? certainly is it true that when we get to Panama tomorrow, we get off the boat and go for a ride on mules? real mules? yes Elizabeth, only they're called buros we ride across the isthmus of Panama to the Pacific Ocean and then we get on another boat just like this that takes us up to San Francisco why do we have to ride on buros? buros that's what I said why do we have to get off the boat at all? because by getting off the boat instead of going around Cape Horn we save two weeks I like you would you like to hear me sing? not just now Elizabeth, I don't believe it would be advisable to keep that nice lady waiting any longer will you come and talk to me after you're finished eating? certainly will you tell me all about the buros? that's what I said, will you? certainly my dear, you just wait right here and I'll be back as soon as I'm finished darling, you seem so much brighter today you've really enjoyed your lunch for the first time since we left Washington that little girl Elizabeth, she meals with me oh she's a darling, and I'm certainly grateful to her for giving you back your rapid diet Theodore yes Anna do you still feel bitter about it? the railroad thing I mean? not bitter Anna if Congress has decided against my idea for a transcontinental railroad well I guess they know what they're doing darling, have you reckoned up what it cost? I mean the round trip and our expenses in Washington? over two thousand dollars ooh, we have much left have we? no what are you going to do? oh there must be someone in California who can use a brilliantly unsuccessful engineer you're not unsuccessful darling, and you're the most imaginative, the smartest I guess I've got too much imagination Anna, practical people are afraid of it you know what they call me in Washington behind my back? crazy Judah I know I'm not crazy Anna darling, those people at the next table are listening someday that railroad I've dreamt about will be built it'll cross deserts and rivers, yes and climb over the high sierras too of course it will dear Anna, something has to be done to bring together our people to the east coast and the west otherwise this nation will be in reality two nations as unfamiliar with each other as the Turks and the Icelanders look at us tomorrow we get off this boat at Panama, we ride burrows across miles of pestilential swamp you know how many Americans have died from swamp fever contracted while crossing Panama how many ships have been smashed or pirated rounding Cape Horn Anna, that railroad will be built, it has to be it will dear, and you will build it no Anna, not me, from now on crazy Judah is dead behold the dreamer is no more and in his place there stands the practical man of affairs, the good provider but Theodore I beg you to excuse me now dear, I have a most important engagement on deck with an extremely attractive young lady aged nine or there about she has promised to sing for me in exchange for a dissertation on the topography of Panama and the correct seat on a burrow I'll see you later oh darling, what a relief to have Panama behind us those swamps and those awful mosquitoes when do we reach San Francisco dear? late tomorrow I imagine Anna, that little girl Elizabeth, have you heard if she's better today? no dear, I haven't her mother hasn't come up on deck and I hate to go down and bother her I think perhaps you'd better go down Anna well don't you think we might ask why oh here's a steward now, maybe he knows, ask him Theodore uh, steward yes Mr. Judah, there's a little girl her name's Elizabeth she was taken with swamp fever when we were crossing Panama a few days ago yes Mr. Judah, how is she? she's dead sir, she's dead oh no oh the poor child she died early this morning, her services will be held at sunset services, you mean they're going to yes sir, the captain will read from the book of common prayer and the body will be consigned to the sea oh no, do they have to? it's customary madam, particularly in a case like this Panama fever is contagious, you should know the whole ship might come down with it if the body were allowed oh right steward, thank you very much you're welcome sir, if you'd care to attend the service we would on the starboard deck sir good afternoon sir we beseech thee to entrust the soul of this child to thy never failing care and love and bring us all to thy heavenly kingdom through the same Jesus Christ our Lord amen rock of ages, clap for me let me hide myself in thee let me water and water come Theodore let dear sweet child, the poor mother Panama fever, Panama fever the journey was too much for us, she wasn't very strong it wasn't the journey, it was Panama fever Anna, do you realize that there are a railroad across America that child would be alive today yes dear, that's what I was thinking all during well Theodore Anna, I've changed my mind when this ship docks at San Francisco I'm going to start all over again if the government won't help me maybe some private citizens will if they won't, I'll go it alone music but Mr. Gorham, I tell you that I have the transcontinental railroad is so important, why did the government turn it down because Congress is thinking about something else these days, a civil war I tell you it's up to us private citizens I want you to answer me one question, have you made any surveys for this proposed railroad no I haven't, have you located a single pass through the high sierras that your proposed line could go through no, but I have explored those mountains on 21 separate occasions and I'm absolutely positive that a pass can be found fine Theodore, and when you've found it come back and talk to me again music well Theodore they want a preliminary survey to prove there's a pass through the sierras there is a pass Anna, there must be and you'll prove it to them by finding it dear well now let's see, we need lots of warm clothing and nourishing food we, what do you mean by we well darling you can't go alone can you, it isn't safe of course I was thinking of taking somebody with me who well someone who would assist me with the surveying I've done that before help to get the topographical layout on paper I can do better than that, I can make sketches of them for you no Anna let's go over there maybe, let's show the actual pathway really is no Anna why not because it's too strenuous an undertaking for a woman, why you might freeze to death up there but Theodore let's say no more about it shall we you know how stubborn I can be when I've once made up my mind, well it is made up, absolutely music how high are we now dear almost seven thousand feet look, look Anna right up there the summit top of the world are you afraid darling yes for two weeks now we've been following this path we've climbed and zigzagged in a route that could easily be graded for a railroad line Anna those few feet to the summit I I am afraid of them afraid to get to the top because because of what I'll see well now Theodore will it be a sheer drop, will it will it be an impossible grade you mustn't even think such a thing no, no I mustn't there is a pass down the other side there must be come on Anna let's go and look the wind getting stronger I'm beginning to see Anna over the rise and beyond tell me what do you see I see a railroad that has climbed to the stars starting down again, down an easy grade winding around that mountain ahead traveling down through the pass Anna we've found what we're looking for the pass through the Sierra the pass for the first railroad across America you are listening to the DuPont Cavalcade of America starring Douglas Fairbanks in Crazy Judah with Gertrude Warner as his wife Anna Cavalcade is sponsored by the DuPont Company makers of better things for better living through chemistry and now back to our DuPont play since Congress in 1860 was not very receptive to the idea of a transcontinental railroad Theodore Judah went back to California and sought private capital to back his enterprise he's just now addressing a meeting of San Francisco businessmen interested in the project Mr. Gorham and gentlemen you asked me to find a pass through the Sierra I have found it it runs eastward from the town of Dutch flat eastward and over the mountain well gentlemen I've fulfilled your condition are you prepared now to form a company to launch this great project Mr. Gorham Mr. Handley oh come gentlemen surely you have something to say Mr. Judah yes Mr. Gorham Mr. Judah you spent some weeks in the mountains locating this pass well during your absence an event of some importance to investors in railroad bonds has occurred the Sacramento Valley Railroad I believe you're familiar with that line sir I surveyed it and built it it has ceased operation Mr. Judah it has gone bankrupt I see you imply Mr. Gorham that it was because of some fault of mine in the construction of the line perhaps that this occurred no I do not sir what I do not only imply but give to you as a hard fact is that there is nobody in San Francisco who looks with favor on the idea of investing his money in railroad properties I'm sorry sir thank you Mr. Gorham thank you very much I shall now move northward and see if the people of Sacramento share your prejudice good night gentlemen music so Mr. Judah you'd like us up here in Sacramento to go in with you to what extent Mr. Huntington and gentlemen I ask only in earnest of your interest and goodwill certain final surveys of the route for this railroad still remain to be made to accomplish this I need the sum of five hundred dollars for instruments inexpensive well gentlemen Mr. Judah you'll have to eat on this trip while you're doing that surveying won't you I believe that'll be necessary yes sir all right I'll start it off with a barrel of flour a barrel of flour well now let me remind you sir that you're in California not in the east out here a barrel of flour is worth one hundred dollars yes of course I see ah it's very handsome of you Mr. Huntington and it brings me to the very essence of this need for this railroad gentlemen how many Americans in this city and all over California are going without bread because flour sells at one hundred dollars a barrel you mean this railroad would cut the prices all the way down in half at least Mr. Hopkins probably further oh now I don't know that that's so good of course it is you'll make less profit on each barrel but you'll sell many times more barrels and you'll be putting bread on every table in the state of California the widest possible distribution of goods that's what's going to make this people of this country the most contented on the face of the earth well gentlemen as businessmen are you willing to come in excuse me dear oh Diana I didn't mean to interrupt oh it's quite all right dear gentlemen this is my wife oh how do you do uh Theodore this telegram just arrived at the hotel I thought it might be important oh thank you dear ah gentlemen this telegram is from Washington I'd like to read it to you Congress has decided urgent need for transcontinental railroad in view of threatening war government will offer land grants and guarantee bonds as soon as you present surveys of route and projected paths through the Sierras well are you now preparing to count me in your any amount you say you don't change my mind you can make that two barrels excellent gentlemen excellent well as soon as this final survey is completed we start work on the Central Pacific Railroad the westernmost link of a line collecting the Atlantic and the Pacific in eighteen hundred and forty one my quarter or put my quarter or put your thumb to work up on the railway the railway to work up on the railway do this and that do that without a day to do the way these men are digging the way these men are digging Mr. Crocker is fine but there aren't enough of them we'll have to lay rails faster or the Union Pacific will meet us before we got east of California now now Judah take it easy from last report the proceeding towards a juncture with us faster than we're moving towards them yes but they got twice our manpower my boy then we'll have to work twice as fast Mr. Judah huh I just rolled over from town sir telegram came for you from Washington D.C. urgent urgent day well now let's see what they want huh Congressman Logan committee not satisfied with your choice of route over Sierra urgent you come at once take first available both what's impossible I can't leave now are you better do that they hold up those land grants I can't go I tell you we'll buy the land from them and the bonds they were bought by the people of California on condition that the government guarantee them we'd have enormous refunds to make out of money we've already spent I'm afraid you'll have to go to Washington Judah very well but this I promise you sir it'll be my last trip by boat and through that infernal Panama jungle my last trip here now see it or stop being so restless at least we've gotten safely across Panama and the jungle in a few days this boat will dock in New York and then in no time at all no time at all just weeks and weeks wasted boat trips up and down oceans packed boroughs and Panama jungle railroad will change all that maybe the next time we make this trip next time what next time what's the matter dear are you ill and I do remember our last trip with that child you remember and yes she was a sweet name was Elizabeth but what was her last name and I don't know dear you think for me did I tell you that she's saying for me and then she died of Panama fever they said she caught it crossing the swamps just think Anna in those days you had to go all the way down to Panama to get from the United States to the United States don't you think that's funny Anna darling come back to the cabin with me you're not well why don't you laugh Anna didn't you hear to get across the United States you had to leave the country and go to Panama that doesn't make sense at all dear you've got to lie down you must be attached to the sun come with me darling and I'll get the ship's doctor to look at you music well what is it doctor tell me Mrs. Judah did you and your husband board this ship at Panama what yes we did had you come by way of the Panama swamps yes Mrs. Judah it's not too much sun your husband is suffering from he has Panama fever music Anna, Anna yes Theodore the surveys Anna give them to me oh darling do you think you should give them to me yes dear here they are see here Anna this part is the one I found it's the only route Anna when you go back to California you'll tell them you'll tell them yourself darling the doctor said you were going to get well in a little while remember when we found it Anna you and I together up there almost seven thousand feet remember how cold your hands were remember it wasn't there they said you couldn't lay tracks over those mountains they said did we show them we showed them didn't we Theodore, Theodore doctor, doctor no no no doctor no I want to be here alone with you Anna I want to tell you something I see something Anna darling I see a place a level place in Nevada maybe or or Utah two trains they come towards each other on a single track and you know where those tracks lead Anna from California all the way to New York oh darling don't tire yourself that's right Anna the railroad will be there I needn't tire myself anymore yes Anna my work is done time February 1931 place Sacramento California the American Society of Civil Engineers is meeting to dedicate a monument to one of its charter members a pioneer of American engineering history gentlemen the inscription on this monument reads that the west may remember Theodore Judah civil engineer and tireless advocate of the first transcontinental railroad in America this monument is erected by the men and women of the Southern Pacific Company who today are carrying on the work he started in 1860 Theodore Judah died November 2nd 1863 his railroad was built past the site of this monument over the lofty Sierra along the line of Judah survey to a junction with the Union Pacific at promontory Utah where on May 10th 1869 the last bike was driven home music thank you Douglas Fairbanks, Gertrude Warner and the Cavalcade players next week the DuPont Cavalcade will present one of Hollywood's loveliest stars Elizabeth Taylor in our story an adaptation of the bestseller the Peabody Sisters of Salem Miss Taylor will portray Mary Peabody a young school mistress who falls deeply in love with the great New England scholar be sure to listen next week to Cavalcade and our star Elizabeth Taylor tonight's DuPont play Crazy Judah starring Douglas Fairbanks was especially written for Cavalcade by Arthur Arendt Mr. Fairbanks latest picture State Secret will be released soon the music for the DuPont Cavalcade is composed by Arden Cornwell and conducted by Donald Vorhees the director is John Zoller ladies and gentlemen this week the Campfire girls have a birthday to celebrate over a period of 40 years Campfire has served more than 2,500,000 girls of all racial and religious backgrounds at present there are more than 360,000 Campfire members across the nation the DuPont Cavalcade of America salutes these citizens of tomorrow and wishes them Happy Birthday The DuPont Cavalcade of America comes to you from the stage of the Belasco Theater in New York and is sponsored by the DuPont Company of Wilmington, Delaware makers of better things for better living through chemistry applause next here Daddy's Little Problem Child Baby Snooks on NBC
