The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-01-07
RAY ]. OWE TELLS.
 IF WINNING CANDY. NE w YEARS NIGHT
Chicago Station Offers Prize for Persons First Report ing Reception of
 Program

become alarmed about what time he returned home, as 1t was still 1922 and that makes it little better at least. Ray listened to all the fHappy New Years" on the ether line and after a while of Jumping from. one station to another, he heard WDAR. the Drake hotel, Chicago, who said they would give the first one in each state to call them or telegraph a fivepound box of candy. Strange to say, Ray is fond of candy and therefore he held this station in a few minutes to find out whether or not Alabama had already been given a box of candy. After a few moments the announcer read out the states which had sent telegrams or long distance calls and found that only four states had been heard from that night Ala bama was not among them nor was there one as far from Chi cago as this state is. Ray thought over the matter awhile and then made a mad rush for the telephone.
 As he thought the price of a tele- gram and Call at this time of night was so close, it would be better and quicker to phone. He put in a long distance call at once and went back to the set and listened very impa- tiently, hoping that the announcer would not read out the state of Ala bama for awhile yet. However, after each orchestra selection, there would be another candy winners name to be called out and the states were get ting closer and closer to this one. Ray sat there in perfect agony as he heard the announcer tell of a tele- gram from someone in St.-Louis who was just 30 seconds late. What if his should get there too late for the candy? He thought he would have a fit if the operator didn't hurry up and get Chicago.
 Once when he was tuning he heard bell ring, and threw down the phones to run to the telephone only to hear, "Number, please" It was the door bell. Mrs Owe and MT. Owe were returning (1923. now, however, and were at first against the call Ray had put in. Then MT Owe got interested as he went back to the set with Ray and heard about all the candy winners. He then went to the telephone and after getting the long distance operator, explained the whole proposition to her in every de- tail, bringing out the point that speed was the necessary thing. She told him that there was great many new year. calls, but she would do the best she could. This, she did, and Ray and MT. and Mrs. Owe went back to listen, still hoping that Alabama would not be added to the list. I seriously believe they o,,1I ha knew that there were several others in the state who were trying to get the call through with the same diff ficulty.
 Whenever the announcer would read out the list of states, 1t seemed to Ray that there were 47 of them and Alabama was the only one left.
 The clock went round the circle, of an hour, once, then twice even more than twice, it was nearly 3 o'clock and still the operator had not gotten on to the Chicago operator. The battery was getting weak and the states were getting thick MT. Owe once more went to the phone and got the same old answer. It was now nearly o'clock.
 An! The phone rings. Both Ray and Pop Owe rush for the phone, You go keep them turned in, Ray, I'll do the taking" yelled MT. Owe, and Ray rushed back to set.
 "WDAP?" said MT. Owe in an ex- cited voice. This is Birmingham, Alabama" He said to the other per son, who seemed startled at a call of such distance. The conversation was interrupted by a cry from Ray, See if we won the five poundsv' he yelled, and Pop asked the one at WDAP, but was told that it would be announced in just a minute over the radiophone, right after the selec- tion which was now being played.
 Pop Owe rushed back to the set for pair of phones, with the news. All of them were nervous as the end of the selection grew near. Do you think it will be better on the two- step?" Ray asked Mir. Owe
 Ray put the plug iWthe next jack and 1t came in fine, until there came sound from Mrs. Owe had just taken her phones off moment to give her head a rest. Has it stop ped?" she asked Both MT. Owe and Ray could hear it but she seemed not to. Then Ray informed her that she had the phones on with the dia- phragms turned out.
 Things seemed to be getting con fused and signals grew weaker. as
 
 nearer. The battery was going down Put it on the one-step," cried Pop Owe, Quick" Ray reached for the phone plug and in his haste to pull it out, jerked 1t so hard that the phone cord broke. Every one sank in their seats and MT. Owe arose in disgust. After staying up all night and then breaking the set just a few seconds before the thing you
 l l for the bedroom. Wait" said Ray. "get me the screwdriver, hurry!" Soon the desired thing was found and the phones were put back well enough for the time being. Ray hoped none of the Owes would move their heads as it would be all off. He put the plug in the second jack and. there the old familiar music was. Just ending. MT. and Mrs. Owe looked happy again, and the selection ended in just a second or two.
 Now silence filled the room. only broken by a little static (which only the listeners heard at times. Then the word, Alabama" was called by the announcer in Chicago. as he con tinued, ifs the next state added to our list. Ray D. Owe in Birmingham. Alabama, way down south in Dixie. wins a five-pound box of Martha Washington's candy"
 The Owes gave sigh of relief and retired without turning the dials again that morning as it was nearly o'clock.
 most infinitely multiplied. The po- litical idealist may be driven into inaccessible mountain fasthesses, leagues from his followers. yet such is the magic of radio that he will