In just a moment we will bring you One Wagon Westward starring Skippy Holmeier on the Cavalcade
of America.
But first here is Gain Whitman with information on another of DuPont's better things for better
living through chemistry.
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to prevent leaks in the radiator or hose connections and to avoid the loss of your antifreeze.
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They are examples of better things for better living through chemistry.
America, the pony express.
The covered wagon.
America, the world series.
America means skyscrapers and hayloft.
The crack of a pioneer's flintlock and the sound of the riveter's machine.
The glow of the fireside and the glare of a blast furnace against the midnight sky.
America is your story.
America is you and everyone you know.
Tonight we present Skippy Holmeyer in a true life story of the Sager family one wagon westward
on the DuPont cavalcade of America.
It is the year 1843 on a farm in Missouri, a father and his son balance themselves on
a rail fence and watch the distant horizon as the last wagon of a train teeters over
the crest of a hill and then disappears.
Well, that's it Johnny.
Two hundred wagons.
I counted them.
Did you?
Where are they going?
Oregon.
Well, where is that?
It's way up in the northwest corner son.
If I had my way there'd be two hundred and one wagons.
The Sager family would be leaving Missouri today at that party.
First wagon train bound for Oregon.
You know what that means Johnny boy?
There go the pioneers.
Men and women who are doing something to make this country grow.
Where do all those people come from?
Oh, they come from every place.
Well, like we did when we come to Missouri.
From Virginia to Ohio, from Ohio to Indiana, then to Missouri.
When people got a home, why do they want to move again?
Well, I tell you Johnny, I figure it this way.
This country's big and somebody's got to settle it.
If all the folks pushed into one spot and just sat right there until they blew away,
there'd be no reason for all that land out there.
Land that's big and rich and waiting.
Waiting for us to come and make things grow in it.
That's why those two hundred wagons are going to Oregon, huh?
That's what I think.
Well, it's like Dr. Whitman said that night he spoke in St. Joe.
If Americans like us don't take up the land that's laying there, it'll never be part of
the United States.
Oregon needs Americans who know how to work, know how to take care of themselves.
Will we be going to Oregon, Dad?
We will not be going to Oregon.
Henry Sager, what have you been doing all morning?
Just sitting here.
No, I've been moving around a bit, me and Johnny Boy.
You've been watching that wagon train.
Oh, we were just counting the wagons, Mom.
And wishing you was in them.
Well, I've had my last of that, Henry Sager.
And John, don't you get an idea like that in your head?
No, Naomi, you don't mean that.
No, I said Missouri was my last move west and I meant it.
We're in Missouri and that's where we stay.
Hey, Dad.
We got almost 100 wagons in our train.
I walked back and counted them all.
John Sager, for two weeks I've been telling you not to struggle off by yourself.
Oh, the boy's safe enough, Naomi.
As long as he keeps himself out of us.
I'm going back in the wagon and want to kill them.
And Catherine's got a two-take.
Can I drive a while, Dad?
Well, I reckon you can.
I guess you're a second-in-command of his wagon.
Thanks.
How long's it going to take to get to Oregon?
I don't know, son.
Oh, I didn't know any country could be as big as this.
Well, you wouldn't want to live in a country where he's all hemmed in, would you?
No.
Well, then.
Johnny Boy, you've got to understand.
You and all of us are real honest-to-gush pioneers.
What's Oregon like, Dad?
Oregon?
Well, it's rich black soil where anything will grow.
Easy climate year-round.
But it's more than that, Johnny Boy.
How?
Well, when you're doing what we're doing, moving into a new country,
you don't think of what the soil's like now or what the climate is or how rich you can get.
You just think of how rich you can make America.
You think of what you can add to it, the home, the family.
That's the way to think about it, Johnny.
That's the way you want me to think about it, ain't it, Dad?
Always, son.
Always.
I'll think like that, Dad.
I promise.
Hey, Mom, Dad, look.
I found a piece of mirror.
Know what I'm going to do with it?
John, look at your clothes.
How did you get...
And your shirt torn.
Oh, is it?
Oh, I must have done that crawling under the wagon.
What wagon?
Mr. Bishop, I wanted to see what it would be like to ride under it.
You... you rode under...
Johnny Boy, that wasn't so smart.
I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
That wasn't so smart.
Oh, I guess it wasn't, huh?
Of all the things.
And I told you to watch the other children, John.
Gee, I'm sorry, Dad.
I guess I didn't think.
Well, I reckon you didn't, Johnny.
But maybe you better start, huh?
Sure I will, sure.
Now, what's the mirror for?
Well, I was thinking.
You know how Mom has to keep turning around to see how the other kids are in the back of the wagon?
Well, I could rig this mirror up so that she could look in it and see how old Katherine and Frank and Tilda are without turning.
Oh, Johnny Boy, you do think of the most outlandish things.
Anybody would know your ancestors were Yankees.
Well, you don't think it's a good idea?
Sure I do, sure I do.
Hey, what's that?
Sounds like a wagon.
Dad, it's a runaway wagon.
There's no youngsters over there.
You stay here, John.
Stay here now.
Dad!
Henry!
Henry!
Henry!
That was a brave thing you did, Henry, saving those children.
Feel less and easier now.
Yeah.
Thanks, Doctor.
Well, bad, eh?
Well, I...
We'll do all we can, Henry.
Where's Naomi?
I'm here, Henry.
Naomi, I...
No matter what happens, we'll keep going, will you?
If you want it that way, Henry, we'll keep going.
Until you reach our valley.
Oh, Johnny.
Yes, Dad.
Don't forget now, when you dry.
Tight rain.
Not too tight.
I know.
I just...
And that's it.
All the way...
To Oregon.
John?
John?
Yeah, Mom. I'm right here.
You killed them, let it go, something?
Huh? Washed and dressed, Mom.
Oh, you're a good boy, John.
All right, tell them to come on.
Sure.
All right, you kids, come on, supper's ready.
Oh, good.
What have we got tonight, Johnny?
Beans, cornbread, milk.
Again.
You want Mom to hear?
Now, you sit down there.
John Seger, who do you think you are?
Look, Katherine, you've got to mind me.
Mom can't do everything.
Now, sit down.
You too, Frank.
Uh-huh.
Beans, beans again?
You be quiet.
Hey, let me see your hands.
What's in there, Wayne?
You got them dirty and I just washed them.
Are you?
You ready?
Yeah, we're all ready.
Frank, it's not until we say grace.
But I'm hungry.
You heard Mom, Frank.
Now, hold your hands.
I...
I...
I have a stomach.
Mom, what's the matter?
Oh, nothing.
Nothing, I guess.
I'll say grace, Mom.
But you...
Please, like Dad used to.
Let me do it.
All right, John.
You're the man of the family.
Go ahead.
Thanks, Mom.
I'm hungry.
Shut up.
Dear Lord, we thank you for, um, for the food we're about to eat.
And we ask thy, uh, thy blessings upon us.
And those who travel with us.
And, um...
And the men.
What's the matter, Mom?
Nothing, John.
Nothing at all.
Not now.
Mr. Bishop.
Mr. Bishop.
Oh, hello.
Uh, but, John, why aren't you and your mom in today?
Well, that's what I wanted to see you about, Mr. Bishop.
I don't think she's feeling so good.
She ain't faking she's so good.
I think so.
She's off-white.
Oh, come on, come on.
We'll go to... we'll get the doc.
Doc, Doc.
Yeah?
Yeah, what's the matter, Clem?
Oh, John here says his mom ain't feeling right.
Maybe you better have a look at her.
Oh, sure, sure.
We'll go right away.
When did she get sick, Johnny?
Well, she ain't been feeling good for a couple of months now.
Ever since Dad died.
I see.
Did she say anything?
No, but I could tell.
And then tonight, just a couple of minutes ago,
she had to lie down in the wagon.
There's the wagon, Doc.
Yeah.
You wait outside, Johnny.
All right.
Oh, where's the rest of the kids?
In the wagon.
Oh, Clem, Clem.
Yeah?
You better come here and take the children out.
You better help, Johnny.
Doctor, is she that bad?
No, no, no, you just do as I say.
Come on now, come on.
Katherine, don't cry.
But you what?
No, I wasn't.
What are we going to do, John?
Oh, what do you mean?
Are we going back home?
We're going to Oregon.
But, Johnny, we...
We're going to Oregon like Mom and Dad wanted.
Now, get in the wagon with the rest of the kids.
We'll be starting pretty soon.
Hello, Johnny.
Katherine.
Hello, Captain Shaw.
Hey, Johnny, I'd like to talk with you
a couple of minutes before we go.
Sure, Captain Shaw.
Uh, Katherine, you go ahead in the wagon.
All right.
Something wrong, sir?
No, not rightly,
but the rest of the folks had a little meeting and...
Well, we figured that six youngsters
would have a pretty hard time of it alone, so...
Who said that?
Well, all of us.
So Mrs. Ede says she's willing to take the baby.
The bishops will take Frank and...
Excuse me, sir, but I made a promise to Mom.
Promise? What?
Before she died.
I promised I wouldn't let the family break up.
John, I'm leader of this wagon train, but...
I know that, sir, and I'll do everything you say.
But, oh, I don't want the kids to go with somebody else.
I can drive and I can cook.
Now, don't be stubborn, Johnny.
Oh, I ain't, sir.
I'm only doing what Dad and Mom wanted.
I'm being like Dad said I should be, an American.
We're going to Oregon, sir.
But you might straggle behind. This is Indian territory.
I promise I won't straggle.
Oh, I'll keep up.
But you'll get tired, son. This is a man's job.
I know. I won't get tired.
Well, I...
Please, sir, just let me try it.
You think he can keep up?
All the way to Oregon, Captain Shaw.
You are listening to Skippy Holmeier as John Sager on the cavalcade of America,
brought to you by the DuPont Company,
maker of better things for better living through chemistry.
As the second part of our story opens,
the wagon train is about to leave Fort Hall, still 800 miles from Oregon.
Captain Shaw calls John aside and speaks to him.
John, I've spoken to the colonel of this fort about you,
and he's willing to let you stay on here through the winter until spring.
We'd get a rest that way.
Yeah?
There'll be another train going to Oregon in the spring, won't there?
Well, I... Maybe not.
What do you mean, there won't be?
How can we tell, Johnny?
Now, my idea was for you to stay here until spring,
then go back to Missouri in charge of an eastbound party.
We can't go back.
But, Johnny...
If it's gonna worry you, Captain Shaw, to have us along, we'll go by ourselves.
But we're going to Oregon, like my father and mother planned.
We're gonna take up land and settle it, just like Dad said.
We're gonna do our part to open up this country.
He'd want that.
You've got your mind set, haven't you?
I made a promise, sir, to make a home.
Well, I can't force you to stay here,
but we might have to travel night and day.
So don't fall asleep at the range, Johnny. That'd be bad.
I won't. And I'm ready to go.
All right.
All right, down there. Move ahead.
Move ahead.
Yee-haw! Yee-haw!
Keep up with us, Johnny.
I will.
I will.
Johnny, I'm hungry.
Captain Shaw says we can't stop till we get out of this path.
Johnny, get your wagon over.
Over.
You're gonna get stuck in that map.
Yes, sir. I'll get over.
Get out. Come on. Get out.
Keep the baby wrapped up, Catherine.
There's snow coming in the wagon, Johnny.
I'll fix it as soon as we stop.
I'll fix it as soon as we stop.
That's enough, Catherine.
Nobody gets more than he's shared ease.
How much farther is it, Johnny?
Not far. Not far, I guess.
Johnny.
Oh, hello, Captain.
Well, we kept up, didn't we?
Yes, you did, but I'm afraid I've got bad news for you, Johnny.
Get in the wagon, Catherine. Get in the wagon.
Captain Shaw and me gotta talk.
All right.
She gets scared easy, sir.
I see. Well, Johnny, here's the news.
Most of the wagons are turning south here.
South? But Oregon's north.
Yes, I know. The wagons are going to California.
California? But why?
Well, some of us didn't like what we heard about the trail ahead to Oregon.
Well, are any of the wagons going to Oregon?
No.
How far is it?
Now, look here, John.
I've let you go on like this because the rest of us were here to help.
True, we all had our hands full, but we gave what help we could when we could.
But now we're turning south.
You'd better come with us.
My dad said Dr. Whitman had a mission in Oregon.
About how far is it?
About 25 miles.
Well, that ain't so far.
In miles, no, but for one wagon alone in this territory, it might as well be 5,000.
And you're still a boy, John.
Well, I'm almost 14 now.
John, I'm afraid this is one time I'll have to order you to do something and you'll have to obey.
My father said Oregon needs Americans like us.
We come this far, Captain.
Only 25 miles from Dr. Whitman's mission.
It's out of the question.
You'll take your place in the middle of the train, John.
But Captain Shaw...
You heard me, didn't you, John?
Yes, sir, I heard you.
Oh, you mustn't cry, Katherine.
You'll wake up the other kids and they'll think something's wrong.
There is something wrong.
Where are the rest of the wagons?
Where are all the people?
Well, maybe we'll see them later.
Why did we leave when everybody was asleep?
Because we had to.
Oh, anyway, 25 miles ain't far.
It's dark, Johnny.
Why can't we stop?
It's not out here.
We can't stop until we get to Dr. Whitman's place.
I don't like it so dark.
Listen.
Johnny, look.
A campfire.
Maybe, maybe there are people.
Katherine, you get back in the wagon and put out the lanterns.
It'll be too dark.
Blow it out.
Blow what?
Why are you stopping?
You can't talk so loud.
Johnny, those people, they...
Indians camped up there in the hill.
They're gonna see us.
Well, they can't now.
We're down in a hollow with hills in between.
But we've got to keep quiet, Katherine.
We've got to keep quiet.
What are we gonna do, Johnny?
What are we gonna do?
We can't stay here, because they'll see us when morning comes.
We've got to move past them.
Now, listen.
Get back in the wagon and see that the kids don't make any noise.
But, we might hear...
We'll go slow.
The fire's pretty bright.
We won't be able to look down in the dark and see us.
We've got to be quiet.
Awful quiet.
Get out.
Get out.
Oh, Marcus.
Marcus, come here.
Yes, what's the matter, dear?
Look, isn't that a wagon coming?
By thunder it is, but why it's only one?
I don't see anyone on it.
Wait, wait, there is someone on the seat.
But he's lying down.
Marcus, there should be more than one wagon.
Should be, yes.
Well, come on.
Whoever it is needs our help, unless they're beyond it.
Oh, oh, there.
Marcus, it's a boy.
It's a boy.
Marcus, is he...
No, no, he's sleeping.
Sleeping?
Oh, the poor...
My heavens.
What's the matter?
Well, I think you'd better get busy, dear.
There are five more children in the back of this wagon, sleeping.
What?
Yeah, and a baby.
Here, take it, dear.
I want to be quiet, darling.
Come here.
I want to be quiet.
Son, wake up, son.
Oh.
Hello.
Who are you?
I'm Dr. Whitman.
Oh.
Oh.
My name's John Sager.
The rest of the wagon turned off to California,
but I promise I wouldn't stop until I got to Oregon.
My mother and father died on the way out here.
The Indians almost got us.
I guess I fell asleep this morning.
There, there, there.
You're all right now.
You're all right.
This... this is Oregon.
That's right.
How old are you, son?
Almost 14, sir.
Oh, dear God.
But I ain't too young, am I, sir?
I ain't too young.
Well, I...
Too young for what, John?
Oh, you don't have to be a man to take a plant out of your doodly-us.
We came all the way to make a home, and...
Why do I have to be a man, sir?
Yes, you do, John, but in your case, there won't be any trouble.
You've already proved, in spite of your age,
that you're the kind of citizen they're looking for.
One who, when he's faced with a job, doesn't falter and quit.
You've got the staff, my boy, that's needed to help build this northwest corner of America.
Thanks.
I want to build a home, sir, and help this country grow.
In a moment, our star, Skippy Holmire, will return.
But first, here is Jane Whitman speaking for DuPont.
On September 17th, the Nylon Research Laboratory at the DuPont Company's experimental station
was dedicated as the Carruthers Research Laboratory in honor of the late Wallace Hume Carruthers,
head of the team of scientists that first synthesized DuPont nylon.
It was at the experimental station that the research team headed by Dr. Carruthers
first made the super polymers, which came to be known as nylon,
and were destined to play an important role in both the peacetime economy
and military security of the nation.
In addition to his work with nylon, Dr. Carruthers was associated with the development of neoprene,
the first general purpose synthetic rubber to be produced commercially.
Jane Carruthers, eight-year-old daughter of the distinguished scientist,
unveiled a bronze plaque commemorating her father and his work.
Tribute to Dr. Carruthers, who died in 1937 at the age of 41,
was paid by Mr. B.M. May, general manager of the DuPont Company's rayon department,
and Dr. E.K. Bolton, director of the DuPont Company's chemical department.
Carruthers was a great chemist, said Dr. Bolton, in reviewing the life and work of the late scientists.
He received many invitations to present his work before scientific gatherings in this country and abroad.
In recognition of his achievements, he was the first organic chemist associated with industry
to be elected to the National Academy of Sciences.
His premature death was a great loss to the DuPont Company and to chemistry.
But during his brilliant scientific career, he made contributions which have greatly enriched American life.
Out of the bold scientific research conceived by Dr. Carruthers has sprung employment for thousands of people.
Plants that require the investment of tens of millions of dollars are being operated
to produce nylon raw material at Bell, West Virginia,
nylon yarn at Seaford, Delaware, and Martinsville, Virginia,
and nylon bristles and plastics at Arlington, New Jersey.
A plant for making the intermediates for nylon is under construction near Orange, Texas.
Another for the manufacture of nylon bristles and plastics will be completed next year at Washington,
near Poppiesburg, West Virginia.
And a third yarn-producing plant is planned for Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Nylon, an achievement of science, produced commercially by American industry,
is one of the DuPont Company's better things for better living through chemistry.
And now our star, Skippy Holmire.
Thanks.
When I was playing John Seger tonight, I couldn't help thinking how swell the neighbors were to those kids when their folks died.
Then I thought of how this country has grown since then, and I guess it's changed a lot.
But I don't think the people have changed.
We're all still one big family, and when folks down the street need help, we always come through.
One way we can do so now is by giving as much as we can when our community chest asks our aid.
The need is great, and the cause is ours.
Thanks, everybody, and good night.
Thanks, Skippy, and good night.
Next week, the DuPont Cavalcade brings you Robert Young in That Day May Live,
the poignant, memorable story of a man who had but one simple ambition, to save the lives of children.
Chevalier Jackson worked un-tiringly against great odds to perfect a tiny and delicate instrument called a bronchoscope
that removes all sorts of objects small children swallow.
Dr. Jackson believed that the lives of our children are our nation's most precious possession,
and it was to this end that he devoted his entire career.
Be sure and listen next Monday to That Day May Live, starring Robert Young.
Skippy Holmeyer is one of the stars of the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer picture, Boy's Ranch.
The music for tonight's DuPont Cavalcade was composed and conducted by Robert Armbruster.
Our Cavalcade play was written by Ruth Woodman.
The featured in the cast was Skippy Holmeyer tonight, where Hugh Suterbaker as Henry Sager,
Leora Thatcher as Naomi Sager, Barbara Benson as Catherine, Chris Barnett as Captain Shaw,
and Theodore Von Elk as Dr. Whitman.
This is John Easton inviting you to listen next week to Robert Young in That Day May Live
on the Cavalcade of America, brought to you by the DuPont Company of Wilmington, Delaware.
The Cavalcade of America came to you from Hollywood. This is NBC, the national broadcasting company.